You can come in now …….. hidden stories ... Central Ref

It is a decade since the Central Reference Library reopened after its magnificent make over, and ninety years since it first opened its doors.

Open gain, 2014

And I must admit with a sense of Methuselah it is 55 years since I first sat in the awesome Social Sciences Library, with its echo, circular layout and inspiring inscription running around the domed ceiling.

Them stacks, 2024

It was my Saturday morning home from 1969 to 72, again over the last two decades and a bit as I researched my first three books, only interrupted by its make over period when it was closed.

In all those years I had only given scant thought to the floors below ground, known as the stacks and home to shedloads of books, periodicals, newspapers and newspaper clippings.

In the early days you ordered them up by filling in a request form after first consulting the filing cabinets to get the reference number.  

Then handing it in to the assistant at the central hub before waiting twenty minutes for the publication to be retrieved from the stacks and brought up by the hoist.

Acres of Private Eye, 2024

Today the ground floor of the stacks are visible from inside Central Ref, and yesterday Peter and I got access to that underground warren of floors with the shelves of “stuff” along with a visit to one of the strong rooms equally full of “stuff”.

We had called on Jackie Pugh, who is the Heritage Access Manager at the Ref to drop off a selection of our new books for the library’s collection, and in turn Jackie gave us the tour.

And what fascinating half an hour it proved to be, and not to be outdone Peter took the pictures.

Shelves, more shelves and even more shelves, 2024

Location; Central Ref

Newspaper clippings, 2024

Pictures; You can come in now, Central Ref, 2014, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and the “Stacks” and other interesting ground pictures, 2024, courtesy of Peter Topping