The London Library

The London Library

The London Library is perhaps the largest private subscription library in the world.  If you love books it is a fabulous place to spend time.   Most of the space is occupied by stacks, apart from the issue hall and the reading room.  The books are crammed into what is not a particularly large building, and so you find yourself deep in this matrix, this three dimensional array of books which surround you on every side, as well as below your feet and above your head.  It is even more striking where the floors are made of metal grids.  As you look down you can see not only the next floor down, but more floors beyond that.  And the passageways are wonderfully narrow so that it is impossible to avoid being diverted by books which you have to slide past to get to those you are seeking.  Wonderful, quite wonderful, and worth every penny.