British Library - Redux

Hmm. Yes, well I've been spending a little time at the British Library. There are a couple of pretty cogent reasons for that.

First, they have a lot of books here. Really quite a lot of books; it is quite probable that their own estimate of 13 million volumes may be conservative.

Second, it has been a trifle damp, cold and windy for the last few days. Spending such days in the relative comfort of a library seems like a pretty good idea to me.

Third, "relative" comfort is a fairly relative term. As far as I can tell, the only necessary comfort the Library lacks is a bed... All else is provided!

The end result of my cogitation? The British Library is a new Happy Place for me; if the grave, solemn, sedate, sonorous old British Library can be a "Happy Place", then it is one for me. I am currently sitting in the café under the stairs that lead to each level of reading rooms, gazing at the unreal spectacle of The King's Library rising from the ground level to the very top of the library; cutting through all the floors. Candida Höfer had it right in her Library. I am finishing my lunch, drinking my coffee, gazing at the awesome spectacle of one of the great collections of ancient volumes, connected to the internet, sitting at a table with adequate lighting. What is not to like??