The Library - St. Paul's Cathedral
https://www.stpauls.co.uk/history-collections/the-collections/the-library
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| LIS group on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral. Photo by Alex Brewer. |
Today LIS enjoyed a tour of St. Patrick's Cathedral led by Yvonne who has served as a guide for 12 years.
The first church built on this site dates back to 604 A.D. In 1666, the Great Fire of London caused the church and its contents to be completely destroyed, with the exception of a small number of marble artifacts able to withstand the heat. During bombing raids in WWII the cathedral miraculously escaped major damage. The present building is the fifth iteration of the Cathedral and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, a polymath, scientist, veterinary surgeon and architect. Construction began in 1675 and was completed thirty five years later in 1710.
LIS was led up to the triforium level of the Cathedral.
Definition from Merriam-Webster:
Definition of triforium
plural triforia play \trī-ˈfȯr-ē-ə\
Once again, we were very fortunate to be given the opportunity to tour the St. Paul's Cathedral library. Mr. Wisdom was supposed to be away on vacation, but adjusted his schedule to accommodate our group. In addition, as of July 2nd, the library will be closed for renovation for a period of 18 months. Work is being done to conserve the fabric of the room (woodwork, stonework, etc.) and to provide more space for collection display.
Mr. Wisdom told us the collections team is comprised of the Manager, an Archivist and Senior Conservator. He explained that technology exists to restore materials in the collection, but the decision must be made within an ethical framework--is there good reason for doing so? His philosophy is to preserve where it merits preservation. In some cases, items in the collection such as diplomatic gifts never should have been accepted. The items are kept, but additional measures may not be taken for their preservation.
The collection was lost in the Great Fire of 1666 with the exception of 20 books and 3 manuscripts held at Zion College. The collection then grew as a result of begging, borrowing and buying (Mr. Wisdom's words). Additionally, a tax on coal provided funds for the restoration of churches. In 1712 the collection expanded by 2,000 books bequeathed by Henry Compton, the late Bishop of London, which provided the foundation of St. Paul's theological collection.
In the past, duplicates within the St. Paul's collection were weeded, but today Mr. Wisdom is hesitant to do so because "the afterlife of a book is just as interesting"--who owned it, how was it used, etc. It becomes a physical artifact that has had a life in time. During WWII the most valuable books were removed and stored in a cave in Wales.
One of the most important books in the collection is a first edition of William Tyndale's Bible. This was the first holy book printed in English (1526) and one of only three copies still in existence. One can find another example on display at the British Library Treasures Gallery. Tyndale's Bible inspired the King James version known today.
I thoroughly enjoyed the library tour. Mr. Wisdom was funny (in an understated British way) and quite informative. I especially enjoyed hearing about collection management and development and how the process may change over time.
: a gallery forming an upper story to the aisle of a church and typically an arcaded story between the nave arches and clerestory
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| Yvonne told us that the triforium is home to many historical objects and gifts that aren't necessarily appropriate for display in the cathedral such as these Roman artifacts. |
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| The plastic sheeting was set up to protect books from construction dust and debris. |
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| St. Paul's Cathedral Library designed by Christopher Wren. |
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| The Librarian's name is Joseph Wisdom! Could his last name be more perfect? No. |
Once again, we were very fortunate to be given the opportunity to tour the St. Paul's Cathedral library. Mr. Wisdom was supposed to be away on vacation, but adjusted his schedule to accommodate our group. In addition, as of July 2nd, the library will be closed for renovation for a period of 18 months. Work is being done to conserve the fabric of the room (woodwork, stonework, etc.) and to provide more space for collection display.
Mr. Wisdom told us the collections team is comprised of the Manager, an Archivist and Senior Conservator. He explained that technology exists to restore materials in the collection, but the decision must be made within an ethical framework--is there good reason for doing so? His philosophy is to preserve where it merits preservation. In some cases, items in the collection such as diplomatic gifts never should have been accepted. The items are kept, but additional measures may not be taken for their preservation.
The collection was lost in the Great Fire of 1666 with the exception of 20 books and 3 manuscripts held at Zion College. The collection then grew as a result of begging, borrowing and buying (Mr. Wisdom's words). Additionally, a tax on coal provided funds for the restoration of churches. In 1712 the collection expanded by 2,000 books bequeathed by Henry Compton, the late Bishop of London, which provided the foundation of St. Paul's theological collection.
In the past, duplicates within the St. Paul's collection were weeded, but today Mr. Wisdom is hesitant to do so because "the afterlife of a book is just as interesting"--who owned it, how was it used, etc. It becomes a physical artifact that has had a life in time. During WWII the most valuable books were removed and stored in a cave in Wales.
One of the most important books in the collection is a first edition of William Tyndale's Bible. This was the first holy book printed in English (1526) and one of only three copies still in existence. One can find another example on display at the British Library Treasures Gallery. Tyndale's Bible inspired the King James version known today.
I thoroughly enjoyed the library tour. Mr. Wisdom was funny (in an understated British way) and quite informative. I especially enjoyed hearing about collection management and development and how the process may change over time.
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| We're on top of the world! We took 528 steps to the top of the Cathedral. Photo by Alex Brewer. |
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