Saturday 11 February 2012

St John's College Library, Cambridge



Two postcards dating from 1909, both showing very slightly different views of St John's College library at the University of Cambridge.

The library was built in the early 17th century, about 100 years after the college itself opened.  So this then became the new Library, the original one having been inside the college, on the first floor.  By the time postcards were made, the "New" had been dropped and it was just the library.

The building is 110 feet long and 30 feet wide.  There are 44 bookcases at right angles to the wall, 22 taller ones and 20 smaller with sloping desk surfaces on top.

As you can see from the following picture taken, I think, in 2007, little has changed apart from the name.  It is now the Old Library.  There is a more detailed history of the library on the college website.

St John's College Old Library interior
By CharlieRCD via Wikipedia


A post for Sepia Saturday.  A click on the button will take you to the blog.
Enhanced by Zemanta

15 comments:

  1. Wow! What awesome pictures. The college opened before the British even built a settlement on Durban Bay!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so impressed with how long these buildings stand the test of time

    ReplyDelete
  3. Been there! Seen that! Truly impressive to me at 16 years old in 1953.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! I love the contrast between the recent photo and the two postcards, or should I say, the similarity. I can recognise the individual bookcases in all three photos - it is as if it is the place where time stood still.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now THAT'S a library! Those shelves are beautiful, so ornate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. All that wood is beautiful, so much warmer than the miles of metal shelving.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I followed your link to find out more information. Amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Me too. Did you know there is more under this floor? Lots of books.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I remember spending hour after hour in my own University library : it was my internet of the time, a place you could go off on endless and pointless trawls through information - instead of writing the essays you were supposed to be writing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I like the way the stacks are set up and the airiness of the building.

    ReplyDelete
  11. the pictures remind me of a church with pews.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What an impressive place that is!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It looks slightly intimidating, as do many big libraries at first, but I bet it's a fantastic resource once you know your way around :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. A very impressive library, Sheila...I can just imagine the scholarly students who spent many long hours here.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It may be the "old" library now, but it is like a church! Just stunning.

    ReplyDelete

Welcome to my postcard collection! I love hearing what you think of the cards - but spam WILL be deleted.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...