Research Visit - London Library

My original research topic upon arrival in London was Charles Dickens. At the time, I had not determined the research question or problems, picking Dickens simply because he was an author I enjoyed and assumed would have many resources in London. Yet I can't say I was passionate about my topic. Since I don't currently work in a library, I suspected after visiting a few British libraries I'd get into a "librarian groove" and a topic would stand out to me.

So I was very grateful when Profs. Welsh and Griffis extended the deadline for the research questions so I could ponder my topic and determine if Dickens was right for me or if I should move on to something else. It wasn't until the night before the dinner discussion on our topics with the professors that it came to me, as I was mulling over the events of the day before going to sleep.

We had visited the London Library that afternoon, a library I had previously known nothing about and as such was less interested in than some of the other more well-known libraries on our itinerary. But the London Library took me by surprise. I'd never been to a membership library before, seeing as how few there are left in the United States (membership libraries, also known as private, subscription, or independent libraries, require a fee and thus can only be accessed by members). Quaint and with a real sense of relationship between members and staff, I found the library quite interesting. But the part that set the wheels in my head turning was when our tour guide Amanda explained the cataloguing system that afternoon. The cataloguing and classification system of the London Library is unique to the library, having been created by librarian Sir Charles Hagberg Wright in the late 19th century. I'd just finished my cataloguing class requirement in the spring, and what was supposed to be the hardest class of my MLIS turned out to be enjoyable and approachable, thanks to a good teacher. When Amanda briefly explained how items were catalogued and classified, I couldn't help but wonder how user-friendly the system was, both for members and staff.

Entrance to the London Library

So as I lay in bed, thinking about that same question, it dawned on me - why not make cataloguing and classification in libraries in London my research topic? Although we'd only visited two libraries in London at present, I felt fairly confident that libraries in England would have some differences in cataloguing and classification than American libraries. I began to feel excited about my idea and realized this was a topic I could be passionate about. I decided to bring my thoughts to our meeting tomorrow.

So enthused was I that by our dinner the next day I offered to talk about my topic first to our group. Thankfully, both Prof. Welsh and Prof. Griffis were amenable to my change and Prof. Griffis in particular was excited by what I wanted to research. I finally felt on the right track for my research paper.

Of course, one of my libraries to research would be the London Library, so I contacted Amanda, who graciously passed on my request to meet with a staff member and discuss cataloguing and classification to Dunia Garcia-Ontiveros, Head of Bibliographic Services. I met with Dunia for about an hour the next week. She helped solidify my understanding of the system in place at the London Library and also gave me plenty of additional information. Since I tend to run on (can you tell?) I'll only mention a few of the items that were particularly interesting to me (otherwise my research paper might end up here instead).

Amanda had mentioned on our tour that the library has a large number of books in other languages, which began with the aforementioned librarian who created the cataloguing system. Dunia pointed out that the current cataloguing staff is quite diverse, with employees from Russia, Germany and Greece, to name a few (ironically, no one on staff is English, although one employee is from Wales and another from Scotland). Dunia shared how helpful this was when original cataloguing is needed, which is still done about 50% of the time. She explained how a native speaker can add more information in terms of quantity and accuracy when cataloguing, which results in better records.

Dunia gave me the history of the current system in place at the London Library. When Sir Charles Hagberg Wright began working at the London Library, the building was bursting with books - so much so that the floors were sagging. While the expansion was in progress, not only did the library remain open the entire time, but Hagberg Wright re-catalogued the entire collection himself, by hand. It is estimated that a quarter of a million books passed through his hands as he established the system still in place. Dunia compared the scheme to the Library of Congress approach - Hagberg Wright looked at the collection during this expansion and came up with a system based on what the library had.

Some of the original printed catalogues, still used today and accessible to members

Being created during Victorian times, Hagberg Wright's system isn't always the easier to work with. Dunia stated that often it is like squeezing the modern world into a Victorian scheme. But the system is their own, which gives the London Library entire freedom over it. Members can suggest different ways to classify the material, and these suggestions are often taken - Dunia believed this strengthens the relationship between the members and the library. The system is text based, so it is easy for members to navigate, and the unusual subjects that appear next to one another often foster creativity. Furthermore, members are given an induction to the system when they join to explain the classification scheme, along with all its quirks. And when I asked the question that had sparked my research paper idea in the first place - whether members ever had difficulty finding things because of the classification system - Dunia responded by stating the bigger problem for members was physically finding the books due to the labyrinth-like nature of the building after many renovations and expansions.

An appropriate page of the catalogue for Library Science students in England

Now that my burning question has been answered, I can sleep at night.

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