The design of libraries has changed significantly over time along with the material used within them. Here we have a lovely photo of the institution’s library in the 1960s. It looks like a reference section so students may not have been able to take out the materials on show. Access has become a key priority in twenty-first century libraries and at Edge hill a huge amount of material needed by students is now available online as well as in hard copy.
Below is a section of Edge Hill’s library, The Catalyst, on a very quiet late afternoon in August 2022.
There is much more space, manmade materials like plastic are much more in evidence and the lighting is brighter. Still plenty of books!
Libraries have a rich and important history; they are also spaces in which crucial learning and understanding have long taken place. Do you think you could write a piece on them and submit to our Think Creative Archive competition?