Cambridge University Library: Encyclopedia - Cambridge University Library

Cambridge University Library

Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of the University of Cambridge in England. It actually comprises five separate libraries: the University Library main building, the Medical Library, the Betty and Gordon Moore Library (Centre for Mathematical Sciences), the Central Science Library (formerly the Scientific Periodicals Library) and the Squire Law Library. It was housed in the university's 'Old Schools' near the Senate House until it outgrew the space there and a new library in the west of Cambridge was built. The large site on the western edge of Cambridge city centre is now nearly opposite Robinson College.

The library was built between 1931 and 1934 under architect Giles Gilbert Scott to match the neighbouring Clare Memorial Court (part of Clare College), and bears a marked resemblance to his industrial architecture, such as the Bankside Power Station. Its tower stands 157 feet (48 metres) tall, six feet shorter than the top of St John's College Chapel and ten feet taller than the peak of the famous King's College Chapel. The library has been extended several times. The main building houses the Japanese and Chinese collections in the Aoi pavilion, an extension donated by Tadao Aoi and opened in 1998. There are over 5.5 million books and pamphlets in the library, more than 1.2 million periodicals, many maps, manuscripts, and specialist collections including that of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

As a legal deposit library, it is entitled to claim without charge a copy of all books, journals, printed maps and music published in Britain and Ireland. The library is open to all members of the University of Cambridge (although undergraduates in their first two years and University Assistants cannot borrow any books). As is traditional amongst British university libraries, research postgraduates and academics from other UK universities are allowed reference-only access to the library's collection, and members of the public can apply for access with an academical letter of introduction and on payment of a fee. The library is unique amongst the UK's legal deposit libraries in keeping a large proportion of its books on open access and in allowing some categories of reader (for example Cambridge academics, postgraduates and final-year undergraduates) to borrow from its collection. The library is mainly used for research and reference, as the Cambridge colleges have their own libraries for use by undergraduates. It has a well-used 'Tea Room' in which full meals, snacks and beverages are available.

The library puts on exhibitions, usually free to the public, and featuring items from its collections.

Several of the UL staff are academics and scholars in their respective disciplines and there is a display case of their publications in the Library. One of these is Noboru Koyama, who is in charge of the Japanese collections, and who has written a book in Japanese which has been translated into English as Japanese Students at Cambridge University in the Meiji Era, 1868-1912: Pioneers for the Modernization of Japan [1] (published September 2004, ISBN 1411612566).

Most students refer to the University Library colloquially as the 'UL'. On several occasions, less respectful names have been used, with several students and articles appearing in student newspapers claiming that the main building resembles a phallus. Many have also noted a resemblence to Orwell's 'Ministry of Love', taken from the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Cambridge University Library - Fun at the University Library

The University of Cambridge's Monty Python appreciation society, known as the "Spanish Inquisition," organises a game of Hide and Seek in the University Library at the beginning of each academic year.

For many years the "UL paper trail" was an unofficial, secretive game played by library users. A cryptic clue left in the jacket of a library book leads, to another book, inside which is another clue, and so on; those who reached the end of the trail were duty-bound to add a new clue. Some clues are believed still to exist.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Cambridge University Library", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki