Visiting other libraries is an important and enjoyable part of the training programme and London has a huge range to choose from. The visits are a chance to view differences such as sector, size and customer base and to explore how all of these factors change the library environment and delivery of services. It is also a chance to explore vastly different collections and funding considerations. In addition to this, it is a great opportunity to find out about the career experiences of different librarians: what skills and experience they have and what appeals to them about their job. This year the visits have opened up all sorts of potential opportunities, and many of us have changed our minds about the type of library in which we would eventually like to work.
In all the libraries we visited we were impressed by the generosity of the time given to us, and the willingness to share experience. Many of the libraries received us warmly (often with tea!) put on presentations for us, sometimes these were specially prepared for our visit.
Under Library Visit Reports you can find a short description of each library we visited, ranging from big national libraries such as The British Library to smaller public libraries like the City Business Library; from University and specialist libraries (e.g. the Institute of Commonwealth Studies) to legal and medical libraries such as the Bloomsbury Healthcare Library; and from the Government to museum and art libraries like the Courtauld Book Library. For the full list click here here.