Those of you who have visited the IMechE headquarters at 1 Birdcage Walk have probably been into its beautiful Gothic Revival library. Designed by Basil Slade and opened in 1899, it has provided a continuous heart for the building ever since. However, you may not be aware that the library existed before the current headquarters was built.
The initial mandate of the institution was to inspire and educate engineers through the exchange of knowledge and ideas. Since the beginning, in 1847, the library has been at the centre of this process. From the first, members donated books and archives. Some of the donated books are now extremely rare.
Provision for the library was embedded in the early funding structures of the institution. Each year, every member who did not submit a paper to the institution had to pay a fine of £1 to the library. Based on the retail price index, this would have been around £85 today. Imagine the resources the institution could provide if this were still the case. Past and present institution papers can be found in its Proceedings.
In 1880, Clyde shipbuilder Robert Napier left the library £100 – more than £5,000 today – which allowed the institution to increase its holding of up-to-date key reference books. The library has aimed to provide these ever since.
In 1879, the rules were changed to allow members to borrow books. However, members had to return books on time. Borrowers had to pay a £2 deposit, and if a book was overdue they received fines equivalent to around £1.75 a day for the first week and £3.50 a day thereafter.
When the institution decided to build a permanent home, it included provision for a library. Slade built an unusual and lovely room which has been an important member – and non-member – space ever since. His vision for a Gothic-inspired masterpiece that would encourage learning continues, 117 years on.
By 1899, the library had accumulated 10,000 volumes. Although well used by visitors, loans remained relatively low – in 1904, when Alfred R Stock began working as library assistant, only 22 loans were made. However, by 1909, the rate of book borrowing was advancing by 50% a year.
Stock went on to become the institution’s first full-time librarian in 1920. By 1952, the year before his retirement, he had increased the loans service to more than 13,000 books a year.
By 1909, library staff were providing an information and enquiry service by telephone or post, a service that continues today (email library@imeche.org), and the reading room was stocked with reference journals – which today you can find in the library itself or online.
Stock’s term as library assistant and then librarian covered both the First and Second World Wars. During WWI, the institution’s headquarters was mainly taken over by the Office of Works and the National Relief Fund. Stock himself served in the army during that war.
In WWII, although his staff all joined up, he remained with the library and continued to operate a full service. Indeed, the library was made available to officers of the armed services and government departments. Although it was in the heart of London, the library was never badly hit.
Since WWII, the IMechE has continued to welcome non-members as well as members. Today, around 200,000 downloads and loans are made annually. The institution holds thousands of e-books, papers and journals that are available to all members, regardless of where they live – log in to ‘my account’ on imeche.org.
In addition, the IMechE is the first of the professional engineering institutions to make its archive available online. You can even follow the history of the library through the online minutes.
To learn more about the institution’s services, or to search for electronic resources or library books, go to www.imeche.org/libraries-archive
Did you know? Historical gems
The 10,000 volumes that the library accumulated by 1899 form the basis of its historical collections. They include a book with fold-out plates showing the Eiffel Tower’s construction and a comprehensive catalogue for the Great Exhibition, with photographic plates. The library’s oldest title, Theatre of Machines, dates back to 1578.
Basil Slade’s vision for a Gothic-inspired library that would encourage learning continues, 117 years on.