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A while ago I was at The British Library to see an exhibition there. As well as the library (which requires membership) they have a permanent exhibition, rooms for regular temporary exhibitions, a shop and some education rooms used for various functions etc.
Their permanent exhibition is just showing off. No one should possibly have that much impressive stuff. One case is all Shakespeare folios. One has private letters from Darwin (to Wallace), and papers from Galileo and notebook pages of Da Vinci. One has Scott (of the Antarctic) log book, and some of the tax stamps that led to the Boston Tea Party... along with about 10 other things of immense historical value.
The short point here is that they have quite a collection. It's valuable and it needs protecting.
On top of this the rotating exhibition (they have awful exhibitions but again have really impressive things in them) at this time had Christian, Jewish and Islamic religious books and art and drew direct comparisons. It was considered slightly controversial.
So they had actually increased security. When you went in you had to have your bags searched (and thoroughly - they actually looked in each compartment etc.) , and sometimes there were queues. It's a pain but it is understandable.
I went in behind this idiot - a father with a small child in a buggy and another of about 3 walking with him. Buggy (stroller) had about 10 bags hanging from it.
He threw a fit - shouting and swearing at the security guards that they should just let him in. Why ? Because he only wanted to come into the building so his son could use the toilet.
So - you think you should be exempt from security because you aren't a customer (library user, shop or exhibition visitor) ?
The little boys were both quiet and well behaved and not whining at all. Unlike the father.
Eventually they finished searching his bags, and he got in and so did I. I was pacing up and down in the entrance hall waiting for the person I was seeing the exhibition with - and after 5 minutes (I was early) I saw him go up to their customer service desk and complain about the treatment he'd received. When he left I went over and spoke to the woman - she said it really didn't matter as the security guards have to keep the place secure, not necessarily make people happy - but I made sure she knew he'd sworn at them, and that he'd only come in to use the toilets.
The scary part of course is that he's raising children.
Victoria J
Their permanent exhibition is just showing off. No one should possibly have that much impressive stuff. One case is all Shakespeare folios. One has private letters from Darwin (to Wallace), and papers from Galileo and notebook pages of Da Vinci. One has Scott (of the Antarctic) log book, and some of the tax stamps that led to the Boston Tea Party... along with about 10 other things of immense historical value.
The short point here is that they have quite a collection. It's valuable and it needs protecting.
On top of this the rotating exhibition (they have awful exhibitions but again have really impressive things in them) at this time had Christian, Jewish and Islamic religious books and art and drew direct comparisons. It was considered slightly controversial.
So they had actually increased security. When you went in you had to have your bags searched (and thoroughly - they actually looked in each compartment etc.) , and sometimes there were queues. It's a pain but it is understandable.
I went in behind this idiot - a father with a small child in a buggy and another of about 3 walking with him. Buggy (stroller) had about 10 bags hanging from it.
He threw a fit - shouting and swearing at the security guards that they should just let him in. Why ? Because he only wanted to come into the building so his son could use the toilet.
So - you think you should be exempt from security because you aren't a customer (library user, shop or exhibition visitor) ?
The little boys were both quiet and well behaved and not whining at all. Unlike the father.
Eventually they finished searching his bags, and he got in and so did I. I was pacing up and down in the entrance hall waiting for the person I was seeing the exhibition with - and after 5 minutes (I was early) I saw him go up to their customer service desk and complain about the treatment he'd received. When he left I went over and spoke to the woman - she said it really didn't matter as the security guards have to keep the place secure, not necessarily make people happy - but I made sure she knew he'd sworn at them, and that he'd only come in to use the toilets.
The scary part of course is that he's raising children.
Victoria J
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