Library of Birmingham — Attraction in Birmingham

Title: Unbearably Slow Internet at the Library of Birmingham - Unacceptable!

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

I recently visited the Library of Birmingham with high expectations, given its staggering £180+ million price tag. However, my experience was marred by one glaring issue that should not be tolerated in a modern library of this caliber: the painfully slow internet connection.

It's 2023, and in an age where information flows at the speed of light, the abysmally sluggish internet at the Library of Birmingham is utterly unacceptable. The library boasts state-of-the-art facilities and an impressive collection of resources, but it's rendered nearly useless when the internet is so agonizingly slow.

I attempted to conduct research, download academic papers, and access online databases, but each task felt like an exercise in futility. It was as if the Library of Birmingham's internet connection was stuck in the early 2000s, struggling to load even the most basic web pages. For a library that cost over £180 million, this is inexcusable.

Libraries today serve as hubs for learning, research, and community engagement. A robust and reliable internet connection is not a luxury but a necessity in this digital age. Students, researchers, and the general public depend on library resources and online access to enhance their knowledge and productivity. Regrettably, the Library of Birmingham falls short in this essential regard.

I found it frustrating that such a prestigious institution, with a hefty investment behind it, could neglect something as fundamental as a fast and reliable internet connection. It's as if the library prioritized aesthetics and architectural grandeur over its primary mission of facilitating access to information and knowledge.

The library staff was sympathetic to the issue, but their hands were tied due to the inadequate infrastructure. It's disheartening to see dedicated professionals struggle to provide the services they are passionate about because of technological shortcomings.

In conclusion, my visit to the Library of Birmingham was marred by the excruciatingly slow internet connection, which is wholly unacceptable given the library's colossal budget. Until this issue is resolved, I cannot recommend this library to anyone who depends on timely access to online resources. If the Library of Birmingham wants to live up to its potential and provide the world-class service its price tag suggests, it must prioritize upgrading its internet infrastructure. Visitors deserve better, and so does the community this library serves.

UPDATE October 2024

Nothing changed ever since apart from getting worse every week. It is an anti Trump, left leaning powerhouse of American propaganda with a good marination of LGBTQ agenda of the devil. It is not a place to learn but to receive massive amounts of propaganda and utter misguidance marching us swiftly towards the...

entered the library and wasn’t greeted by any staff, appearance of the library's layout and architecture was nice however there were bits of litter across the floor in multiple parts of the building and touch points such as railings, handles, doors and buttons were uncleaned with visible marks on them. This is disappointing as it should be expected that a tourist attraction such as the library would follow industry standards and have friendly staff and be presentable and hygienic. While making our way to the rooftop garden the primary lift was broken with no signage signalling where else to go, tried to ask a member of staff for directions and they didn’t know themselves and just walked off leaving us lost. Eventually after finding our way to the rooftop garden the view was wonderful and presentation of the garden was great with pathways leading through it and seating areas. Overall the architecture and design of the library and garden are nice however that’s where it ends with unhelpful staff not meeting industry standards and making the customer feel a burden for asking for help and litter sprawled around the place with dirty touch points and no nearby sanitization stations also not meeting industry standards presenting itself as unclean, lazy and dirty. An establishment such as the library should be expected to be clean and presentable to the public and have staff willing help and go out of their way for the customer not leaving them lost in the building. Too improve customer service the library should begin by training their staff on the layout of the library and how to talk to customers, workers should be ready to help customers at any given moment with anything they require assistance with. The library should also aim to clean more often especially on touch points where a lot of people will be in contact and picking up and binning litter around the premises. If things are broken and unavailable signs or signals should be nearby to alert people and directions to alternatives or members of staff...

This is a phenomenal building with amazing views and all staff I have interacted with have been top class.

The place has pretty bad opening hours, similar to a bank branch, and is not open at times when most people are off work. It is closed the whole of Sunday, for example, which is a shame.

Half or more of the books cannot be borrowed, for reasons I do not really understand, it's not like the books in question are ancient manuscripts or huge in size or otherwise rare, fragile or valuable. I am talking about books I have just ordered on Ebay for three quid.

Also, because it's a public building, they let anyone in here, which includes people who probably can't even read, including roadmen and teenagers who sleep or talk loudly in certain areas as well as homeless or semi homeless people, drunks and crazies, all of whom are admitted because it's a "public building". So occasionally you walk by the same crackheads who beg at the traffic lights, who stink of alcohol, shout at people, and sing loudly.

There is a lack of seating, especially comfortable seating, here, with any comfortable seats being grabbed by the aforementioned roadmen who just use the place to hang out due to being banned from Nandos (genuine conversation overheard).

Long story short, I think there should be some gatekeeping in this place to ensure certain people are kept out. Otherwise the reputation of this place as a homeless shelter will spread and will make a mockery of both the library and the city itself.

Also extend opening hours and...