Library of Birmingham

The largest public library in the UK, Birmingham library is a great place to study. They have a large selection of books- academic, fiction and non-fiction self help books. You can also listen to audio books if you have a membership of the library which is relatively easy to get. The staff is always helpful with information relating to books and other related topics. You can find and reserve a book online on their site. They will find the book in their and other libraries and keep the book aside for you for a period of time. Having a cafe would be good given that you’d want to take a break from studying. Nevertheless it’s a beautiful place and a must visit from those outside the city. The balcony gives an amazing view of the city. 💖

I visited the Library of Birmingham today. Last year, there was a lovely water feature just outside the library — a great spot where kids could play and cool off. I checked several times this year, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been turned on at all, which was a bit disappointing. That said, I did discover a small children’s play area at the lower level of the library that I hadn’t seen before. It includes sand, water, wooden toys, and natural materials — a very fun and creative space for children to enjoy. Great to see the library offering more for little ones, but I really hope the water feature returns soon!

The relatively new library is architecturally beautiful but I’m knocking off a point because the Library closed its cafe. When you send long spells in a library it’s helpful to be able to get a drink. In the British Library there are about four or five cafes on site which enables you to work, take a comfort break and return to researching or studying. Not sure why the second city’s main public library doesn’t have this important feature. I also think the business section could do with more resources and event to support businesses and business start up. That said, staff are helpful and professional. It’s easy to take out or renew memberships. I love the light and airy space on each floor and the statement elevators. The roof top garden is beautiful and a great amenity space on a warm day for us to catch up on phone calls. Again I may have remained there if I could have gotten a drink. Instead we leaf after two hours just to get refreshments.

An excellent and stylish city library, a must see when visiting Birmingham. Lovely top side outdoor seating with great views and garden islands. Well maintained throughout. Lovely atmosphere. Sees many visitors. Lots of study areas. Would have benefited for some cosy seating for a longer stay to fall into a book. Used as a business hub for contacts and resources etc. has clean toilets available. Great location. Its free.

The library is beautiful! As a tourist, it is a wonderful place for anyone coming to Birmingham. On the top 2 floors, there is a beautiful terrace with lots of flowers and benches to sit on. There is an exhibition that explains the history of the library. I recommend taking the elevator up and turn down by the escalators. As a student, it is a great place to study, do your homework, it has internet, very private spaces, you can get your membership card to request books. It is a great place for group study or even to read a book.

A beautiful building that provides breathtaking views of the city. I was very impressed by everything—from the size, to the architecture. I think it’s a must visit if you make it to Birmingham

Birmingham Library has been described as the largest public library in the UK, largest public cultural space in Europe and the largest regional library in Europe. This library was opened in Sep 2013 and its distinctive facade is made up of 5357 interlocking circles. This beautiful library was nominated for the Stirling Prize in 2014. There’re more than 1 million books on shelves and one of the busiest library in UK. Birmingham Library is truly a shining gem in the city's landscape. you'll find an excellent collection of books, periodicals, historical maps and a lot more to provide wide range of interests to public. Don’t forget to visit secret garden on top of the library. Free entry for a beautiful panoramic view of this beautiful city’s landscape. Oh and top of the Library, Shakespeare collection room is the cherry on top in Library. It has the 2nd largest Shakespeare collection in the world. Worth to visit library if you around.

Gorgeous library and one of the best ones I've been to in the UK. Known for being one of Europe's largest libraries and consists of 9 floors. 2 outdoor areas, one being a secret garden, which is a lovely little touch to get some fresh air and overlook the city views. Can imagine this being an extremely popular place to visit during the warmer days. One floor dedicated to Shakespeare. All the other floors dedicated to study spaces, quiet areas, access to computers and spaces to bring your laptop. There are plenty of books around on most floors and got lost in the middle of them all. I'm really blown away by this remarkable building. Water fill-up points available as well as wellbeing area. Busy library, mid Saturday.

The Gallery space at the Library of Birmingham is one of the city centres hidden gems. You can easily miss it - tucked away in a corner on level 3 of the Library - but it is well worth a look. In my opinion its one of the best features of the new library building. The space is home to the GRAIN photography hub, a network for photography and photographers in the region, working with national and international photography collections. GRAIN curate photography exhibitions in the gallery space, which is really contemporary and versatile. GRAIN's current exhibition explores the work of photographer Daniel Meadows and is well worth a visit. The exhibition takes you on a fascinating journey through Meadows' early work of from 1971-87. Its full of hair, flares and a double dekker bus converted into a mobile studio. Look out for the screen showing some of the people 'then and now'.