Knowledge (XXG)

Brotherton Library

Source 📝

298:(1849-1944), the first Librarian of the college and subsequently of the university, retired in 1919. At that point, the library contained approximately 65,000 volumes, but the Great Hall's undercroft had long been full and the overflow of books had been distributed around the campus. Passavant's successor, Dr Richard Offor, was charged with the task of building a new University Library, and Lord Brotherton agreed to fund it. Brotherton laid the building's foundation stone in 1930, but died later in the same year. His collection of some 80,000 rare books and manuscripts was given to the university in 1936, along with an endowment to enable appropriate purchases to be made in the future. A suite of rooms to house the Brotherton Collection formed part of the new Brotherton Library. 31: 260:. Initially, it contained all of the university's books and manuscripts, with the exception of books housed in the separate Medical Library and Clothworkers' (Textile) Library. As of 2022 it contains the main collections in arts and languages and the Special Collections' Research Centre, and it houses part of the University Library's administration. Science, engineering and social science research collections are located in the Edward Boyle Library, while the Laidlaw Library contains core texts for undergraduates and a high demand collection and the Health Sciences Library contains the University Library's medical and related collections, with a small satellite library at 1359: 310: 318: 1424: 1131: 905: 1436: 1146: 360:
The contrast between the exterior and the interior of the Brotherton could not be greater. Through the glass doors leading from the Parkinson Building into the library, a small entrance hall with a short flight of steps leads up to swing doors which open on to a large cylindrical space surmounted by
380:
Beneath the main floor of the library are two further circular floors. In 1993, a three-floor extension at the rear, the West Building, was opened to provide more space for readers, books and library staff, and to unite the Brotherton Collection with other Special Collections that have accumulated
356:
of the Chemistry and Parkinson buildings, facing the main road, are of Portland stone, but the exterior of the Brotherton Library is of unadorned red brick. The reason for this was that it was to be accessed through the Parkinson Building, and there was no reason for it to have a Portland stone
357:
exterior when the library would not be easily visible. However, the delay in the Parkinson's construction, initially because of a shortage of funding, meant that the Brotherton's plain exterior was on view for fourteen years.
1187: 934: 889: 349:(opened, eventually, after World War II, in 1950). Lucas had left the firm in 1930, so the new university buildings and a number of later ones, up to 1964, were credited to Lanchester & Lodge. 1475: 401:
The university celebrated the 75th anniversary of the opening of the library with a programme of talks and conducted tours of the building, which culminated on 6 October 2011 in a lecture by
1180: 337:("Lanchester, Lucas & Lodge") was selected to provide "a monumental Beaux-Arts composition which would completely obscure from the outside world all the existing regrettable 1085: 264:. The University Library is also responsible for the University Archives, the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, the Treasures Gallery and the International Textile Collection. 325:
In the 1920s, the university had initiated an Architectural Prize Scheme in order to provide architecture worthy of the institution's increasing prestige. In 1927, the firm of
1485: 850: 345:". The new buildings, started in 1929, were initially to consist of a Chemistry and Engineering building (opened in 1932) the Brotherton Library (opened in 1936) and the 1440: 1428: 1226: 1173: 924: 652: 712: 1465: 983: 919: 1111: 845: 30: 1495: 942: 250: 1470: 968: 488: 285: 1490: 373:
suspended from the dome's centre. On the main floor, the bookshelves are mostly located in bays underneath the balcony; the balcony has an
281: 442: 1480: 1080: 1075: 929: 576: 365:, on which it was modelled. Twenty columns of green Swedish marble, each comprising three drums weighing three tons each, support the 1026: 705: 636: 621: 526: 47: 1101: 361:
a concrete dome. The diameter of the room, 160 feet (49 m), was deliberately made wider than the 140 feet (43 m) of the
261: 1393: 1322: 796: 571: 389:
Works in the university's Art Collection, also managed by the library, can be seen in the University Gallery, located in the
1151: 410: 1378: 1334: 1264: 1136: 958: 698: 614:
The Brotherton Collection, University of Leeds, its contents described with illustrations of fifty books and manuscripts
541: 362: 1383: 1344: 1031: 1295: 234: 154: 868: 627:
Morrish, P. S. (2000). "Dichotomy and Status: Leeds University Librarianship to 1934". In Denley, Peter (ed.).
326: 277: 189: 1358: 1014: 1388: 1106: 978: 309: 1315: 1243: 1004: 406: 1310: 1290: 480: 301:
The undercroft of the Great Hall now houses the University Archives, which are managed by the library.
1409: 1327: 330: 1373: 1221: 1009: 721: 422: 334: 246: 193: 1269: 973: 646: 390: 346: 253:, who in 1927 donated £100,000 to the university as funding for its first purpose-built library. 1300: 1231: 1068: 632: 617: 522: 484: 338: 317: 1259: 1196: 999: 685: 567: 472: 377:
providing access to the various subject-areas and to the Brotherton Collection at the rear.
1165: 1238: 295: 231: 208: 369:
dome, and there is a balcony with a decorative iron balustrade and an elaborate art deco
597: 1339: 1200: 1116: 342: 1459: 289: 276:
of College Hall, an 1894 building of the Yorkshire College, which was founded as the
1060: 1036: 402: 680: 321:
The exterior of the Brotherton Library; largely obscured by the Parkinson Building
1020: 370: 904: 1227:
British Library of Political and Economic Science (London School of Economics)
374: 273: 62: 49: 249:. It was designed by the firm of Lanchester & Lodge, and is named after 409:
of the university, entitled "The Book of Books – the radical impact of the
353: 1041: 572:"Parkinson Building, Brotherton Library and Chemistry building (1255638)" 238: 158: 690: 366: 242: 316: 308: 83: 1169: 694: 675: 662:
A descriptive guide to the libraries of the University of Leeds
272:
The predecessor of the Brotherton was a library located in the
116: 746:
School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies
764:
School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science
477:
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North
443:"Blue Plaque to honour University's first Librarian" 1476:
Buildings and structures of the University of Leeds
1402: 1366: 1278: 1252: 1214: 1207: 1094: 1050: 992: 951: 912: 730: 256:The Brotherton Library is a hub in what has become 206: 199: 185: 180: 172: 164: 149: 141: 136: 129: 111: 103: 98: 90: 78: 23: 521:. London: Lund Humphries Publishers. p. 265. 600:. Library.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 925:Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy 1181: 805:Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences 761:School of Performance and Cultural Industries 706: 8: 935:Centre for History and Philosophy of Science 890:School of Politics and International Studies 1486:Grade II listed buildings in West Yorkshire 752:School of Languages, Cultures and Societies 544:. British Museum. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 35:Main reading room at the Brotherton Library 16:Library at the University of Leeds, England 1211: 1188: 1174: 1166: 713: 699: 691: 651:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 519:West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture 20: 737:Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures 280:in 1831. The college became part of the 786:School of Molecular and Cellular Biology 1244:Senate House (School of Advanced Study) 943:National Centre for Atmospheric Science 466: 464: 434: 251:Edward Brotherton, 1st Baron Brotherton 644: 449:. University of Leeds. 1 December 2021 1222:Abdus Salam (Imperial College London) 1102:St James's University Hospital, Leeds 894:School of Sociology and Social Policy 820:Electronic and Electrical Engineering 286:Great Hall of the University of Leeds 284:in 1887, and College Hall became the 205: 7: 1435: 1145: 842:School of Food Science and Nutrition 686:Leeds University Special Collections 423:Libraries of the University of Leeds 313:Entrance from the Parkinson Building 1466:Library buildings completed in 1936 555:Be Inspired: The University Library 505:Be Inspired: The University Library 341:buildings with grand red brick and 930:Centre for Computational Geography 616:. Leeds: University Library, 1986 577:National Heritage List for England 14: 939:Centre for International Business 770:Inter-disciplinary Ethics Applied 755:School of Media and Communication 676:Leeds University Library Homepage 305:Architecture and building history 288:when the university received its 1434: 1423: 1422: 1357: 1144: 1130: 1129: 903: 808:Chemical and Process Engineering 797:Leeds University Business School 29: 1239:Maughan (King's College London) 859:Faculty of Medicine and Health 851:Institute for Transport Studies 839:School of Earth and Environment 777:Faculty of Biological Sciences 171: 1496:Art Deco architecture in Leeds 767:Institute for Medieval Studies 262:St James's University Hospital 241:fittings, located on the main 1: 1471:Academic libraries in England 783:School of Biomedical Sciences 631:. Oxford. pp. 227–260. 598:Brotherton 75th talks series 1491:Libraries in West Yorkshire 880:Faculty of Social Sciences 363:British Museum Reading Room 1512: 1410:Thomas Parry (Aberystwyth) 1389:Sir Duncan Rice (Aberdeen) 1086:List of honorary graduates 1032:Leeds University Boat Club 920:Centre for African Studies 1481:Listed buildings in Leeds 1418: 1374:Andersonian (Strathclyde) 1355: 1270:Pilkington (Loughborough) 1125: 901: 220: 216: 44: 40: 28: 1394:University of St Andrews 1323:University of Manchester 1015:Leeds Student Television 869:Leeds School of Medicine 517:Linstrum, Derek (1978). 479:. New Haven and London: 327:Henry Vaughan Lanchester 278:Leeds School of Medicine 258:Leeds University Library 1107:Leeds General Infirmary 979:Weetwood Playing Fields 836:Faculty of Environment 660:Offor, Richard (1947). 629:History of universities 181:Design and construction 1307:Liverpool John Moores 1005:Leeds University Union 964:The Brotherton Library 826:Mechanical Engineering 322: 314: 829:Physics and Astronomy 731:Faculties and Schools 664:. Brotherton Library. 553:University of Leeds: 503:University of Leeds: 481:Yale University Press 320: 312: 268:Before the Brotherton 1379:Edinburgh University 1335:Newcastle University 1291:Brynmor Jones (Hull) 1265:Cambridge University 873:School of Psychology 865:School of Healthcare 793:Faculty of Business 681:University Galleries 331:Thomas Geoffry Lucas 165:Construction started 1010:Leeds Student Radio 883:School of Education 862:School of Dentistry 846:School of Geography 723:University of Leeds 335:Thomas Arthur Lodge 282:Victoria University 247:University of Leeds 237:building with some 150:Architectural style 137:General information 59: /  1384:Glasgow University 1345:University of York 1340:Ruskin (Lancaster) 1286:Brotherton (Leeds) 1253:Midlands and South 1197:Academic libraries 974:Parkinson Building 391:Parkinson Building 347:Parkinson Building 323: 315: 228:Brotherton Library 63:53.8080°N 1.5534°W 24:Brotherton Library 1450: 1449: 1353: 1352: 1296:Durham University 1260:Bodleian (Oxford) 1163: 1162: 1076:List of academics 1069:Simone Buitendijk 1061:Dame Jane Francis 952:Notable buildings 814:Civil Engineering 780:School of Biology 749:School of History 743:School of English 490:978-0-300-12665-5 473:Pevsner, Nikolaus 224: 223: 99:Other information 1503: 1438: 1437: 1426: 1425: 1361: 1212: 1190: 1183: 1176: 1167: 1154: 1148: 1147: 1139: 1133: 1132: 1000:Laidlaw Scholars 984:Listed buildings 913:Research Centers 907: 740:School of Design 724: 715: 708: 701: 692: 665: 656: 650: 642: 601: 595: 589: 588: 586: 584: 568:Historic England 564: 558: 551: 545: 539: 533: 532: 514: 508: 501: 495: 494: 468: 459: 458: 456: 454: 439: 411:King James Bible 381:over the years. 131:Building details 125: 122: 120: 118: 82:Woodhouse Lane, 74: 73: 71: 70: 69: 68:53.8080; -1.5534 64: 60: 57: 56: 55: 52: 33: 21: 1511: 1510: 1506: 1505: 1504: 1502: 1501: 1500: 1456: 1455: 1453: 1451: 1446: 1414: 1398: 1362: 1349: 1274: 1248: 1203: 1194: 1164: 1159: 1152: 1137: 1121: 1090: 1065:Vice-Chancellor 1046: 988: 947: 908: 899: 758:School of Music 726: 722: 719: 672: 659: 643: 639: 626: 610: 608:Further reading 605: 604: 596: 592: 582: 580: 566: 565: 561: 552: 548: 540: 536: 529: 516: 515: 511: 502: 498: 491: 483:. p. 473. 470: 469: 462: 452: 450: 447:www.leeds.ac.uk 441: 440: 436: 431: 419: 399: 387: 307: 296:Fanny Passavant 270: 232:Grade II listed 212: 209:Listed Building 132: 115: 67: 65: 61: 58: 53: 50: 48: 46: 45: 36: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1509: 1507: 1499: 1498: 1493: 1488: 1483: 1478: 1473: 1468: 1458: 1457: 1448: 1447: 1445: 1444: 1432: 1419: 1416: 1415: 1413: 1412: 1406: 1404: 1400: 1399: 1397: 1396: 1391: 1386: 1381: 1376: 1370: 1368: 1364: 1363: 1356: 1354: 1351: 1350: 1348: 1347: 1342: 1337: 1332: 1331: 1330: 1320: 1319: 1318: 1316:Aldham Robarts 1313: 1305: 1304: 1303: 1293: 1288: 1282: 1280: 1276: 1275: 1273: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1256: 1254: 1250: 1249: 1247: 1246: 1241: 1236: 1235: 1234: 1224: 1218: 1216: 1209: 1205: 1204: 1201:United Kingdom 1195: 1193: 1192: 1185: 1178: 1170: 1161: 1160: 1158: 1157: 1142: 1126: 1123: 1122: 1120: 1119: 1117:DugOut Theatre 1114: 1112:Academic dress 1109: 1104: 1098: 1096: 1095:Related topics 1092: 1091: 1089: 1088: 1083: 1081:List of alumni 1078: 1072: 1071: 1066: 1063: 1058: 1054: 1052: 1048: 1047: 1045: 1044: 1039: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1017: 1012: 1007: 1002: 996: 994: 990: 989: 987: 986: 981: 976: 971: 969:The Great Hall 966: 961: 955: 953: 949: 948: 946: 945: 940: 937: 932: 927: 922: 916: 914: 910: 909: 902: 900: 898: 897: 896: 895: 892: 887: 884: 877: 876: 875: 874: 871: 866: 863: 856: 855: 854: 853: 848: 843: 840: 833: 832: 831: 830: 827: 824: 821: 818: 815: 812: 809: 802: 801: 800: 799: 790: 789: 788: 787: 784: 781: 774: 773: 772: 771: 768: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 741: 734: 732: 728: 727: 720: 718: 717: 710: 703: 695: 689: 688: 683: 678: 671: 670:External links 668: 667: 666: 657: 637: 624: 609: 606: 603: 602: 590: 559: 546: 534: 527: 509: 496: 489: 471:Leach, Peter; 460: 433: 432: 430: 427: 426: 425: 418: 415: 413:, 1611–2011". 398: 395: 386: 385:Art collection 383: 343:Portland stone 306: 303: 269: 266: 222: 221: 218: 217: 214: 213: 207: 204: 203: 201: 197: 196: 187: 183: 182: 178: 177: 174: 170: 169: 166: 162: 161: 151: 147: 146: 143: 139: 138: 134: 133: 130: 127: 126: 113: 109: 108: 105: 101: 100: 96: 95: 92: 88: 87: 80: 76: 75: 42: 41: 38: 37: 34: 26: 25: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1508: 1497: 1494: 1492: 1489: 1487: 1484: 1482: 1479: 1477: 1474: 1472: 1469: 1467: 1464: 1463: 1461: 1454: 1443: 1442: 1433: 1431: 1430: 1421: 1420: 1417: 1411: 1408: 1407: 1405: 1401: 1395: 1392: 1390: 1387: 1385: 1382: 1380: 1377: 1375: 1372: 1371: 1369: 1365: 1360: 1346: 1343: 1341: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1329: 1326: 1325: 1324: 1321: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1311:Avril Robarts 1309: 1308: 1306: 1302: 1299: 1298: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1283: 1281: 1277: 1271: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1258: 1257: 1255: 1251: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1233: 1230: 1229: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1219: 1217: 1213: 1210: 1206: 1202: 1198: 1191: 1186: 1184: 1179: 1177: 1172: 1171: 1168: 1156: 1155: 1143: 1141: 1140: 1128: 1127: 1124: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1099: 1097: 1093: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1070: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1059: 1056: 1055: 1053: 1049: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1027:Accommodation 1025: 1023: 1022: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 997: 995: 991: 985: 982: 980: 977: 975: 972: 970: 967: 965: 962: 960: 957: 956: 954: 950: 944: 941: 938: 936: 933: 931: 928: 926: 923: 921: 918: 917: 915: 911: 906: 893: 891: 888: 886:School of Law 885: 882: 881: 879: 878: 872: 870: 867: 864: 861: 860: 858: 857: 852: 849: 847: 844: 841: 838: 837: 835: 834: 828: 825: 822: 819: 816: 813: 810: 807: 806: 804: 803: 798: 795: 794: 792: 791: 785: 782: 779: 778: 776: 775: 769: 766: 763: 760: 757: 754: 751: 748: 745: 742: 739: 738: 736: 735: 733: 729: 725: 716: 711: 709: 704: 702: 697: 696: 693: 687: 684: 682: 679: 677: 674: 673: 669: 663: 658: 654: 648: 640: 638:9780191542329 634: 630: 625: 623: 622:0-902454-07-2 619: 615: 612: 611: 607: 599: 594: 591: 579: 578: 573: 569: 563: 560: 556: 550: 547: 543: 538: 535: 530: 528:0-85331-410-1 524: 520: 513: 510: 506: 500: 497: 492: 486: 482: 478: 474: 467: 465: 461: 448: 444: 438: 435: 428: 424: 421: 420: 416: 414: 412: 408: 404: 397:Miscellaneous 396: 394: 392: 384: 382: 378: 376: 372: 368: 364: 358: 355: 350: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 319: 311: 304: 302: 299: 297: 293: 291: 290:royal charter 287: 283: 279: 275: 267: 265: 263: 259: 254: 252: 248: 244: 240: 236: 233: 229: 219: 215: 210: 202: 198: 195: 191: 188: 184: 179: 175: 167: 163: 160: 156: 155:Neoclassicism 152: 148: 144: 140: 135: 128: 124: 114: 110: 107:Masud Khokhar 106: 102: 97: 93: 89: 85: 81: 77: 72: 43: 39: 32: 27: 22: 19: 1452: 1439: 1427: 1328:John Rylands 1285: 1150: 1135: 1037:Christie Cup 1019: 993:Student life 963: 959:Bretton Hall 661: 628: 613: 593: 581:. Retrieved 575: 562: 557:, 2011, p.21 554: 549: 542:Reading Room 537: 518: 512: 507:, 2011, p.11 504: 499: 476: 451:. Retrieved 446: 437: 403:Melvyn Bragg 400: 388: 379: 359: 351: 324: 300: 294: 271: 257: 255: 235:Neoclassical 227: 225: 200:Designations 186:Architect(s) 18: 1021:The Gryphon 823:Mathematics 405:, the then 371:electrolier 91:Established 66: / 1460:Categories 1057:Chancellor 453:2 December 429:References 407:Chancellor 375:ambulatory 339:Waterhouse 274:undercroft 230:is a 1936 211:– Grade II 190:Lanchester 51:53°48′29″N 817:Computing 811:Chemistry 647:cite book 583:10 August 292:in 1904. 173:Completed 86:, England 54:1°33′12″W 1429:Category 1367:Scotland 1138:Category 1042:Leeds 13 475:(2009). 417:See also 367:coffered 239:art deco 159:Art Deco 104:Director 79:Location 1441:Commons 1301:Cosin's 1232:Women's 1208:England 1199:in the 1153:Commons 354:façades 245:of the 153:Mix of 145:Library 117:library 112:Website 1215:London 1149:  1134:  1051:People 635:  620:  525:  487:  243:campus 192:& 119:.leeds 1403:Wales 1279:North 194:Lodge 84:Leeds 653:link 633:ISBN 618:ISBN 585:2011 523:ISBN 485:ISBN 455:2021 352:The 333:and 226:The 176:1936 168:1930 157:and 142:Type 94:1936 123:.uk 121:.ac 1462:: 649:}} 645:{{ 574:. 570:. 463:^ 445:. 393:. 329:, 1189:e 1182:t 1175:v 714:e 707:t 700:v 655:) 641:. 587:. 531:. 493:. 457:.

Index

Main reading room at the Brotherton Library
53°48′29″N 1°33′12″W / 53.8080°N 1.5534°W / 53.8080; -1.5534
Leeds
library.leeds.ac.uk
Neoclassicism
Art Deco
Lanchester
Lodge
Listed Building
Grade II listed
Neoclassical
art deco
campus
University of Leeds
Edward Brotherton, 1st Baron Brotherton
St James's University Hospital
undercroft
Leeds School of Medicine
Victoria University
Great Hall of the University of Leeds
royal charter
Fanny Passavant


Henry Vaughan Lanchester
Thomas Geoffry Lucas
Thomas Arthur Lodge
Waterhouse
Portland stone
Parkinson Building

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.