The Library fills three connecting buildings. The oldest building, The Institute Building, was the original library. It was moved into that building in 1861 as an expansion, after being in 2 other locations prior. It is a lovely old building that houses exhibitions, friends of the library and archival rooms.
The Mortlock Library next door took about 18 years to build and was opened in 1884. It is a stunning French Renaissance style building that is often called The Harry Potter library. The top balconies are stacked with old books from various collections bequeathed to the library. There are beautiful old desks and lamps in each section and the day I was there, every single one of them was in use by students studying. The Royal Geographical Society operate in a room just above the balcony. They have limited hours and were closed when I was there.
An old rickety elevator takes you up and down, and a stunning glass doomed roof lets natural light into the building.
The ground floor holds an amazing array of memorabilia and South Australian historical artefacts, a fascinating and eclectic mix to look at and entertain.
I was overwhelmed with emotion during the time I slowly and quietly explored this stunning building. I felt such joy and passion being inside such an important and beautiful place. As a Librarian, I imagined the thrill of spending time there every day. And I wanted to be one of the students studying silently at those huge wooden desks on the balconies.
What have those desks encountered over the years!?
A modern section, The Spence Wing, joins both old buildings with a glass portal of a corridor, looking fantastical and open and light. That is the State Library proper and was full of people reading and studying and looking for books. It featured rows and rows and rows of books, looking as a modern library should look. There was a huge serials section, research rooms, and archival areas, rooms of computers and desks to study on and areas to plug in your own device scattered throughout along with desks and funky chairs and lounges. The glass areas that link these three areas are also decorated with a lot of memorabilia and museum style pieces. This includes a lot of Bradman memorabilia and trophies from when the F1 was held in Adelaide, amongst paintings and similar.
Underneath, a lovely cafe called The Library Cafe offered snacks and I spent some time in the middle of my visit with a health shake and little raw tart contemplating all I had seen.
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