Globe Theatre Opens London's Only Public Shakespeare Library and Archive
The new Research and Collections Centre houses over 6,000 books and the theatre's archive of past productions, aiming to counter a 'crisis of library provision'.
Shakespeare's Globe has opened a new Research and Collections Centre on its Bankside site, which it describes as London's only dedicated Shakespeare library and archive accessible to the public. The centre holds more than 6,000 books related to Shakespeare, early modern literature, and drama, in addition to the theatre's own archive of past productions.
Among the rare book collection are nearly 500 plays, poems, and other works from the 16th and 17th centuries, including a second folio edition of Shakespeare's complete works, published in 1632. Entry to the library is free, but visitors must register and book an appointment in advance to consult the materials.
Dr. Will Tosh, who leads higher education and research at the Globe, stated that the institution aims to make the space accessible to anyone with an interest. "In a time when libraries tend not to open, they tend to close, and we're in a real crisis of library provision and also a crisis of reading," Tosh said. "I'm extremely proud at the Globe that we are putting our name and our energy into the importance of books and libraries."
Previously, the theatre had a library, but it was not housed in suitable facilities and was more difficult to access. The new center is situated at the heart of the building. The Research and Collections Centre opened to researchers on September 22 and to the public two days later.
The Audre D. Carlin Reading Room is a central feature, where visitors can request items from the library and archive, including recordings of every production staged at the Globe since the mid-1990s.
Also housed within the building are the John Wolfson Rare Book Room, a lecture theatre, the Weston Foyer exhibition space, and a climate-controlled store for the archive. Books that belonged to the Globe's founder, American actor and director Sam Wanamaker, will be displayed, some containing his handwritten notes. The archive also contains costumes made using the Globe's "original practices" method, which seeks to replicate how plays were staged in Shakespeare's era.
The foyer's displays are connected to the Globe's events program, which currently includes a Shakespeare and race festival.