Cambridge University Library, Academic library in Cambridge, England
Cambridge University Library is an academic library in Cambridge spanning 17 floors and housing books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs from worldwide sources. The collection includes more than nine million items stored in specialized stacks and reading rooms.
The library began in 1416 as a small chest of manuscripts and evolved over the centuries into one of England's six legal deposit libraries. The current building was erected in the 20th century to accommodate the growing collection.
The collection holds many texts from Arabic sciences, medieval manuscripts from European monasteries, and documents from former British colonies. Today students use the reading rooms for their research, while the administration regularly organizes exhibitions with selected pieces from the holdings.
The entrance is located on West Road, and registration takes place at the reception on the ground floor. Access is generally reserved for students and researchers, but visitors can join guided tours or view exhibitions in public areas.
The building's tower reaches a height of 157 feet (48 meters) and rises above most structures in the city. The holdings include Newton's papers, Darwin's correspondence, and a Gutenberg Bible from the 15th century.
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