Bethnal Green Library, Grade II listed public library in Bethnal Green Gardens, London, England.
Bethnal Green Library is a public library in a Grade II listed building in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, built in a classical style with a formal stone facade. The main reading room receives natural light from above through a skylight, and decorative medallions line the interior walls.
The building started as a timber-framed mansion in the 16th century and later became Wright's Madhouse, a private institution for the mentally ill, in the early 18th century. It was converted into a public library in 1922 and has served that role ever since.
The library holds books in both English and Bengali, a direct reflection of the large Bangladeshi community that has been living in Tower Hamlets for decades. Visitors can see this side by side on the shelves, which says a lot about how the neighborhood has changed over time.
The library is a short walk from Bethnal Green Underground station and easy to reach by bus as well. Inside, there are computers available for internet use along with printing services, and two halls that can be hired for events.
During World War II, two librarians named George Vale and Stanley Snaith set up a lending service inside underground bomb shelters so that people could borrow books while taking refuge during air raids. This meant that reading carried on even in the depths of the shelter, night after night.
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