Lending materials
The collection located on level 4 is a reference collection - materials have to be inspected in the library. Lending options in the Library of Birmingham can be found in two locations – Reader Services on level 2 and Book Browse on the ground floor.
Level 2 stores a mixture of lending and reference materials. Lending resources are highlighted by a yellow sticker on the spine of the book.
Book Browse is the library’s chief lending section divided between an Upper Terrace for non-fiction materials and a Lower Terrace for fiction books. Books are categorised by themes - chiefly Biographies, Discover the Past and Slavery for Black History Collection resources.
The following is a list of Black History Collection themes with lending options -
- Race and ethnicity: level 2 (Dewey 305.8). Books on culture, politics, slavery, racism. Book Browse has a slavery lending collection in the Discover the Past section.
- Immigration and colonisation: level 2 (325).
- Politics and civil rights: level 2 (323 – 325). Books on apartheid and eminent Black political figures.
- World history: levels 2 and 3. Topics of note include African history (960s), British history (941) and American history (970). Also see the Discover the Past sequence in Book Browse.
- Black and African literature, art and poetry: level 2. (800s) for literature and poetry, and (700s) for art.
Consult the online catalogue accessible via any of the information points located throughout the building to identify holdings for any of our collections and if you are looking for a specific title. Staff working on levels 2 and 4 as well as the Book Browse section on the ground floor are on hand to provide guidance and direction to materials.
