
The Brynmor Jones Library (BJL) is the main
library
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
at the
University of Hull
The University of Hull is a public research university in Kingston upon Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1927 as University College Hull. The main university campus is located in Hull and is home to the Hu ...
, England. In 1967 it was named after Sir
Brynmor Jones (1903-1989) who initiated research in the field of Liquid Crystals (
LCD
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...
) at Hull and became Head of the Department of Chemistry in 1947. He was the
Vice-Chancellor
A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...
of the University from 1956 to 1972.

The building consists of two main sections: the older
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
style entrance and front section, built in the 1950s, which is five floors high (originally three which were later subdivided by mezzanines) and the newer extension, completed in 1970, which consists of eight floors plus a basement. The older section has two exterior bas-relief sculptures by
Willi Soukop: one is of an owl; the other shows a human figure representing the light of knowledge and is positioned directly over the main entrance. The modern section has views over the
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Trent, Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms ...
with three lifts for student use and a fourth lift for staff. The library contains over a million books, plus other reference materials, primarily for use by students at the university. There are also a large number of open access computers within the library which are connected to the University network.
The poet
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) was an English poet, novelist, and librarian. His first book of poetry, '' The North Ship'', was published in 1945, followed by two novels, '' Jill'' (1946) and '' A Girl in Winter'' (194 ...
served as
Librarian
A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...
here for thirty years, from 1955 until his death in 1985.
The library also serves as home to the university's Art Collection. Started in 1963, the collection's focus is British art from 1890 to 1940, including works by the
Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
and
Camden Town Groups.
References
External links
Brynmor Jones Library websiteHull Uni Library on Twitter
Academic libraries in England
University of Hull
Art Deco architecture in England
Library buildings completed in 1969
Buildings and structures in Kingston upon Hull
Libraries in the East Riding of Yorkshire
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