Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Old Against the New II



Far be it for me to quit while I'm ahead.  No, I'm just going to forge ahead with another Old Against the New offering today.  The top photograph features the lovely old Birmingham Public Library Building.  Today it is the Linn-Henley Research Library.  Facing Linn Park, it is one of my favorite buildings in downtown Birmingham.   The sharply modern building in the background is the new Public Library.  I'm sure there were many good reasons why they chose to move to this sleek and contemporary structure.  I can't name one.




15 comments:

Wayne said...

The new library is slowly growing on me, at least the pointy corner of it.

Olivier said...

belle dernière photo, l'ancien laisse sa place au moderne.

nice last picture, the old leaves its place in modern.

Juergen Kuehn said...

Love libraries and your shots. It's great to delving among books for hours.
Juergen

angela said...

The new building here only serves to point out how marvellous the old one is. At least it was left standing and not demolished as they've done in my home town...

Unknown said...

Both buildings look fantastic! Love to see them on the same photo.

Cergie said...

They certainly moved for practical reasons. However, in the new "Grande Bibliotheque François Mitterrand" in Paris, the architecture is new and neat, the organisation is good but it is not the same than before when it was easier to touch paper and book.
In another side I like modern and old at the same place : I have modern furniture and old too in my home.

Anonymous said...

the old libraries (and we have a great one in Pasadena) have cozy nooks and crannies where you can curl up and read.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Angela said it for me as far as the old and new goes. Loving this virtual tour of inner B'ham and amazing to see how much is relative to the other B'ham.

Virginia said...

Cergie, I have seen photos of your new library. I would very much like to see it in person. Maybe this trip. Being able to touch paper and book as you said is what makes a library so special, I agree.

Ken Mac said...

I actually like the contrast. Here in NYC they just tear it all down and put another condrosity!

FireLight said...

Thank you for this picture of my favorite place to hang out when I was in high school. I loved the wonderful murals inside. I spent many days at the oak tables researching Scottish ballads in the original library. Thank you, too, for the warm memory of this special place in Birmingham.

Virginia said...

FIre Light, Actually I have many fond memories of the old library from high school too, but they pertain to boyfriends not research!HA

KM, I knew you would appreciate the fact that the old building is still well preserved!

Bob Crowe said...

This tells us something about the mindset of the Great Public Patrons of a century or so ago. They got Michelangelo and Raphael inscribed around the top but not Turner, Gainsborough, Delacroix, Monet, etc. etc. Our old main library has the same deal with Old Dead Great Writers like Goethe and Shakespeare but not a sign of Melville or Proust.

Virginia said...

Bob, Don't get all wadded up just yet. I'll go back and write down all the names all the way around and see if that relieves you mind some. This week , I promise. Maybe they thought the museum would cover the other artists. I'm just glad there are some great ones up there. Give is some credit!!!

FancyHorse said...

Ah, here it is! But, no pictures of the interior, and the murals. Oh, well, I'll find them! :-)