Saturday 9 June 2012

Weekend Reflections: A (salt) mine of information


Plants on the window sills at the Midland Hotel, with a reflection of the circular 1930's Central Reference Library in the window panes- which is currently being renovated and stays closed until 2013. 

The archives and the rarest books are in storage 150 metres underground in the Cheshire salt mines. The storage facility, DeepStore, has consistent temperature and humidity levels and is naturally free from the dangers of ultraviolet light, vermin (book worms?) or flooding. It is currently the size of 700 football pitches but continues to grow, as a million tonnes of salt is mined every year.

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9 comments:

  1. It's a beautiful photograph and most interesting commentary...I've not heard of such a thing but salt mines sound like the perfect place to preserve treasured collections of the written word!

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  2. Looks like a win win situation for the salt mine/DeepStore owners! Nice reflection

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  3. I have just enjoyed a wonderful browse around your blog.

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  4. Salt of the earth. Having a few books over a hundred years of age, taking care of them is certainly a challenge. Must be wonderful to be locked into the mine for a long time, reading, reading, reading ...

    Please have a good Sunday.

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  5. The Manchester Salt Mines! Never heard of that.

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  6. And what a mine of information you are too! Excellent use of resources to think of storing the rare books in the salt mines!

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