In Part of Our Lives : a people's history of  the American public library author Wayne Wiegand traces the history of the public library

The story of a confusing century that embodied stranger ideas.

In the seventh century, as most of Europe continued its descent into intellectualy dormancy, the geniuses of Muslim society thrust the boundaries of knowledge and their innovations shaped civilizations to this day.

60 years ago in March, 1952, the Policy and Personnel Committee of the London Public Library Board made the following recommendation:

that commissionaries be appointed and installed at a desk in the main lobby [of the Central Library]:

a.  to check all outgoing books, films, parcels, pictures. records, etc, to avoid losses and borrowing books without charging them [out]

b.  to act as building directors

c.  to check on undesirable transients in lobby and library divisions

d.  to check bags, parcels, etc.

London Room Local History and Genealogy Research Service

There is no charge for staff assistance for,

• factual information that can be answered in less than 5 minutes using a single source
• a maximum of 3 London city directory or telephone book answers per week

Information requests that involve a systematic investigation using our resources will have a charge levied. A charge will be incured whether or not an answer is found.

Where can I find websites, books and DVDs?

• American History
• American Revolution
• Canadian History
• English French Relations
• First Nations
• Great Depression