This neo-gothic style building was build as a memorial for John Rylands who had become Manchester’s first multi-millionaire through success in the cotton weaving industry by his wife and opened in 1900.

In order to keep the quality of the books as good as possible in the less than clean Manchester air of the time Enriquete Rylands decided to have it lite with the new method, electricity.  Although set with difficulties due to the newness of electricity, it generated it’s own power until the 1950’s. In addition to some of the rarest collections in the UK it has a very impressive display of statuary.

Like many facilities with impressive ceilings the library provided mirrors to avoid neck strain.  Universally these seem to be first used to check one’s make up and are then followed by a selfie.  Why so many people think that a photo of themselves with something  very interesting behind them is better than a photo of the interesting thing itself boggles my mind.  Do they think everyone wants to see them? If so stay at home and take self portraits and save the dough.  Or do they feel that if not in the picture their friends will think that they were lying and not really there?