John Rylands Library

The John Rylands Library on Deansgate in Manchester, England, is a Gothic Revival building of red Cheshire sandstone designed by Basil Champneys. It was commissioned by Enriqueta Rylands as a memorial to her husband John Rylands, the cotton manufacturer and Manchester's first multi-millionaire, and opened to readers on 1 January 1900. Construction began in 1890 and took a decade, and the building incorporates electric lighting, then a novelty, along with a fireproof structure. The interior is notable for the Historic Reading Room, with a vaulted ceiling, carved stone, stained glass and a statue-lined gallery, giving the feel of a cathedral nave. The collections initially included the Spencer collection of early printed books, purchased by Enriqueta Rylands in 1892, and were later merged with the John Rylands Library's other holdings and then with the University of Manchester Library in 1972. The library now holds more than a million printed volumes and over a million manuscripts and archival items, including Gutenberg Bible material, medieval illuminated manuscripts and the St John Fragment, a papyrus scrap of the Gospel of John dated to the early second century. A modern visitor centre, added during a refurbishment completed in 2007, includes exhibition galleries, a cafe and accessible entrances, and the original building remains in use as a research library. The building's Grade I listing reflects both its architecture and its role in the intellectual life of the north of England. Visitors may explore the Historic Reading Room, the staircase, the Maps and exhibition galleries, and join guided tours and free events. Some special collections are seen by appointment, and the reading rooms are active research spaces, so noise should be kept low.