Libraries on Titanic

[Robert Redmond]

Does anyone know the locations of the libraries on board the Titanic? I believe I have read that there were First and Second class libraries but was there a 3rd class library? Are there any pictures available for any or all libraries?

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Hi Robert,

Both the 1st and 2nd Class Lounges contained bookcases, from which books could be borrowed. I am not aware of any such facility in 3rd Class.

Lester

 

[Robert Redmond]

Hello Lester,

Thank you for your quick reply. So there were no areas specifically designated as a library, they were just a part of the lounges? I did not know this. For some reason I thought that I had seen a deck diagram in one of my books that had a room called the library. Thanks for this information. Do you know if there is any place that I could see a picture of the areas that housed the books? Are you aware of any such resource that has the photos

 

[Bob Godfrey]

The 2nd Class facility was generally referred to and shown on plans as a library rather than a lounge. In the Edwardian era of 'betterment through education' the term 'library' would have made more sense to the middle class passengers in 2nd Class. In his book 'The Loss of the SS Titanic' Lawrence Beesley described the room and the 'thin, stooping, sad-faced' steward who acted as librarian.

There are photographs of both rooms in many books, for instance 'Titanic - an ilustrated history' by Don Lynch. If you don't already own Don's book it's a must-have for your collection.

 

[Lester Mitcham]

Quite right Bob. Thank you for correcting my error.

Lester

 

[Bob Godfrey]

No correction intended, Lester. You were quite right in describing both rooms as lounges with bookcases, and Don Lynch refers to "the second-class lounge, or library, as it was known". My intention was to explain the difference in nomenclature, in line with the perceptions of those who used the two rooms, and to reassure Robert that he had indeed seen a 'library' on the deckplans!

Bob

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

In the opinions of some passengers the 'libraries' were quite poorly equipped. As far as I know, they were stocked with popular books of the day, and I guess whether the books were liked or not depended on personal preferences of the passengers. In either case, there was only one bookcase worth of books in the 1st and 2nd class Lounges. I would hardly call that a library. Personally, I think Lounge is a more appropriate terms, especially for 1st class.

Daniel.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Times change. Back in 1912 books were costly luxury items and a single bookcase would have been called a library by most people. Beesley, who was familiar with the resources of Cambridge University, called both the room and the bookcase a 'library'. Even in the 1950's, when my family home had a bookshelf stocked with about 20 volumes, we were known as the people who lived in "a house full of books". I recall one visitor being fascinated by this vast collection and asking why we had so many - "You can't have read ALL of them".

But I do agree that the 2nd Class 'library' was used most often as a lounge or writing room, especially in poor weather. The bookcase was an added attraction for the studious.

Bob

 

[Sahand Miraminy]

Hey,
I've read before that "Futility" was onboard. The famous novel about the doomed Titan. Don Don Don! (sound effects please)

Sahand

 

[Tracy Smith]

Yeah, Sahand, I can just hear the soundtrack from "Jaws" playing now!

I have several bookcases of various sizes, all overflowing with books of all types, filled with the books I've been collecting since my childhood and teen years. And I bring in more books all the time. I suppose this is true for a good number of the people who post here.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Count me in on being a book packrat. Somewhere in my room, there's a bed tucked away under this mountain in case I feel like catching some sleep.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

To solve that problem, I hatched a cunning scheme to store my books under the bed. This worked fine for a while, but now I can't get in the bed 'cause the ceiling is in the way.

 

[Bill Wormstedt]

I outgrew 'under my bed' when I was a teen - decades ago.

I have 5 bookcases full of fiction here in what used to be 'the family room'. Then a long shelf full of Titanic, and 4 other shelves with books too big for anyplace else.

Not counting, all the comics, magazines, and misc. filling up what is supposed to be a bedroom.

And one final bookcase upstairs, with my kids old books, and some of my historical material.

Yup, I'm pretty hard core.

 

[Daniel Klistorner]

For a fairly large room, there was a small book shelf in the 2nd class library. The image below I believe is originally from H&W (now the archives are held at UFTM) but this pic is from an Olympic brochure.

 

[Lee Gilliland]

Wasn't there actually a librarian on board? I seem to recall somewhere something about his sitting and counting the borrowing slips when the ship hit the iceberg, although I can't recall where.