John Rylands Research Institute and Library Reviews Summary

Architecture & Design

Pros:

• "An old public library with beautiful neo-gothic and Victorian architecture."
• "The neo-gothic interior is definitely something to look at."
• "It looks a little like a gothic church from the outside. Inside it is a wonderful building, with vaulted ceilings, columns and embellished with decorative stone details."
• "The lighting, architecture, and ambiance are amazing."
• "Each stone whispers tales from centuries past, a testament to a time where architecture met art."
• "The high ceiling, archways and decorative dragon elements gave me some serious Hogwarts vibes."
• "Beautiful, ornate Edwardian Library. Not as old as it looks. Started in 1900 in Gothic Style."

Cons:

• "Unfortunately the first floor balcony from which there would be a nice view is not accessible to visitors."
• "Not all areas are wheelchair accessible so you may need to inquire about this when you arrive."
• "Main tourist building.......MAJOR 😡MAJOR 😡MAJOR closed on SUNDAY...MONDAY TUESDAY...be careful to pick the right days..."

Collection & Exhibits

Pros:

• "Most best thing to visit is it has huge collections of old books."
• "The exhibitions are updated frequently enough to hold a return visitor's interest."
• "A highlight of this trip was seeing the first printed copy of Dante's Divine Comedy - a true classic!"
• "Exhibits are small but interesting."
• "The museum part has quite a collections of pieces from different eras showcasing the dense history of humankind."
• "If you're lucky on your visit, Graham Moss from the Incline Press can be found demonstrating one of the library's historic printing presses."
• "There are several displays on the theme of books."

Cons:

• "Didn't see any books you could loan or reference though so you'll have to be pegged to the net for your info (didn't notice any wifi though)."
• "Very disappointed. As a person with fibro I needed to sit for a few minutes. Was incredibly fizzy. Rain, wind and cold outside. Near to gift shop there was literally 20 so thing chairs and I was refused a seat."

Staff & Service

Pros:

• "The staff are very pleasant."
• "Staff were welcoming and engaging."
• "The John Rylands staff were really helpful and knowledgeable."
• "Very nice and helpful staff."
• "All the staff were attentive and welcoming."
• "Staff is super friendly and ready to help. You can see that they like working there."

Cons:

• "Cafe is closed and there is no luggage storage."
• "Just the staff is quite rude, so try to avoid them."
• "Very rude and uncaring staff."

Accessibility & Facilities

Pros:

• "Free to enter and it's location means that it's easy to visit."
• "There is quiet study place in its spectacular main hall to read a novel, do your projects or work with your laptop."
• "Wheelchair friendly throughout the building and the staff were most patient, informative and careful to point out certain features."
• "The place is quite accessible too, so everyone can get there and explore inside easily."
• "There wasn't any entry fee and there's a small gift shop filled with cute accessories."
• "There are lifts and it seemed like accessibility had been considered."
• "No booking required and it's free to enter."

Cons:

• "It would be great to put up signs of 'silence' because I saw people studying and families who kept talking out loud in the same room."
• "Please be aware you can only walk-in Wednesday-Fridays!"
• "There can be queues to enter at certain times of the day."

Atmosphere & Experience

Pros:

• "Stunning and relaxing couple of hours."
• "It's a historical library at the heart of Manchester that may remind you Harry Potter movie."
• "A must-see of Manchester, superb red sandstone building with exotic architecture set amongst the bustle and shiny glass of Spinningfields."
• "I love this place so much! The building, the book collection, the history, the silence, the ancient atmosphere, the ancient smell!"
• "It's an absolutely beautiful place, one of my favorites in the city. The architecture is gorgeous, and genuinely makes me miss the days where buildings themselves were works of art. The vibes it has are great, and you can sit inside to study too."
• "This is the place you should definitely visit! Go upstairs to the Historic reading room and spend some time reading a book."
• "Really spectacular place. I was here for hours yesterday - just sitting on the tables with my laptop."

Cons:

• "(FYI, It's a bit cold in there.)"
• "I visited the library several times and it is beautiful and the people is lovely. Unfortunately, today Google says that it is open and we are outside the building and it is close. Quite disappointed."