Friends Room

1910

When the Mitchell Library opened in 1910, these were the original Reading Rooms, a place ‘intended for the student and not for the individual who desires to idle his time away’ [1]. The main room contained a selection of books on Australia. The smaller adjoining room held larger volumes, many on roller shelves specially designed ‘to save wear and tear in handling’ [2].

One of the wishes of the benefactor David Scott Mitchell was that the library built to house his collection should reflect a modern aesthetic. The room was lined with steel and leadlight bookcases, and filled with state-of-the-art tables in teak and high-backed swivel chairs made of oak. The soft light created by the large arched stained-glass window bearing Mitchell’s coat of arms was complemented by the latest electric lights and reading lamps placed on the tables. The tranquil yet contemporary ambience was not altered for another two decades.

With the construction of the new Macquarie Wing in 1988, the Mitchell Library Reading Room was moved to its current location, and this room was used to accommodate staff. In 2000 it was refurbished as a dedicated space for the Friends of the Library and to recapture some of its original ambience. The Friend’s Room now showcases a number of highlights from the Library’s collection, including works by some of Australia’s most distinguished colonial artists. The original bookcases still border the walls, today holding editions of Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote from the extensive collection of the late Sydney physician Dr Ben Haneman. The tables and chairs are part of the original furniture from the 1910 reading room.

Footnotes