Fantasy: Realms of Imagination and Leeds Libraries Special Collections

On this week’s Secret Library Heritage Blog, we hear from Librarian Josh Flint who will be exploring a few of his favourite special collection items from the Leeds Central Library’s Fantasy exhibition which was inspired by The British Library’s Fantasy: Realms of Imagination. The exhibition will be ending on the 17th January so make sure…

Brigandines

This article is part of our series on the current Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition, taking place at the Central Library until January 2024… There are lots of exciting things to discover in the Local and Family History department at any time, but if you visit during the Fantasy exhibition, it’s even more exciting!  Amongst…

Tolkien in Leeds: Back again

In this short article, Librarian Antony Ramm explores a small but valuable addition to our collection of Tolkien-related materials at Leeds Central Library. This article is part of our series on the current Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition, taking place at the Central Library until January 2024… As most people probably know, legendary fantasy author…

Taking inspiration from Terry Pratchett

In this article Library and Digital Assistant Becky Bavill points us towards some sources of Terry Pratchett’s creativity in the Central Library collections. This article is part of our series on the current Fantasy: Realms of Imagination exhibition, taking place at the Central Library until January 2024… You can’t talk about fantasy without talking about…

Fantasy: Realms of Imagination

Our new exhibition, inspired by Fantasy: Realms of Imagination at the British Library opened in November and aims to bring a bit of magic to Leeds Central Library over the cold winter months, before touring to community libraries across the city. The beautiful grade II* listed building with its winding staircases and heraldic beasts lends…

Any work that wanted doing

This week we hear once again from artist Gill Crawshaw, who has been delving into the Central Library archives to uncover the hidden history of disability and West Yorkshire’s textile heritage. The article is published to mark the start of UK Disability History Month, which begins on November 18. An exciting exhibition of new artwork is on at…

Mary Shelley – The First Science Fiction Author

This week, library and digital assistant Alexandra Brummitt takes a look at our special edition of Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus published in 1831. She discusses the life and inspirations of author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the first science fiction writer. Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, (born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin) is…

A Copper’s Eye: Tom Harper’s Leeds

This week we welcome guest author, Chris Nickson, who tells us about his new exhibition soon to be launched at Leeds Central Library. We generally think of a place as we see it now. That’s completely natural, it’s the way our brains work. But what we’re seeing is only today’s reality. Towns and cities are…