WRITTEN ON January 29th, 2009 BY Richard S AND STORED IN Foundation of Trust, What do we want?

“Taking Liberties” is the British Library’s current public exhibition, until 1st March 2009. It looks well designed and worth a higher profile.

The exhibition aims to relate “the story of a 900-year struggle for rights and freedoms in the British Isles.”…
On entering, you’re offered a bar-coded wristband for use with the interactive exhibits: As well as displaying important historical documents such as Magna Carta and the 1689 Bill of Rights; there are several interactive audio-video display where visitors can listen to the conflicting opinions and “vote” on them.

I had time only for a brief visit, but it did look as though this exhibition does successfully present some of the complexities of the debate about “rights” and “freedoms.”

It seemed a fitting exhibition at what has been compared with a “secret police headquarters” and where when I renewed my reader’s ticket, the librarian warned darkly that I’ll need better ID next time: Apparently in 2012, a full valid UK passport and a utility bill will no longer be enough to permit access to real books.