The British Library is a great place to hang out. Even if you have no cause to go into the reading rooms to request any book ever published, there are an array of good talks and exhibitions to see, a fine gift shop that sell natty oystercard holders and we once saw Jeremy Paxman in the cafe. (We, of course, cannot guarantee that you'll see a member of the Newsnight team, we don't know where Gavin Esler goes in his spare time - we reckon the Trocadero centre).
Now there is a new reason to go. Weekly tours of the library's centre for conservation are taking place at 2pm every Thursday. The hour-long tour will give visitors the chance to watch how experts preserve some of its oldest manuscripts.
Apparently the visits,
will provide an insight into traditional methods of book conservation, such as the use of glue made from sturgeon with early manuscripts.
Our advice - don't take a sensitive sturgeon with you. Leave your sturgeon at home.
