The Chained Library: A Survey of Four Centuries in the Evolution of the English Library

B. H. Streeter (1874-1937) was an Oxford theologian and biblical scholar. From 1915 to 1934 he was a canon of Hereford Cathedral, which is famous for its medieval chained library. Books were rare and precious items in the middle ages, and were frequently chained to the bookshelf and read on the lectern below to prevent unauthorised removal. Streeter’s researches during the Hereford library’s restoration led to the publication in 1931 of this illustrated study of early English libraries. It examines in detail the arrangement of libraries from medieval times to the eighteenth century, focusing on cathedral, college and parish libraries in England. Examining their floor plans, the form of their desks, shelves and seating arrangement, Streeter identifies distinct variations in design. Libraries are working buildings, and alter over time with the needs of their users, but Streeter’s wide-ranging expertise allows him to reconstruct their earlier configurations.