The British Library

I'm working in the British Library today,  mainly by accident because I got on a Cannon Street train this morning which I thought would stop at Waterloo.  It didn't.  instead of backtracking across town and over the river to the Royal Festival Hall, I decided to take the opportunity to try something else instead, and came here.

I like it.  It's very busy and full of people working dilligently on laptops (one guy has two!) Or at least they look like they're working dilligently; for all I know they could be faffing around on the internet (great high-speed wifi here, for those who are interested).

We're all a bit more squashed up than at RFH which is actually quite nice in a way; and excellent for eavesdropping.  I've just heard what I think could be the best 'how we first met' story I've ever heard (she bet him $20 on their first date that they'd end up married) and I ate my lunch next to two very straight looking men who were having a ridiculously complicated sounding conversation about online business models for selling designer handbags.  I'm no expert on e-commerce (although who knows, that could all change in September) but it all sounded very impressive.

The other thing I like about the BL is that it's all quite casual.  There are seats and tables about, but it seems perfectly acceptable to sit wherever you can find a bit of room, whip out a laptop, or a book, or a notepad, or some manuscript paper, and get on with whatever it is you are here to do.  I looked up earlier and spotted a guy curled up under a flight of stairs with his laptop, headphones and cup of coffee, totally oblivious to the people tramping over his head.