British library cannot protect Lindisfarne Gospels?

Date: 2004-06-05, Publication: The Times

THE £520 million British Library, which was opened by the Queen just six years
ago, already requires substantial repairs costing £4 million.

The library described the work, which includes an over haul of the
air-conditioning system that preserves priceless documents such as the
Lindis fame Gospels, as essential maintenance. Delicate items such as Magna
Carta must be kept at temperatures between 17C (62.6F) and 18C to avoid
irreparable damage.

John De Lucy, the head of estates and facilities at the British Library, said
that the building was designed to last for 150 years, but added: a lot of our
equipment is at the end of its life.

The apparent speed with which equipment needs over hauling has angered MPs, who
described the costs as a joke. Derek Wyatt, the Member for Sittingbourne and
Sheppey, who sits on the Commons Cul tare, Media and Sport Select Committee,
said: It is unbe lievable that the system needs work already.

These books are some of the rarest in the world, so of course the library must
be given the money to sort the situation out. But we need to see what the legal
redress is. We need to find out what sort of insurance cover there might be.

A spokeswoman for the library said that the present facilities were fully
functional, but would need overhauling by 2006.

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