Library porn for bibliophiles

Look at this!

This is the Mortlock Wing at the State Library of South Australia, and honestly one of the most lovely libraries I've ever been in (yes I know there are many other lovelies in the book world, but this one on my doorstep is a favourite).  This wing houses the State Library's South Australiana collection, which began early in the colony's lifetime as one trunk of books brought out from England in 1860, and now takes up 50 kilometres of shelf space in storage.

Yes, I had to read it twice when I saw it, FIFTY LINEAR KILOMETRES OF BOOKS = bookgasm!  You could basically shut me in there with a large box of muesli bars and not see me for 30 years or so.  Heaven.

The wing is named after one of the library's greatest benefactors, John Tennant, who left over $70K to the libraries of South Australia when he died in 1950, a phenomenal sum for the time.  And I'm jolly glad he did, as South Australia's libraries are superb.  Thanks John!