On Thursday 26th February the Athenaeum was crowded with over ninety Proprietors and their guests who had come to enjoy the annual Library Dinner, now into its fourth year this has become one of the highlights of the Athenaeum year. After dinning the party made their way to the Newsroom for a presentation by the Library staff entitled “Round the World in the Library”. The audience were taken on a world tour, based on the Georgian Grand Tour but this time illustrated by books and artefacts from the Library collection. After visits to France and Italy the travellers moved on to Africa, the Holy Land, India and Burma before following Captain Cook into the Pacific. Early pictures of Japan were followed by a Pacific crossing to the United States and a return voyage to Liverpool.
This was only the first of a series of Library events to take place this year. On May 15th the Library will be open to the public and providing guided tours on Light Night, (pre booking necessary). On 4th & 5th June the Athenaeum and 18th Century Worlds joint study days are taking place In the late autumn an event based on the Magna Carta 800th anniversary with Meg Ford of Christies and Alan Crosby the well known historian is taking place. November 16 sees the opening of the joint exhibition arranged by the Athenaeum and Liverpool Medical Institution Libraries and sponsored by Investec at the Victoria Gallery and Museum of the University of Liverpool.
If you are not a Proprietor or Member of the Athenaeum you can enjoy these events by becoming a Friend of the Athenaeum Library, for details see library@theathenaeum.org.uk