Maughan Library (Open House London)

If you've read the Da Vinci Code, you'll know two things:

1. You should be ashamed of yourself for reading such a book.
2. The Maughan Library in central London features as a research area.

It's specifically the Round Reading Room which appears in Dan Brown's novel. Now, usually, you have to be a student at King's College London to get into this room, but before you rush off to take 135,234 A-Levels and gain a place there, note that this library is also open to the public during Open House Weekend.

And, lacking any A-Levels, though I do have some excellent grades in the little-known alternative, 'Elf Levels', I did avail myself of the opportunity to look round this building.

Upon arrival, you are given a leaflet outlining the tour route of the Maughan, as well as a thoughtful list of other King's College London buildings taking part in Open House.

And so off you go, ready to probe the mysteries of this ridiculously large building.

It is signposted, but watch out for the swing doors - they are everywhere, and very heavy. It's to make the place fireproof, but I do believe this is a conspiracy to also make it elf-proof, since I could barely push them open.

But my word, it's worth the effort.

Check out this room!

It's like what happens when you have a home improvement show with a massive budget, and all these interior designers chipping in and adding 'statement pieces', till you get some crazy mashup of everything you've ever seen on Songs of Praise and Bargain Hunt.

You know when they're always warning you on the news about not leaving glass paperweights near sunlight?

WHAT ABOUT THESE?!

Sunlight everywhere, coloured glass everywhere, my word, I could have died, the things I do for this blog.

So I scurry into the much safer-looking basement. Here, you can see students' lockers (don't all take photos at once), and an original cell, which is a grim structure that once had parchment stacked on it.

At this point, I couldn't resist going off-route and looking at their books.

The shelving even has this weird sort of ferris wheel/rocking horse for Elf to climb on, which is very considerate and appreciated.

And here, the piece de resistance.

The Da Vinci Code Room/ Round Reading Room/Dumbledore's Office Thingy Place.

Yup. Students study here!


What a waste. Elf thinks it would be the perfect place for a rave.

I asked one of the volunteers (who are actually library staff - yeah - actually, real library staff, in their natural habitat!) what these books were on, expecting The Life and Times of Elf Dryadalis to feature prominently, possibly with multiple copies. It turns out it's just a variety of reference books, with my autobiography nowhere to be seen.

Rubbish.

 See you after I've requested that my life story be ordered for the library immediately,

Elf Dryadalis