Library of no return

This is an interior of the absolute least inspiring library I have ever visited: Birmingham Central Library. It was dark, worn down, with cheap-office-type interior design (I suppose someone once thought it was "modern"), and I didn´t stay long. Most of the books seemed to be floppy paperback copies. And the outside wasn´t much more cheerful.

Actually, the first day, upon arriving to Birmingham, I got the idea to walk to my hotel, which was at a comfortable walking distance from the city centre. However, I couldn´t get out! After walking in circles for about an hour I gave up and took a taxi. The next day I attacked from the other direction, and it turned out one had to pass through that shopping center you can see on the picture, to the left of the library (the building with all the windows). I certainly could find no other way. It just wasn´t what I expected. And the map didn´t help me either.

It took some time to get acquainted with Birmingham.