When Philip Larkin arrived in Hull from library duties in Belfast in 1955 he soon played a lead role in establishing the new purpose built library. Upon completion of the new building he penned a pamphlet describing its history from 1929 -1979 under the title of "A Lifted Study-Storehouse" (apt but ugly). He was to spend the next 30 years in this position till his death in 1985. During his tenure, Sir Andrew Motion, the future poet laureat and Larkin's best biographer lectured at the university. Interviewed for the Observer newspaper in 1979 Larkin commented "Librarianship suits me.. and it has just the right blend of academic interest and administration that seems to suit my particular talents, such as they are"

"By Day , a lifted study-storehous; night Converts it to a flattened cube of light. Whichever's shown, the symbol is the same;