The Library of Birmingham - the city plans for the library of the future

November 1st 2000:-                                                                                           for lit-net leader comment click here

Birmingham City Council announced today its intention to plan for a new central library.
It will succeed the 1970s library in Chamberlain Square, the busiest public library in Europe. As
well as wide-ranging services for children and families, learners and businesses, it holds one of the most
important collections of books, archives and media resources in Britain. Over 5,000 users visit the
Central Library each day and libraries are one of the Council's most popular and heavily used services.

The existing library site will be the focus of the Paradise Circus redevelopment. This provides an
outstanding opportunity to plan a new library appropriate to the Birmingham of the 21st century.
The potential for libraries is expanding rapidly with communication technologies and the internet.
They are gateways to knowledge, linking people to information resources around the globe. Birmingham will be able to match Seattle, Lisbon, Barcelona, Marseilles and Montpellier, who are also building new libraries

When the new library opens, probably in 2005/06, it will provide everybody in Birmingham with state of the art
services, whether people want to read for leisure, learn a new skill, or access global resources. To make the
most of the Central Library's world-class collections, there will be exhibition and interpretation facilities, as well
as meeting and performance spaces.

The Council's Department of Leisure and Culture is currently carrying out detailed research on future needs of library users. There will be extensive consultation with current users, the city's wider community and
local organisations.

The Central Library will continue to operate a full service until the new library opens.

This was taken and abridged from Birmingham City Council's Press Release.

For more details click on their web pages       New Central Library      Birmingham Libraries Front Page

Advisory Note:
If you find the Birmingham City Council Website slow to load, may we suggest you set your browser to "text-only"

To discover more about libraries in the West Midlands try The Libraries Partnership - West Midlands

Leader Comment                                      click for top of page

Birmingham's first Central Lending Library opened in 1865 and the Reference Library a year later. Since then it has suffered two serious fires - one more than Alexandria - in 1879 and 1993.

The current Library was opened in 1974 by Harold Wilson, then Leader of the Opposition. You might say this was the fag-end of the white-hot technological revolution: although not the cause of the 1993 fire, I still couldn't possibly comment.

As a wet-behind-the-ears student I remember the library fresh out of the packet. A truly cavernous delight of books and space to enjoy them. Fantastic. Even the elevators worked. Never mind the Prince of Wales' monstrous carbunkle soundbite, this was the bizz.

Coming back over twenty years later it seemed like a teenage crush. Why on earth had I been so enamoured? It's clear the building hasn't aged well: apparently the firm that makes the widgets to make the elevators work can only make the widgets to order, which would cost more than new elevators to make so they've not been ordered....Back then the Bull Ring rivalled Oxford Street; the Trafford Centre of the 70s - modernist concrete isn't sexy any more.

Last week The Guardian reported Peckham Library winning the Stirling Award, British architects' Oscar. (Click here for more details) I guess that's what the new Central Library should aim at. Peckham won because the building sympathised with the users - both staff and readers. For the new Central Library in Birmingham to receive similar plaudits rather than brickbats it will need to inherit the best of the old Central Library. C'mon, it's not all bad, is it? This probably didn't happen at all before the old Central Library was demolished in 1974 - one of the lessons of history is that its lessons are rarely learnt.

This is where you come in. As it says there'll be extensive consultation so talk to your library staff in Birmingham about what you want and don't want  - or e-mail lit-net and we'll pass on your views.

When the move does come there will be disruption. Remember that calculus-of-despair Russian Proverb: 'Your house burnt down is moving home three times.' Think what it's like to move a library: all those books. Having watched it happen in Stafford last year, I can reassure you of one thing - the library staff will still do all they can to help you whatever the difficulties.

Talk to them.

David Fine

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