Liverpool Central Library

Buildings

The library is located in several adjoining historic buildings on the city's historic William Brown Street. The library's first building was the William Brown Library and Museum building which was completed in 1860 to the designs of John Grey Weightman and which it has always shared with the city's museum, now known as World Museum Liverpool. The library was then extended further to the right with the addition in 1879 of the Picton Reading Room and to the rear with the Hornby Library in 1906. All three of these buildings are Grade II* listed buildings and are built in a classical style similar to other buildings on the street.

Rebuilding

In May 2008 it was announced that some of the complex of buildings that hold the Central Library were to be demolished and replaced with modern buildings suitable for use with modern IT services. The historic buildings in the complex would be refurbished to provide modern facilities and was designed by the Architects Austin-Smith:Lord. In October 2009 the proposed rebuild was shown to the public.

The main library building on William Brown Street closed on 23 July 2010, while closed, a temporary service operated from next door, on the second floor of Liverpool World Museum. It re-opened to the public on Friday 17 May 2013.

Library group

It is a member of the Libraries Together: Liverpool Learning Partnership (evolved from Liverpool Libraries Group) which formed in 1990. Under which, a registered reader at any of the member libraries can have access rights to the other libraries within the partnership.

Internet Links

http://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries

https://www.facebook.com/Liverpool-Central-Library-250588335383710/

@liverpoollib