Refurbishment for Fryerns Library

Basildon's oldest library is to receive its first refurbishment for 18 years.

Fryerns library, in Whitmore Way, closed this weekend in preparation for a major overhaul.

The seven work refurbishment plans to enhance the library with a dedicated computer suite, while the glass panes that partition the main building from the foyer will be removed. The walls will also be repainted and the floors re-carpeted.

Fryerns library is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. It was the first purpose-built library to be created in the town.

Posted 01 Feb 2010

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New concept for Stornoway Library

Stornoway Library on the Isle of Lewis is currently undergoing partial refurbishment thanks to a £32,000 grant from the Scottish Government Incentive Fund for Libraries

The new concept for the library is to provide a more reader-centred environment with improvements to space, layout, signage, displays, reading promotions and activities. Further initiatives such as a Reader Development Policy, Library web-pages for readers and staff training are also planned as part of the re-design.

When the library reopens later this month users will see changes to shelving, book displays and furniture, as well as a new welcome desk. It is hoped that the facility will be more comfortable and user-friendly for members of the public.

Posted 21 Jan 2010

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Progress for Rochdale Council Building

Rochdale Council has submitted an outline planning application for its new offices, customer service centre and library.

The riverside building will provide open plan office accommodation for around 2,000 staff from the council and partner organisations. It will also include a customer service centre and a new public library.

It is expected the application will be presented to the Rochdale Planning Sub Committee in March and then the Regulatory Committee for a final decision.

Clearance of the site is well underway and a shortlist of construction companies has been invited to bid for the role of contractor for the new building, which is due to open in 2012.

Posted 15 Jan 2010

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Improvements for Kilburn Library

Kilburn library in Camden will close for three weeks while improvements are made.

The improvements will include a lick of paint, better lighting in the children’s library and the introduction of a new improved self service system.

Kilburn Library is an exciting, modern state of the art library and community facility. The busy high street site offers good access and opening hours have recently increased to five days a week.

The centre provides:

• a mezzanine with children’s, family and learning facilities, quiet reading lounge, 40 computers for learning and internet searching
• thousands of new books, film and music, four public toilets, café seating, plasma screen, and listening facilities

Posted 13 Jan 2010

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Work begins on Bury St Edmunds Library Refurbishment

Bury St Edmunds Library has closed its doors for a multi-million pound refurbishment and extension.

The £2.4 million renovation is expected to take 32 weeks and involves a refitting of the interior, a new IT suite, a new government-funded children's centre, a new coffee shop and a Learning Employment Access Project centre, which is designed for adults to find training or work.


The library is one of Suffolk's busiest housing about 40,000 books, CDs and DVDs.

Posted 13 Jan 2010

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Facelift for Lossiemouth Library

Lossiemouth library in a Moray town is to close for almost two months to undergo a £46,000 facelift.

The work on the Lossiemouth facility includes upgrading the computer centre and better utilising existing space.

The number of computer will be increased to 10 as part of the refurbishment, and the machines will be set up in a “learning centre” to be created in a room currently used as a store and office.

Almost half the money for the upgrade is from European funding, and the work is part of a bigger project to improve seven of Moray’s libraries.

Posted 13 Jan 2010

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San Diego's new Central Library Design

Design Architect Rob Quigley describes the vision and functionality of the proposed new Central Library for San Diego

The New Central Library, designed for LEED Silver certification, is a nine-story community gathering space that incorporates a new downtown charter high school. The school will have access to the a library's educational resources but also be architecturally separate with its own entrance, lobby, lift, toilets and ventilation system.

Quigley describes the structure and its amenities, including a great, airy, reading room under the building's iconic dome. On the ground floor is a welcoming garden courtyard with large glass windows at the entry of the library and of the opposite auditorium. These doors slide open, creating a large, adaptable public space that can accommodate up to 1,000 people for a wide range of cultural events.

Posted 11 Jan 2010

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Basford Library Refurbishment

Basford Library in Nottingham is getting a £75,000 makeover.

The refurbishment project will include much needed repairs to the roof of Basford Library and the installation of a new heating system. The interior of the building will also be redecorated.

The library was initially built in the 1920s, and has been previously refurbished. It has however been in a state of disrepair for some time. Work has been underway for several weeks and it was initially due to reopen on December 9 but that date has now been put back for the decoration work.

The money for the revamp has been provided by the city council, from its maintenance and libraries budgets.

Posted 06 Jan 2010

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Garforth Library Nearing Completion

The £1.4 million Garforth Library in Leeds is nearing completion. The brand new eco building will house a new library and council one-stop-shop.

The building uses recycled materials and a variety of green technologies such as solar panels for heating water and a 'living' sedum roof which will be energy efficient and encourage wildlife. Click here for more information and images of the green technologies on the roof at Garforth Library.

The new-look building, which will feature greatly improved accessibility and library services, with a new IT learning suite and meeting room and café, is due to open in February 2010.

There will also be a variety of other council services available including council tax, social care, environmental services and community safety, as well as a registrars office and services for young people.

Work began in January after the Big Lottery Fund awarded more than £1m to extend and refurbish Garforth Library. The project has also been funded by Leeds City Council and energy-efficiency organisation Salix.

Follow progress at the Garforth Library Weblog

Posted 23 Dec 2009

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Designing Libraries Newsletter: Issue 19

The latest edition of the Designing Libraries Newsletter is now available for download.

This issue, sponsored by Demco Interiors, contains the latest news, reviews and comments from the Designing Libraries team.

From the Database
Tips on complex searches within the database.

Featured Libraries:
3 Faces of Library Design:
1. Newcastle City Library - A major city centre library
2. Shelf Straw Bale Library - Small scale refurbishment using innovative materials
3. National Library of Wales - Modernisation of a listed building

Comment:
School Libraries

The newsletter is published as a pdf to provide enhanced content and interactivity.

Click the link below to download the pdf file:
Designing Libraries Newsletter: Issue 19

Subscribe.
You can subscribe to the newsletter to receive it via email here: Subscribe to the Designing Libraries Newsletter.

Issue 19 of the Newsletter has now been distributed to subscribers. Depending on your browser you may have a link to the pdf file in the email or need to copy and paste the URL into your web-browser.

We would appreciate any feedback or comments, please send these to:
info@designinglibraries.org.uk

We hope you enjoy this newsletter - feel free to forward it to colleagues - and look forward to hearing your views, news and opinions.

Posted 14 Dec 2009

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