Cardiff Central Library
{{Short description|Main public library in Cardiff, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Cardiff Central Library
| native_name = Llyfrgell Ganolog Caerdydd
| former_names =
| alternate_names =
| image = Cardiff Central Library 2018.jpg
| caption = The Alliance sculpture in front of Cardiff Central Library
| coordinates = {{coord|51.477860|N|3.175470|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| altitude =
| building_type =
| architectural_style = Sustainable architecture
| structural_system =
| cost = £13.5 million
| ren_cost =
| location =
| address = Mill Lane, Cardiff, CF10 1FL
| client =
| owner = Cardiff County Council
| current_tenants =
| landlord =
| start_date = May 2007
| completion_date = {{Start date and age|2009|01|30|df=yes}}
| inauguration_date = {{Start date and age|2009|03|14|df=yes}}
| renovation_date =
| demolition_date =
| destruction_date =
| height =
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| other_dimensions =
| floor_count = 6
| floor_area = {{convert|55000|sqft|m2|sigfig=2}}
| main_contractor = Laing O'Rourke
| architect =
| architecture_firm = BDP Architects
| structural_engineer =
| services_engineer = Crown House Technology
| civil_engineer =
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| references =
| embedded = {{Infobox library
| embed = yes
| type = Public Library
| collection_size =
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| req_to_access = None
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| website = {{Official URL}}
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}}
Cardiff Central Library (now Cardiff Central Library Hub) ({{langx|cy|Llyfrgell Ganolog Caerdydd}}) is the main library in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. It offers a public library service and is open six days a week. Four buildings have been named as such, with the newest building opening on 14 March 2009 and officially being opened a few months later on 18 June 2009 by the Manic Street Preachers.{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/06/18/manic-street-preachers-open-library-91466-23912671/|title=Manic Street Preachers open Cardiff Central Library|date=18 June 2009|publisher=Western Mail (Wales)|access-date=31 March 2010}} The first Cardiff library was opened in 1861 as the Cardiff Free Library, later expanded and known as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art.
History
= Cardiff Free Library (1861 to 1882) =
File:Royal Arcade Cardiff (16990138939).jpg
In 1861, a free library was set up by voluntary subscription above the St Mary Street entrance to the Royal Arcade in Cardiff.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=155&language=|title=The Cardiff Story (1861)|publisher=Cardiff Council|access-date=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120405/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=155&language=|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} By 1862, the Public Libraries Act 1855 allowed local councils with 5,000 inhabitants or more to raise a rate of one penny in the pound to provide a public library. Cardiff was the first town in Wales to establish a public library.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=156&language=|title=The Cardiff Story (1862)|publisher=Cardiff Council|access-date=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120746/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=156&language=|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Two years later in 1864, the library had moved to bigger premises in the now demolished YMCA building in St Mary Street. A School of Science and Art and a small museum was also added,{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=157&language=|title=The Cardiff Story (1864)|publisher=Cardiff Council|access-date=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120824/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=157&language=|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} and so it became known as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=158&language=|title=The Cardiff Story (1880–82)|publisher=Cardiff Council|access-date=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120848/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=158&language=|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
=Old Library (1882 to 1988)=
{{main|Old Library, Cardiff}}
The Old Library is located at the northern end of The Hayes. A public holiday was declared{{cite web |url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=160&language= |title=The Cardiff Story (1882) |publisher=Cardiff Council |access-date=2010-04-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305152421/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178%2C226&parent_directory_id=2&id=160&language= |archive-date=5 March 2012 |df=dmy }} when it was opened on 31 May 1882 by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Alfred Thomas as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art, which included an art gallery.{{cite web|url=http://www.hevac-heritage.org/items_of_interest/heating/other_buildings/old_library_cardiff/old_library_cardiff.htm|title=The Old Library, Cardiff|publisher=HEVAC Heritage Group|access-date=2009-03-21}}{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Stewart|title=Cardiff Yesterday: No. 1|publisher=Stewart Williams Publishers|location=Barry|year=1980|isbn=0-900807-40-7}} A competition was held to choose a design for the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art. The winning design was by architects James, Seward and Thomas, erected for just over £9,000. The Schools of Science and Art were housed in the building until 1890 when it moved to buildings that were part of the University College.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=161&language=|title=The Cardiff Story (1890)|publisher=Cardiff Council|access-date=2010-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708120946/http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,226&parent_directory_id=2&id=161&language=|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
The building was further extended to the south fourteen years later, with a new south frontage designed by James, Seward & Thomas,{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Stewart|title=Cardiff Yesterday: No. 3|publisher=Stewart Williams Publishers|location=Barry|year=1981|isbn=0-900807-46-6}} and was officially re-opened as the Central Library by the Prince of Wales on 27 July 1896.{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Stewart|title=Cardiff Yesterday: No. 9|publisher=Stewart Williams Publishers|location=Barry|year=1984|isbn=0-900807-62-8}}
The entrance to the building featured a corridor lined with ornamental wall tiles, designed to depict the four seasons and night and morning. These tiles were impressed with coloured clay to give the impression of a mosaic. This together with the stained glass installed throughout the building saw it become a Grade II* listed building.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-14111-former-central-library-castle#.Vo7uIk9RSx0|title=Former Central Library, Castle |publisher=British Listed Buildings|access-date=2015-01-07}} The Old Library (as it is now known) still exists and is in used by the Cardiff Story and a tourist information centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?Parent_Directory_id=2865&nav=2868,2965,3668|title=Cardiff Museum|date=2009-01-05|publisher=Cardiff County Council|access-date=2009-03-14}}
=St David's Link (1988 to 2006)=
File:Cardiff Central Library 2006.jpg
The Central Library was moved to a new building located on St David's Link (Frederick Street), opposite what was then the multi-storey car park. The building was officially opened on 3 December 1988,{{cite web |url=https://www.cardiffians.co.uk/galleries/citycentre/ |title=City Centre Image Gallery |publisher=Cardiffians |access-date=March 12, 2022}} and occupied the upper storeys of the commercial complex, which were accessed via a polygonal vestibule at street level.{{cite book|last=Newman|first=James|author2=Stephen Hughes |author3=Anthony Ward |title=The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan|publisher=Penguin Books|location=London|year=1995|isbn=0-14-071056-6}}
The first floor contained the fiction and children's sections and reading library. The second floor contained the non-fiction section and the third floor housed the local history section.
The building was demolished in late 2006 together with the surrounding retail units to make way for the extension to St. David's Centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2874,4202,4203&parent_directory_id=2865&id=3543&Language=|title=Cardiff's favourite books unveiled at temporary library|date=2006-08-29|publisher=Cardiff County Council|access-date=2009-03-14|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609181740/http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2874%2C4202%2C4203&parent_directory_id=2865&id=3543&Language=|archive-date=9 June 2011|df=dmy-all}}
= Temporary building (2006 to 2009) =
File:Cardiff Library Temporary Building.JPG
During the construction of the new building, library services were moved to temporary facilities on John Street which were officially opened on 1 September 2006. Consisting of two separate buildings adjoining the Welsh National Opera, the front overlooking Bute Street, featured {{convert|6|m|ft|adj=on}} tall hoardings illustrating the spines of a number of books identified as those most commonly borrowed from the library.
Cardiff Central Library (2009– )
File:Future Cardiff^ - geograph.org.uk - 1541779.jpg
File:Cardiff Central Library rear.JPG
The present day Central Library building is located on The Hayes, cornered in between Mill Lane and Canal Street, opposite the St. David's 2 development. It occupies part of the car park previously used by the adjacent Marriott Hotel, and it was this site which gave rise to the building's triangular footprint.
Cardiff Council commissioned architects BDP to create a landmark buildings which symbolised the values of knowledge, learning and culture. Construction started in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk/projects/display/id/70 |title=Cardiff Central Library |publisher=AJ Buildings Library |access-date=2015-01-09}} The building cost £13.5 million to build and construction took 98 weeks involving nearly 1,200 workers. 2000m² of glass form part of the exterior walls. The length of shelving for the books totals 3 kilometres.Leaflet: Cardiff Central Library – the most sustainable new building in the capital – published by Cardiff County Council The project included 16000m² of restaurant units on the ground floor facing onto Mill Lane.
It was opened on 14 March 2009{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7929296.stm|title=Cardiff's new library unveiled|date=2009-03-06|work=BBC News|access-date=2009-03-14}} and on 18 June the Manic Street Preachers unveiled a plaque with the words "libraries gave us power", from their 1996 single A Design for Life.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8108080.stm |title=Manics' 'humble' library opening |date=18 June 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=2015-01-09 }}
At the time of opening, the library contained {{convert|55000|ft|m|abbr=on}} of space, 90,000 books, 10,000 of which are written in Welsh, and an additional 10,000 CDs and DVDs.Leaflet: Cardiff Central Library Floor Plan published by Cardiff County Council (2009)
Since 2011 Cardiff Council have co-located services in library buildings, renaming them Hubs. At Central Library this has included money advice, housing and citizens advice services being installed in the building and book stock allegedly reduced.{{Cite web |title=Cardiff Hub and Library Strategy 2019 – 2023 |url=https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Libraries-and-archives/cardiff-hub-and-library-strategy/Documents/Accessible%20Library%20and%20Hub%20Strategy.pdf |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=Cardiff Council}}{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Cathy |date=2015-01-21 |title=Mass 'Read In' protest planned against the threat to Cardiff's libraries |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/mass-read-in-protest-planned-8490849 |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}} In 2015 over 200 library users, community groups and authors joined unionised library staff to stage a rally outside the library on National Libraries Day against proposed cuts to the service.{{Cite web |date=2015-02-08 |title=Cardiff rallies to save its libraries {{!}} Article {{!}} News |url=https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2015/02/cardiff-rallies-to-save-its-libraries/ |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=UNISON National |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2016-04-11 |title=Cardiff's 'strong message' on National Libraries Day {{!}} The Bookseller |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/cardiffs-strong-message-national-libraries-day |access-date=2022-03-06 |archive-date=11 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411202832/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/cardiffs-strong-message-national-libraries-day |url-status=bot: unknown }}
=Building features=
File:cardiff Library interior.JPG
The building was specifically designed to be energy-efficient, and includes a sedum grass roof to improve insulation and reduce rainwater run-off, coloured glass panels and solar shading to prevent excessive heat gains, and a full Building Management System to provide climate control to individual floors. As a result of these measures the building was awarded a BREEAM rating of 'excellent'.{{cite journal|title=How the 'One Team' approach will help shape tomorrow|journal=Infoworks|publisher=Laing O'Rourke|volume=2008|series=Q1|issue=23|pages=22|url=http://vcat.star-digital.co.uk/?userpath=00000013/00001135/00021501/&page=22|access-date=2009-03-14|archive-date=1 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901040815/http://vcat.star-digital.co.uk/?userpath=00000013/00001135/00021501/&page=22|url-status=dead}} Panels of brass cladding covered the side and rear façade of the library, intended to give the impression of leather-bound bookends.
There are a total of six floors with part of the ground floor housing three retail outlets, initially occupied by branches of Wagamama, Gourmet Burger Kitchen,{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/tm_headline=wagamama-heads-for-cardiff&method=full&objectid=19076451&siteid=50082-name_page.html|title=Wagamama heads for Cardiff|last=Blake|first=Aled|date=2007-05-10|publisher=Western Mail (Wales)|access-date=2009-03-29}} and Carluccio's.{{cite web |url=http://www.visitcardiff.com/site/eat-and-drink/carluccio-s-p98611 |title=Eat & Drink > Carluccio's |publisher=Cardiff Tourist Information |access-date=31 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503131748/http://www.visitcardiff.com/site/eat-and-drink/carluccio-s-p98611 |archive-date=3 May 2010 |df=dmy }}
Additionally, all floors except the ground floor have toilets and Wi-Fi. Lifts link all floors. Stairs also connect each floor, with an escalator running straight from the ground floor entrance foyer to the second floor.
Notable librarians
Notable staff have included Harry Farr who served 1891 until 1940,{{Cite DWB |title=FARR, HARRY (1874 - 1968), librarian |id=s2-FARR-HAR-1874 |access-date=2022-03-06}} Sir John Ballinger, Wales' first national librarian,{{Cite DWB |title=BALLINGER, Sir JOHN (1860 - 1933), first librarian of the National Library of Wales |id=s-BALL-JOH-1860 |access-date=2022-03-06 |fewer-links=yes}} James Ifano Jones who worked as a Welsh language cataloguer,{{Cite web |title=James Ifano Jones |url=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20733319 |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=www.wikidata.org |language=en}}{{Cite DWB |title=JONES, JAMES IFANO (1865 - 1955); librarian and bibliographer |id=s2-JONE-IFA-1865 |access-date=2022-03-06 |fewer-links=yes}} Arthur Ap gwynn{{Cite DWB |title=AP GWYNN, ARTHUR (1902-1987), librarian and the third librarian of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth |id=s6-APGW-ART-1902 |access-date=2022-03-06 |fewer-links=yes}} and more recently, puppeteer Toby Philpott.{{Cite news |date=2013-10-15 |title=Jabba The Hutt's 'left hand man' works in Cardiff library |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-24508751 |access-date=2022-03-06}}
Rare books sale controversy
To help fund the new library, Cardiff Council planned to sell off the library's heritage book collection, dating from the 15th century. The collection included a rare Tyndale's Bible in addition to private collections donated by the Bute and Cory families.{{Cite journal |last=Peters |first=Janet |date=2010 |title=Rare books collection finds new home at Cardiff University Library |url=https://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/19_7.pdf |journal=Sconul Focus |volume=49}} This provoked outrage amongst academics worldwide.{{cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/09/09/academics-outraged-by-council-s-book-sale-91466-21708520/|title=Academics 'outraged' by council's book sale|publisher=Western Mail (Wales)|access-date=2009-04-29}} On 10 March 2010, a joint initiative of the council, Cardiff University, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales worked to transfer the books to the library collections at Cardiff University.[http://www.cardiffheritagefriends.org/ Press Release: Rare and antiquarian books to remain in Wales] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504194904/http://www.cardiffheritagefriends.org/ |date=4 May 2010 }} at website of Cardiff Heritage Friends
References
{{Reflist|33em}}
External links
- [https://cardiffhubs.co.uk/hub/central-library-hub/ Central Library listing on the Cardiff Hubs website]
- [https://www.bdp.com/en/projects/a-e/cardiff-central-library/ Central Library on the BDP website]
- [https://www.instagram.com/central_library_hub Cardiff Central Library instagram page]
{{Commons category-inline|Cardiff Central Library}}
{{Culture in Cardiff}}
{{Landmarks and Visitor Attractions in Cardiff}}
{{Education in Cardiff}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Library buildings completed in 2009
Category:Tourist attractions in Cardiff
Category:Redevelopment projects in Cardiff