Liverpool Central Library

The library is located in several adjoining historic buildings on William Brown Street. Its first building was the William Brown Library and Museum building which was completed in 1860 to the designs of John Weightman Surveyor to Liverpool Corporation, (not to be confused with his near contemporary John Grey Weightman){{cite news |author= |title=The Brown Testimonial |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001316/18601019/037/0007 |newspaper=Evening Mail |location=England |date=19 October 1860 |access-date=3 March 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} 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{{cite web | url=https://www.building.co.uk/focus/liverpool-central-library-the-wow-factor/5054261.article | title=Liverpool Central Library: The "wow factor" }} and to the rear with the Hornby Library in 1906. All three of these are Grade II* listed buildings and are built in a classical style similar to other buildings on the street.

Previous to the creation of this public library was England's first subscription library (1758–1942), latterly known as The Lyceum, Liverpool, but often referred to as the Liverpool Library.

750,000 people visited the museum in 2017. In 2018, the library won The Bookseller’s Library of the Year Award.{{cite web |title=Liverpool Central Library wins The Bookseller's Library of the Year Award 2018 - Liverpool Express |url=https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/liverpool-central-library-wins-the-booksellers-library-of-the-year-award-2018/ |website=Liverpool Express |accessdate=24 July 2018 |date=18 July 2018}}

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.{{cite news|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/05/16/50m-rebuild-for-liverpool-s-central-library-100252-20920848/|title=£50m rebuild for Liverpool's Central Library|date=16 May 2008|work=Liverpool Echo|accessdate=22 November 2015}} In October 2009 the proposed rebuild was shown to the public.{{cite news|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/10/30/50m-transformation-for-liverpool-s-central-library-100252-25050591/|title=£50m transformation for Liverpool's Central Library (VIDEO)|date=30 October 2009|work=Liverpool Echo|accessdate=22 November 2015}}

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.{{cite web | url = http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Libraries_and_archives/index.asp | title = Libraries and archives | publisher = Liverpool City Council | date = 23 July 2010 | accessdate = 10 August 2010 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100907193538/http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Libraries_and_archives/index.asp | archivedate = 7 September 2010 | df = dmy-all }} The refurbished building features a central atrium, with a series of open-plan floors. The atrium is topped with a glass dome, and the building has a roof terrace, with views out over the city centre. It re-opened to the public on Friday 17 May 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22565782|title=Liverpool's Central Library reopens after £50m facelift|work=BBC News|date=17 May 2013|accessdate=22 November 2015}}

At the entrance to the library is a 72 foot granite walkway, inlaid with the titles of literary classics.

The titles contain a riddle, a series of letters picked out in red which spell out the title of a small but eye-catching item in the library's collection. The riddle was included to provoke the interest of visitors, and was presented as a competition at the museum's re-opening. 500 people took part, with 200 solving the riddle, and three winners were chosen in October 2013, five months after opening.

The library has not revealed the answer to the riddle, in order to preserve the puzzle for future visitors.[https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/literary-detectives-uncover-library-secret/ Literary detectives uncover library secret] BBC News 23 October 2013; retrieved 11 May 2019[https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/liverpool-central-library-red-letters-riddle-puzzle Liverpool Central Library Entrance Riddle] at atlasobscura.com; retrieved 11 May 2019

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.{{cite web|url=https://liverpoollibrariestogether.wordpress.com/|title=About|work=Liverpool Libraries Together|accessdate=22 November 2015}}

File:Liverpool Central Library Picton Reading Room.jpg|The Picton Reading Room inside the library

File:Main entrance to Liverpool Central Library.JPG|Main entrance to Liverpool Central Library

File:Liverpool Central Library atrium staircase.jpg|The atrium staircase of the Liverpool Central Library, view from the bottom

File:Liverpool Central Library atrium.jpg|The atrium staircase of the Liverpool Central Library, view from the bottom

File:Liverpool Central Library staircase.jpg|The atrium staircase of the Liverpool Central Library, view from the top

File:Liverpool Central Library glass fixture.jpg|The atrium staircase of the Liverpool Central Library, rooftop glass structure

File:Liverpool Central Library Roof Terrece,17 May 2013 (3).jpg|Liverpool Central Library Roof Terrace

File:Liverpool Central Library Roof Terrece,17 May 2013 (2).jpg|Liverpool Central Library Roof Terrace

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Liverpool Central Library}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.civichalls.liverpool.gov.uk/centrallibrary/index.asp|title=Liverpool Central Library website|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101150131/http://www.civichalls.liverpool.gov.uk/centrallibrary/index.asp|archivedate=1 January 2012}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081020061821/http://www.virtualtours360.net/vtupload/liverpool/centrallibrary/centrallibrary.html Virtual tour of Liverpool Central Library]
• [http://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries/find-a-library/central-library Liverpool Libraries web page]
• [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1359620 Images of England:Picton Reading Room and Hornby Library]
• [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063781 Images of England:William Brown Library]
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22536864 In pictures: Liverpool's restored £50m library] BBC News 15 May 2013

{{Liverpool B&S}}

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Category:Public libraries in Merseyside

Category:Culture in Liverpool

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Liverpool

Category:Grade II* listed library buildings

Category:Libraries in Liverpool