Public library buildings

Audit of public library buildings

MLA commissioned PKF to undertake an audit of English public library buildings in order to gain a clear picture of their condition and an estimate of the cost of repairing and refurbishing them so that they could be classified as fit for purpose. The Library Buildings Survey 2006 (PDF 741KB) gathered information on: the condition of buildings’ infrastructure’; quality of design and currency; compliance with legislation; heritage/listed status; quality of furniture and fittings; external condition; cleanliness; signage and suitability for installation and development of ICT services. This short report does not attempt to analyse the survey in great detail, rather it provides a high level analysis of the responses.

Designing Libraries 

Since 2004 a team from the University of Wales Aberystwyth Information Services has been developing a database of current UK library buildings (both new and refurbished). The database is available on a web site,  Designing Libraries , which also provides links to a range of other web resources useful to all those involved in the planning, design and building of public libraries. 

The project is managed by CILIP through a steering group chaired by Debby Shorley, University of Sussex. It has now been given a further two years’ (2006-2008) funding to develop the service, including links with other library sectors, such as Higher Education, and the potential for working with other countries.  A project report for the first two years is available:

 Designing Libraries project report March 2006 (Word 126 KB)

Library buildings - seminars and events

Landmark Libraries Atelier - MLA and SCL sponsored a Landmark Libraries Atelier in Swiss Cottage Central Library, London Borough of Camden, on July 6th & 7th 2006. The focus was on the process of library building projects, and the aim was to empower librarians to play a pivotal role in their own building project by raising understanding of the roles of the partners involved, and by providing tools to allow them to better monitor the building process. A full report on the event is available here. For more information contact Jan Van Vaerenbergh at info@landmark-libraries.com

Design workshops - As part of the CILIP Designing Libraries, project the CILIP Conferences and Training & Development Departments  were asked to design and run a series of one day workshops that would help library staff to develop effective space planning and design skills and show how they could make improvements in their libraries. A number of reports on the project were produced and are available here.

Reports on library buildings

Two reports have been published by CABE:  

Better Public Libraries (PDF 2.4MB)

21st Century Libraries: Changing Forms Changing Futures , available from the CABE website.