Member Article

Milestone on way to re-opening of Manchester Central Library

City Library on Deansgate has now closed, as the countdown to the reopening of a transformed Central Library in spring 2014 begins.

Library services in the city centre are now supplied by the temporary facility in the Town Hall Extension.

The Grade II listed Central Library building closed in 2010, when the £170m renovation project began.

Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Rosa Battle, said: “This is another milestone in the transformation of Central Library as we look forward to its reopening.

“Transporting our wealth of books and materials back to the new Central Library will take time, but we hope residents will bear with us in the coming months, because the end result will be worth the wait.

“When Central Library re-opens, it will truly be a world-class modern library fit for the 21st century, which will benefit residents and communities for generations to come.

“City Library on Deansgate has played a crucial role in providing a great service to Manchester residents and visitors during the refurbishment of Central Library.”

The Town Hall Extension temporary library includes a small collection of books for adults, teenagers and children, as well as a small selection in Chinese.

Computers are available for internet access, along with a photocopying and printing service and a small seating area, stocked with newspapers and journals. Library staff will be available to provide information, including business information, by phone and email. Customers can use the temporary library as a convenient place to access Manchester Libraries’ stock.

Stock can be reserved and ordered for collection at any Manchester library free of charge.

The Greater Manchester County Record Office on Marshall Street and the Manchester Room, which was based in City Library on Deansgate, have also now closed to allow for work that needs be done before the opening of the new Archives + centre in Central Library.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .