Newcastle City Library
Encyclopedia
Newcastle City Library is a library
in the city centre
of Newcastle upon Tyne
, United Kingdom
. Completed on 3 March 2009, the building opened on 7 June 2009, and is the city's main public library. The main feature of the building is a long 'glass box' forming the eastern side of the steel frame structure.
had originally been built as an extension of the old Victorian library and was left somewhat out of context following the demolition of the older building, with a blank brick wall facing towards the city centre.
The 1960s building rapidly became unfit for the purpose of a modern public library with its name changing in the late 1990s
from Central Library to City Library. Additionally, the 1960s design of the library became regarded as exceedingly ugly, with local TV presenter and author John Grundy
describing it as "a monstrous concrete blob". The road to the rear of the library, John Dobson Street, used to have a concrete canopy which hung over the dual carriageway stretching from Durant Road up to the junction of New Bridge Street West. This canopy was at the official ground floor level of the library and provided the library with an entrance to the rear with access onto which was ultimately a rather unused large pedestrian area with seats and other street furniture. In the late 1990s the canopy was demolished back to the Bewick Court high rise block of flats which resulted in the rear-facing entrance becoming redundant, as it had nothing to connect to and became a balcony
.
The library was closed on 1 September 2006, and demolished from April to July 2007. The foundation stone marking the construction of the new library was ceremonially laid by the Mayor on 17 December 2007. The Poet Laureate
Andrew Motion
was guest of honour at the handover of the new building from the contractors to the City Council. The new building is situated directly on top of the old building, which resulted in the closure of the 'Dobsons' Bar which utilised the lower ground floor area (which opened onto New Bridge Street West directly).
Building after the 18th century Newcastle composer. It was dedicated on 21 June 2009.
The opening day, 7 June 2009, featured a programme of entertainment from musicians performing in the entrance hall and fictional characters including Captain Hook, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland, The Queen of Hearts, The Gruffalo and Peter Rabbit. The six-storey building contains a marble-floored atrium, a viewing platform, a 185 seat performance space, a café and an exhibition space.
It was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on 6 November 2009.
The new building features many technologies specifically designed for use in libraries. Every book is fitted with a digital tag, meaning books can be checked out and returned via automated checkout points, and theft of stock becomes much harder. Staff members carry hands-free voice-activated WiFi radios to communicate with other members of staff.
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
in the city centre
Newcastle upon Tyne City Centre
Newcastle City Centre, is the central business district of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.The area may be divided into the areas of Haymarket, Quayside, Central Station, Grainger Town, Monument, Chinatown and Gallowgate.-Haymarket:...
of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Completed on 3 March 2009, the building opened on 7 June 2009, and is the city's main public library. The main feature of the building is a long 'glass box' forming the eastern side of the steel frame structure.
Replacing the old building
The city's central library has been on this site since Victorian times, with the original building demolished in the 1960s to make way for a concrete and steel structure, situated on the corner of John Dobson Street and New Bridge Street West. The neighbouring Laing Art GalleryLaing Art Gallery
The Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne, England is located on New Bridge Street. It was opened in 1904 and is now managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. In front of the gallery is the Blue Carpet.The gallery holds oil paintings,...
had originally been built as an extension of the old Victorian library and was left somewhat out of context following the demolition of the older building, with a blank brick wall facing towards the city centre.
The 1960s building rapidly became unfit for the purpose of a modern public library with its name changing in the late 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
from Central Library to City Library. Additionally, the 1960s design of the library became regarded as exceedingly ugly, with local TV presenter and author John Grundy
John Grundy
John Grundy is a television presenter and author. His work is mainly featured around North East England.- Biography :...
describing it as "a monstrous concrete blob". The road to the rear of the library, John Dobson Street, used to have a concrete canopy which hung over the dual carriageway stretching from Durant Road up to the junction of New Bridge Street West. This canopy was at the official ground floor level of the library and provided the library with an entrance to the rear with access onto which was ultimately a rather unused large pedestrian area with seats and other street furniture. In the late 1990s the canopy was demolished back to the Bewick Court high rise block of flats which resulted in the rear-facing entrance becoming redundant, as it had nothing to connect to and became a balcony
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
.
The library was closed on 1 September 2006, and demolished from April to July 2007. The foundation stone marking the construction of the new library was ceremonially laid by the Mayor on 17 December 2007. The Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
Andrew Motion
Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...
was guest of honour at the handover of the new building from the contractors to the City Council. The new building is situated directly on top of the old building, which resulted in the closure of the 'Dobsons' Bar which utilised the lower ground floor area (which opened onto New Bridge Street West directly).
The new building
It is named the Charles AvisonCharles Avison
Charles Avison – 10 May 1770) was an English composer during the Baroque and Classical periods. He was a church organist at St John The Baptist Church in Newcastle and at St. Nicholas's Church...
Building after the 18th century Newcastle composer. It was dedicated on 21 June 2009.
The opening day, 7 June 2009, featured a programme of entertainment from musicians performing in the entrance hall and fictional characters including Captain Hook, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland, The Queen of Hearts, The Gruffalo and Peter Rabbit. The six-storey building contains a marble-floored atrium, a viewing platform, a 185 seat performance space, a café and an exhibition space.
It was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on 6 November 2009.
The new building features many technologies specifically designed for use in libraries. Every book is fitted with a digital tag, meaning books can be checked out and returned via automated checkout points, and theft of stock becomes much harder. Staff members carry hands-free voice-activated WiFi radios to communicate with other members of staff.
External links
- Newcastle City Library at Kajima Projects