Nottingham Central Library

Nottingham Central Library is the name given to the main public lending library in Nottingham, England. The library at Angel Row was closed to public in 2020 with the contents placed into storage, contingent upon a new building becoming available. As of mid-2023, Nottingham City Council was anticipating opening later in the year.

Nottingham Central Library
The former Nottingham Central Library building on Angel Row
52.953893°N 1.152845°W / 52.953893; -1.152845
LocationUnited Kingdom
TypePublic lending library
EstablishedApril 13, 1868 (1868-04-13)
Other information
Websitewww.nottinghamcitylibraries.co.uk

History
Former Artizan's library, Thurland Street

The first Nottingham Public Lending Library opened on 13 April 1868.[1] It was opened by Mayor John Barber. It contained almost 10,000 books, 400 members signed up on the first day and 70,512 books were issued in the first year.

It started life on Thurland Street in premises formerly used by Artizans’ Library. The Artizans’ library had been founded in 1824.[2]

The Thurland Street premises eventually proved to be inadequate and a new building was erected on Sherwood Street in 1879 adjoining University College. In 1932 this was extended when a new reading hall was added, and a gymnasium was provided for staff (a feature unique in libraries in the country).[3] The architect for the extension and improvements was the city engineer, Thomas Wallis Gordon.[4]

In 1964, there was some controversy when the Chief Librarian, F.C. Tighe, withdrew Enid Blyton’s “The Adventures of Noddy’’ and nearly all her other works because he felt they did not use a sufficiently wide vocabulary.[5]

In 1977 the library moved again to a property on Angel Row. This building had originally been built between 1898 and 1899 by the architect Harry Gill as a shop and warehouse for Henry Barker. It was converted by Michael Tempest and Colin McIntosh of the Nottinghamshire County Architect's Department for use as a library.[6]

Modern times

By the late 2010s the facility was again found inadequate and Nottingham City Council planned a £10m relocation as part of the redevelopment of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre when creating a new southside gateway to the city, close to the rail station. Closure of the Angel Row site on 20 March 2020 was part of the COVID-19 lockdown precautions,[7] followed by intended sale of the building for redevelopment.[8] The main content of books and documentary records were placed into storage until the new location, in a redevelopment-complex adjacent to the new Broadmarsh bus station, could be finished and fitted out. No firm opening date was available.[9][10][11] As of mid-2023, the City Council was anticipating opening later in the year, subject to adequate completion of surrounding works.[12]

Nottingham City Chief Librarians
  • John Potter Briscoe 1868 - 1916[13]
  • Walter Alwyn Briscoe 1916 - 1934
  • Duncan Gray 1934[14] - 1953
  • Francis Charles Tighe 1953[15] - 1964[16]

References
  1. "Opening of the Nottingham Free Library". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 17 April 1868. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. "The Artizan's Library at Nottingham". Leeds Mercury. England. 17 July 1824. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Nottingham Central Library". Nottingham Journal. England. 26 October 1932. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Official and Personal. Vol. 31. The Municipal Journal. 1922. p. 782.
  5. "City Bans 'Noddy' from Libraries". Coventry Evening Telegraph. England. 6 February 1964. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Harwood, Elain (1979). Pevsner Architectural Guides. Nottinghamshire. Yale University Press. p. 87. ISBN 0140710027.
  7. Why is the Nottingham Central Library on Angel Row not reopening? Nottingham City Council. Retrieved 5 January 2023
  8. "Nottingham library £10m refit opening date question mark". BBC News. England. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  9. New Nottingham city centre library delayed again – until 2023 Notts TV, 12 July 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023
  10. Work starts on transforming Nottingham’s Central Library Nottingham City Council, 23 September 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023
  11. Overbury wins Nottingham library fit-out www.theconstructionindex.co.uk, 30 September 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023
  12. A New Chapter for Central Library Nottingham City Council, Retrieved 19 July 2023
  13. Best, Stephen (1998). "About chaps: Sneinton connections in 'Contemporary Biographies". Sneinton Magazine. 67.
  14. "New City Librarian of Nottingham". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 12 October 1934. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Nottm,'s New Chief Librarian". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 16 December 1952. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Mr. F.C. Tighe". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 28 July 1964. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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