[guide.chat] Brand new central library in Manchester

From: "Carol O'Connor" <missbossyboots33@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "guide chat" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:10:33 +0100

Work is well under way in Central Library's vast reading room (Pictures: Mark 
Waugh) Work is well under way in Central Library's vast reading room (Pictures: 
Mark Waugh) 
Work is well under way in Central Library's vast reading room (Pictures: Mark 
Waugh) 1/5 Play Slideshow 
With just a year to go on a multi-million pound building project, this is how 
Manchester's Central Library looks behind the construction hoardings. The city 
centre landmark is a maze of scaffolding as its new look begins to take shape.
The Grade II-listed building is undergoing a £48m three-year construction 
project that will restore original features and open up more of it to the 
public than ever before. 
It is part of a £155m transformation of the city's civic core, including the 
neighbouring town hall extension and St Peter's Square.
Librarians are to begin moving back into the site in September next year and it 
is expected to re-open to the public, with a host of new features, in spring 
2014.
The M.E.N , when the floors had been torn out to allow work to begin.
Through a mesh of scaffolding, the revamp is now beginning to take shape. 
The floors have now been rebuilt and a bright and spacious ground floor, which 
was previously closed to the public, will house a cafe, performance space, film 
booths, archives, local history and a specialist search room where staff will 
help readers to access some of the library's most historic and valuable works 
which will be kept in climate-controlled underground treasures rooms. 
A glazed 'oculus', which is beginning to take shape in the ceiling, will allow 
visitors to look up through all floors of the library, designed by E Vincent 
Harris, to its famous dome.
On the first floor, the original reading room is being carefully recreated. 
Its marble effect columns are boarded up as work is done to return the echoey 
space, with the lending desk at its centre, to an area of quiet study, as 
originally intended when the library was opened by King George V in July 1934. 
Neil MacInnes, head of libraries for Manchester council, said: "The building's 
really beginning to take shape so having spent a long time on the taking and 
demolishing aspects we're now reinstating and creating the new ground floor and 
restoring the reading room to its former glory as it was in 1934. 
"The original furniture from the reading room is being restored on site and the 
original tables and chairs, designed by the architect, will be returned to the 
space for when we re-open."
The library will also become more accessible. Top-level engineering work has 
allowed part of the building to be carved out and new glass lifts and a 
staircase will be put in. Underground, the old Library Theatre has been torn 
out and an exhibition space will be created as well as storage for valuable 
works and reference materials. 
The library will spill into the town hall extension, where lending material 
will be available, through a connection underneath Library Walk. Designers are 
also waiting for permission for a glazed walkway to link the buildings at 
street level. 
At its peak, up to 450 construction workers and 100 designers and managers will 
be working on the Central Library project.
[guide.chat] Brand new central library in Manchester

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