Nottingham Central Library
| Nottingham Central Library | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nottingham Central Library building on Angel Row | |
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| 52°57′14″N 1°09′10″W / 52.953893°N 1.152845°W | |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Type | Public lending library |
| Established | April 13, 1868 |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
Nottingham Central Library is the main public lending library in Nottingham, England.
History
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 building on Thurland Street later became the Nottingham Corn Exchange.
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 Thomas Wallis Gordon.
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.[4]
In 1977[5] 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.
By the late 2010s was again found inadequate and Nottingham City Council planned a £10m relocation as part of the redevelopment of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre.[6]
Nottingham City Chief Librarians
- John Potter Briscoe 1868 - 1916[7]
- Walter Alwyn Briscoe 1916 - 1934
- Duncan Gray 1934[8] - 1953
- Francis Charles Tighe 1953[9] - 1964[10]
References
- ^ "Opening of the Nottingham Free Library". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 17 April 1868. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The Artizan's Library at Nottingham". Leeds Mercury. England. 17 July 1824. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Nottingham Central Library". Nottingham Journal. England. 26 October 1932. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "City Bans 'Noddy' from Libraries". Coventry Evening Telegraph. England. 6 February 1964. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Harwood, Elain (1979). Pevsner Architectural Guides. Nottinghamshire. Yale University Press. p. 87. ISBN 0140710027.
- ^ "Nottingham library £10m refit opening date question mark". BBC News. England. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Best, Stephen (1998). "About chaps: Sneinton connections in 'Contemporary Biographies". Sneinton Magazine. 67.
- ^ "New City Librarian of Nottingham". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 12 October 1934. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Nottm,'s New Chief Librarian". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 16 December 1952. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Mr. F.C. Tighe". Birmingham Daily Post. England. 28 July 1964. Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
Places of interest in Nottingham | ||
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