Staff at Darlington Library are getting read to open its doors again
The historic building has undergone a £3.7 million renovation
Staff are getting ready to throw open the doors and welcome you back to Darlington Library following an ambitious multi-million pound project to restore its historic building.
A total of £3.7m has been invested in the Grade II listed building in Crown Street, with work carefully balanced to restore its historical features while updating and modernising its facilities, to create a perfect blend of old and new.
Arts Council England awarded funding of £225,000 which has significantly contributed to the refurbishment of three key areas – the Reminiscence Room, the Hoskins Room and The Hive – and funded improvements to the library’s digital offer. Another £30,000 was also secured through the LibrayOn grants programme to support improvements to support digital discoverability including improvements to the library website.
The finishing touches are now being applied ready for a series of special events to celebrate its reopening to the public at noon on Saturday 9 September.
Councillor Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: “This marks an exciting new chapter for Darlington Library.
“Our dedicated staff, both within the library and other teams, have worked closely with contactors to ensure the sympathetic restoration of key heritage features while at the same time upgrading and modernising facilities to 21st century standards.
“The result is a majestic space with light flooding in through the glass laylights in the roof, while feature lighting has been incorporated to create a warm and inviting ambiance. Our fabulous children’s library has an enchanted woodland theme to capture the imagination of both children and adults alike, and features stunning artwork from Charlie Mackesy’s beloved book ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’.
“The Hive offers a modern, vibrant area for people to meet and collaborate, while The Study is the perfect place to work in comfort either on your own or as a group, while the Centre for Local Studies offers a host of resources and expert knowledge and the Crown Street Art Gallery offers the chance to view works from the Borough Collection as well as other artists.
“The library really is so much more than just books and our staff can’t wait to welcome you into your new look library so do come along and explore.”
The Mayor of Darlington Councillor Jan Cossins added: "This was a place I visited many times, especially as a child with my mother and siblings. I've been with my own children and until it closed for refurbishment, my grandchildren and I’m really excited to see the improvements and changes that have been made.
“It's amazing to think about how many generations of our Darlington families have used this library since it opened in 1885, and now, many more generations will have that same wonder and enjoyment for years to come."
Built in 1885 and originally known as the Edward Pease Free Library, the building was extended in 1933. The entrance at the corner of East Street leads into an ornate vestibule and the restoration has aimed to reinstate this area to near its original design, with the help of the discovery of a photograph dated 1927.
Within this area both the philanthropist Edward Pease and the original architect GG Hoskins are also recognised and celebrated.
The main entrance on Crown Street and the lift entrance from Priestgate have also been improved, creating a warm and inviting walkway to lead visitors into a bright and welcoming space, including a ‘welcome pod’ visible from both entrances.
A series of special events and activities will be held in the two weeks after the opening, on Saturday 9 September, to give as many people as possible a chance to view the library and all it has to offer.
To find out more about the range of resources at the library and for details of events/activities log onto the website at www.darlington.gov.uk/library or download the Darlington Library App.
You can also find them on Facebook @DarlingtonLibraries or on Twitter @DarlLibs
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