Residents in Nottingham will be able to experience the fantastic new Central Library soon, when it opens at the heart of the Broad Marsh regeneration area on Tuesday 28 November 2023.
The library, which is part of the new Broad Marsh Car Park and Bus Station complex, puts children, young people and learning at the heart of its design, with a high-quality children’s section, immersive storytelling room, extensive book collection and comfortable areas to sit and read.
Spread over three floors with full accessibility via lifts, the library also includes:
- Feature-book walls and shelving to display a large collection of titles
- Free Wi-Fi and free access to computers, laptops and tablets
- A café and ground floor reception area which can be converted into a performance space
- Specialist and rare collections room for local study material
- Learning lab for special activities and school class visits
- Meeting rooms
- Exhibition space
- Creative design areas
- Business Intellectual Property Centre for the city.
The new Central Library is a key element in the regeneration of Broad Marsh, which has already seen major transformation including new people-friendly, green public space created on Sussex Street next to Nottingham College.
Outside the new Central Library building on the old Collin Street, work is nearing completion on a new child friendly play space while nearby, the wildlife-rich Green Heart will soon begin to take shape.
Nottingham City Council worked with interior fit out and refurbishment specialists Overbury and consultancy firm Pick Everard, acclaimed architects FaulknerBrowns, M&E consultancy Chord, and Morgan Sindall Construction to transform the Central Library building.
Along side the new Central Library, work is also progressing to complete a new Library for Sherwood that will also look to open early in 2024.
Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture & Planning at Nottingham City Council, said: “I am delighted that we will be opening the doors of the new Central Library in just a few short weeks. It is looking fantastic, and we can’t wait for people to visit and make use of the modern facility.
“The new Central library includes a fantastic children’s library and some great features such as an immersive storytelling room using the latest audio-visual technology to help bring books alive. It will help to bring people into the area and with the wider regeneration work, these pedestrianised streets will give people a place to visit and enjoy, with the library and its cafe at the heart of this.”
Hannah Trevarthen, Director of Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, said: “The vision of the city’s New Central library was a key part of our action plan for the designation as a UNESCO City of Literature. We are delighted that soon Nottingham’s communities will be welcomed into a world class, inspirational space open to all ages and participate in a range of activities that reflect the needs of library customers in the 21st century.
“We are pleased that the library will also be home to the City of Literature team and we look forward to this next stage of our story as an organisation.”
Andrew Wood, Managing Director at Overbury, said: “The new Central Library has been designed and fitted out to a high specification and takes into account the evolving use of public spaces, with community-based facilities that can be used for a variety of educational, learning, creative and business activities.
“Overbury is proud to be a part of this project, which has been delivered with social value in mind and continues our strong working relationship with Nottingham City Council and wider project partners. We look forward to the library’s opening and its facilities being enjoyed by generations to come.”
General activities on offer at the Central Library
The library will offer a range of regular activities including sessions with Read Easy organisation supporting adult Literacy, Knit and Natter groups, Work Clubs, Messy Play, Tots Times, Conversation Café, Gaming Day for young people, Local Studies Group, Family History and Local History Consultations, and Business & IP Centre workshops to support small and start-up businesses.