New chapter for historic city library after refurbishment

ONE of Hull’s oldest libraries will be officially relaunched on Saturday, 118 years to the day since it first opened its doors to the public.

Western Library, in Boulevard, the first in the city to be paid for by public funds, has just undergone a two-year, £800,000 refurbishment.

The work has seen the addition of a new staircase and extension, IT facilities, bespoke shelving and meeting rooms, but retains the original Victorian features, including the wooden counter and room divider.

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The opening of the library on January 26, 1895, marked the outcome of a successful 30-year campaign to establish free public libraries in Hull.

Designed by Hull architect Sir Alfred Gelder, the two-storey library was built out of simple red brick at a cost of £2,400 and featured a large public reading room, a ladies’ reading room, a reference library and a committee room.

A section was also designated for newspaper reading, although library campaigner Sir James Reckitt did not approve of much space being given to this.

Mike Hill, operations manager for Hull libraries, said he thought the old and the new sat well together.

“It really works well,” he said. “We couldn’t have asked for anything better - I think it’s a really good balance.”

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