New chapter as novel library takes shape

With its quirky windows and unusual shape it looks like something from the latest series of Grand Designs.

But this is not a modern new family home – it is in fact a new £2.2million Wolverhampton library set to house thousands of books as well as becoming home to a number of community groups.

Members of the public have just been given their first glimpse of the landmark building on the corner of Well Lane and Rookery Street in Wednesfield which it is hoped will be ready to open its doors to the public in May. Birmingham based G F Tomlinson Birmingham Ltd is expected to complete construction work next month.

Then the three organisations which will call the building home – Wednesfield Library, Wednesfield Community Association and Wednesfield and Fallings Park Local Neighbourhood Partnership offices – will begin to move in.

The new building will be almost twice as big as the current Wednesfield library and as well as books will also house computers. The glazed and red pine timber entrance, which houses a curved staircase to the upper level of the building, is now complete, as is most of the zinc and timber wall cladding and render work.

Water and power supplies have been connected and interior decoration is under way.

A specialist library interior design company is working with staff on the colour scheme and furnishings for the main part of the library, while the community association will decide the look of the hall and community lounge.

The city council received £1,497,297 from the Big Lottery Fund's Community Libraries programme towards the cost of the development.

Pat Jones, Wolverhampton City Council's project manager, said: "We are delighted with the progress of the new library and for the first time local residents have been able to get a good view of it, too.

"We have taken down the hoarding around the site to allow the external work like stone walling and landscaping to be carried out, meaning the new building can now be clearly seen by passers-by who are keen to know when it will be open.

"Its contemporary shape and irregular feature windows are also making it a real talking point with the locals."

Once the new library is open, the existing library on Church Street will close.