Birmingham Central Library

Birmingham Central Library was the main public library in England from 1974 until 2013. It replaced an older library that opened in 1865 and was rebuilt in 1882. For a time, it was the largest library in Europe that wasn't part of a national collection. The building was designed by architect John Madin in a bold style called brutalist, using lots of concrete and strong shapes.

The library closed its doors on June 29, 2013, and was replaced by the new Library of Birmingham. After it closed, the building was taken down in 2016 as part of plans to rebuild the area known as Paradise Circus. Even though not all of the original plans could be finished, the library became famous for its interesting design and was praised as a symbol of progress.

During 2010–11, the Central Library was very popular, with over one million visitors making it the second-most visited library in the country.

Earlier libraries

The first Central Library was built south of Edmund Street and west of the Town Hall. The land was bought from the Birmingham and Midland Institute in 1860. After a vote, the city decided to create a public library, and work began on building it.

The library was designed by Martin & Chamberlain and opened in 1865. A fire in 1879 caused a lot of damage, but the library was rebuilt and reopened in 1882. Later, as more books arrived, plans were made for an even bigger library, though World War II delayed these plans. The old library was eventually torn down, and a new one was built in the 1970s on a different site.

Architecture

The new Central Library opened on January 12, 1974. It was designed by John Madin, an architect from Birmingham. The library had a special shape called an inverted ziggurat, which was part of the Brutalist style of building. With the Rotunda and the Alpha Tower, it became one of Birmingham's important Modernist buildings.

The library had two main parts: a lending library for borrowing books and a reference library for reading and researching. The lending library had three floors and faced the Town Hall. The reference library was eight stories tall and had an open space in the middle. The design was inspired by drawings and buildings from other famous architects. The library had large windows to let in light but also to keep noise out. The area below the library was planned to be a civic square with gardens and fountains.

The building was supported by strong concrete columns and had special concrete finishes. When it opened, the Central Library had about 900,000 books and was the largest non-national library in Europe at the time. It was built to last and be easy to maintain.

Later, the plans for the area around the library changed. New buildings were added, and parts of the original design were altered. Over time, the library's appearance was criticized, especially because the cladding panels got stained. In 2011, the building was added to a list of important buildings at risk.

Closure and demolition

Main article: Library of Birmingham

The city of Birmingham, England, planned to move its main library services to a new building so the old one could be redeveloped. In 2013, the new Library of Birmingham opened, and the old library closed on June 29, 2013. After closing, the old building was taken down in stages. By August 2016, most of the old library was demolished to make way for new development.

Campaigns to save the building

Many groups wanted to save the Birmingham Central Library from being torn down. Organizations like the Friends of Central Library, the Twentieth Century Society, English Heritage, and the World Monuments Fund all supported keeping the building.

Even though some tried to protect it, the building was eventually closed in 2013 and torn down in 2016. Some people believed the library was important because of its unique style and history, but others thought it should be replaced with new buildings.