Editing Manchester Central Library (section)

==History==
===Background===
Manchester was the first local authority to provide a public lending and reference library after the passing of the [[Public Libraries Act 1850]]. The [[Manchester Free Library]] opened at Campfield in September 1852 at a ceremony attended by [[Charles Dickens]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library |title=Before Central Library: Campfield |website=Manchester City Council |access-date=20 November 2014}}</ref>
When the Campfield premises were declared to be unsafe in 1877, the library was moved to the old Town Hall in [[King Street, Manchester|King Street]]. The library moved again to what is now [[Piccadilly Gardens]], to the former outpatients wing of [[Manchester Royal Infirmary#New Infirmary|Manchester Royal Infirmary]] and an old [[YMCA]] hut in 1912.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library/2 |title=Before Central Library: King Street and Piccadilly|website=Manchester City Council|access-date=20 November 2014}}</ref>

In 1926 the city council held a competition to design an extension to the town hall and a central library. [[E. Vincent Harris]] was selected to design both buildings. His circular design for the library, reminiscent of the [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]] in Rome, was based on libraries in America. The library's foundation stone was laid on 6 May 1930 by the Prime Minister [[Ramsay MacDonald]].<ref name ="DandB" >{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library/3 |title=Designing and Building the Central Library|publisher=Manchester City Council|access-date=20 November 2014}}</ref> The Manchester City Architect [[G. Noel Hill]] was involved with the scheme.<ref name="manchestervictorianarchitects">{{cite web |url=https://manchestervictorianarchitects.org.uk/architects/george-noel-hill |title=George Noel Hill |work=A Biographical Dictionary of the Architects of Greater Manchester, 1800–1940 |first=Neil |last=Darlington |publisher=The Victorian Society |year=2024 |access-date=30 December 2024}}</ref> The library was officially opened by King [[George V]] on 17 July 1934 after he had laid the foundation stone for the [[Manchester Town Hall Extension|Town Hall Extension]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library/4 |title=The Opening of Central Library|website=Manchester City Council|access-date=20 November 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Manchester Central Library 2.jpg|thumb|Manchester Central Library at night]]
In 1934 the Blind Collection from Deansgate and the Commercial Library from the [[Royal Exchange, Manchester|Royal Exchange]] were moved to the library. The Chinese Library Service was set up in 1968.

===Opening===
The Central Library opened in 1934 to much fanfare. Singer-songwriter [[Ewan MacColl]] reminisced on the opening: "The new Central Library which replaced the chicken house was an imposing circular structure with an enormous reading room, a small theatre and carrels where serious students could carry on their research without interruption. The portico of the magnificent edifice quickly became a popular rendezvous and "Meet you at the Ref" became a familiar phrase on the lips of students, lovers and unemployed youths. I was there on the opening day and on many days thereafter; the Ref played an important part in my life for I made many friends there."<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Central Library|url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/1212/history_of_central_library/6|website=Manchester City Council|at=Famous Names|access-date=10 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404203009/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/1212/history_of_central_library/6|archive-date=4 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The library was declared open by King George V on 17 July 1934.<ref name="opening">{{Cite web |title=History of Central Library |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library/4 |website=Manchester City Council |access-date=10 November 2011|at=The Opening of Central Library}}</ref> George V declared to the crowd: "In the splendid building which I am about to open, the largest library in this country provided by a local authority, the Corporation have ensured for the inhabitants of the city magnificent opportunities for further education and for the pleasant use of leisure."<ref name="opening"/>

An employee at the library who was present on opening day said: "When it was being built the public were very intrigued about its final appearance – they were used to rectangular buildings and the shape of the girders used seemed to make little sense. I remember families coming in first to "gawp"...&nbsp;Under the portico became a favourite trysting place. In all, the shape of the building was its best advertisement and it was never necessary to put a notice 'Public Library' on the outside."<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Central Library |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4586/history_of_central_library/3|website=Manchester City Council|at=Designing and Building the Central Library}}</ref>

===Renovation===
Reports emerged in 2008 that the Central Library needed essential renovation to repair and modernise its facilities.<ref name="problems">{{Cite news |title=£150m to save Central Library |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1056149_150m_to_save_central_library |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=1 July 2008 |access-date=10 November 2011|last=Ottewell|first=David|publisher=M.E.N. Media}}</ref> The library faced [[asbestos]] problems and needed work to maintain its 'structural integrity'.<ref name="problems"/> The Central Library closed from 2010 to 2014 for refurbishment and expansion. During the closure its collections were stored in the [[Winsford Rock Salt Mine]]; some of the books in the stack joined collections at [[Greater Manchester County Record Office]]. A number of its services were available at a temporary location nearby.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4580/central_library_temporary_closure/2|title=Central Library Temporary Closure|website=Manchester City Council|at=A new temporary library|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925061441/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4580/central_library_temporary_closure/2|archive-date=25 September 2011}}</ref> During renovation, a temporary community library for the city centre was established on [[Deansgate]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4580/central_library_temporary_closure|title=Central Library Temporary Closure|website=Manchester City Council|access-date=30 April 2010|at=Important information about Central Library|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515210309/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library/4580/central_library_temporary_closure|archive-date=15 May 2010}}</ref> Central Library re-opened on 22 March 2014 after a £40&nbsp;million re-design.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ryder unveils Manchester Central Library revamp |last=Ravenscroft |first=Tom |url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/first-look/ryder-unveils-manchester-central-library-revamp/8660574.article |website=Architects' Journal |date=25 March 2014 |access-date=29 March 2014}}</ref> The project delivered by [[Laing O'Rourke]] won the ''[[Construction News]]'' Judges Supreme Award in June 2015. It was described as an almost impossibly complex project completed on schedule and within budget.<ref>{{cite web|title=Judges Supreme Award: Winner|url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/archive/judges-supreme-award-winner-30-06-2015/|access-date=1 July 2015|website=Construction News|date=30 June 2015}}</ref>

The indoor plan is now very different. What was the theatre in the basement is now part of the library. A wall was knocked through, making an indoor connection between the library and [[Manchester Town Hall]]. The Library Theatre Company moved to their new theatre at the [[HOME (Manchester)|HOME]] complex in May 2015.