Repair work starts at St. Anne's Library
Friday, May 25, 2018
Specialist repair work is underway at St Anne's Library to ensure the library is in good condition so it can continue to be used by the community.
As the library is more than 110 years old and Grade II listed, the very specific requirements for this Carnegie building are complex and work is expected to be completed in December. If this planned work is achieved by December, it is anticipated that the library should reopen in January 2019.
Specialist heritage surveyors were brought in to assess both the library building and also the foundations and inform the necessary repairs.
Areas where work is being carried out include the masonry windows, foundations to the 1930s extension, weather sealing, roof trusses and the cupola.
Every effort is being made to get these important works finished as soon as possible so that the library can be reopened safely to the public.
Measures will be put in place to keep residents informed regarding progress. In order to do this, regular updates will be provided on the county council website and on an information board installed on the fencing outside of the site.
County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: "I am delighted that contractors are now on site and starting work to repair our much treasured Carnegie library. The particular works required to a building of this age and nature are inevitably both time intensive and complex due to the very specific requirements relating to such premises.
"I know that residents are keen to be kept informed of progress, so hopefully the information board and the website will help to do this.
"We are sorry for the continued disruption, but I'd like to reassure everyone that it is our firm intention to be able to reopen the library as soon as we can."
The work to be completed includes:
• Site area secured to protect the building and erect scaffolding
• Carrying out structural repairs to the walls, windows and roof trusses
• Repairing the external drains
• Restoration of the roof cupola
• Weather sealing the building and waterproofing the flat roofs
• Renewing the plumbing and electrics
• Restoration to the inside of the building including the plaster work and painting
• Fitting out the new library layout and public network computers
• Re-stocking the books ready for when the library opens
A temporary library service, based in a mobile unit, is running in St. Anne's while repairs are ongoing to the main library building.
This vehicle is located at the Public Offices, 288 Clifton Drive South, in St. Anne's, and will remain at this location until the work at the library building has been completed.
Opening times for the library are:
Monday 9am to 5pm
Tuesday 9am to 5pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am to 5pm
Saturday 9am to 5pm
Opening hours have also been extended at Ansdell Library and Kirkham Library to cover the hours that St. Anne's would normally be open.
Also following the temporary closure of St. Anne's Library, a registration officer is currently based in the Adult Social Services office building on Hastings Place, Lytham.
This arrangement has been put in place because when the library unexpectedly closed, the nearest place for residents living in Fylde to access the registration service was Preston. It was recognised that travelling to Preston could be difficult and inconvenient for some people, so this temporary arrangement means that Fylde residents are able to access this service closer to where they live.
This is in addition to the registration services that are already provided across Lancashire and the main base which is located at Preston Registration Office on Bow Lane, Preston.
Anyone who lives in the UK can join a Lancashire library, either online or by visiting in person. Membership is free and there are no age restrictions.
For more information, go to www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries or call 0300 123 6703.
The Lancashire registration service records all the births and deaths in the county and performs over 3,800 marriages each year.
For more information call 0300 123 6705 or email registrarslancashire@lancashire.gov.uk
Alternatively visit www.lancashire.gov.uk and search for 'Register a birth, death or marriage'.
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Tagged as: Libraries and Archives