10 February 2010
Major redesign transforms Guildhall and City Business
Libraries
The City Business Library, the UK’s major public library for
business information, and Guildhall Library, which houses an
internationally important collection on the history of London, will
reopen at 9.30am on Monday 15 February, following a major £1.2
million redesign of Guildhall Library.
The Library, which is owned and run by the City of London
Corporation, has been transformed and modernised by
Clerkenwell-based architects, Bisset Adams, which previously
refurbished London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) for the City
Corporation.
The extensive redesign, which brings the two libraries together,
is the first major refurbishment of the Guildhall premises since
the 1970s and includes extra computer workstations; a training
room; a new dedicated entrance off Aldermanbury; a new colour
scheme; and new access facilities for wheelchair users.
Barry Cropper, Assistant Director, Libraries, says:
“The new-look Library is lighter, brighter and more
user-friendly than ever before and we are looking forward to
welcoming back library users, researchers, students and London’s
business community. I hope they will enjoy, and benefit from, the
changes that we’ve made over the last two years.
“Our library and archives services play an important role in
making the City an efficient, effective and enjoyable environment
in which to live, work and learn and, quite rightly, our users
demand excellent service and expect us to keep pace with changes in
service provision, and how business information can be made
available to them.”
The City of London Corporation owns and manages five public
libraries – Guildhall, City Business, Barbican, Camomile Street and
Shoe Lane - in the ‘Square Mile’ and London Metropolitan Archives
(LMA) in Clerkenwell.
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cbl
Ends
Notes for editors
About the City of London Corporation:
The City of London Corporation is a uniquely diverse organisation.
It supports and promotes the City as the world leader in
international finance and business services and provides local
services and policing for those working in, living in and visiting
the Square Mile. It also provides valued services to London and the
nation. These include the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School
of Music & Drama; the Guildhall Library and Art Gallery and
London Metropolitan Archive; a range of education provision
(including three City Academies); five Thames bridges (including
Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge); the Central Criminal Court
at Old Bailey; over 10,000 acres of open spaces (including
Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest), and three wholesale food
markets. It is also London’s Port Health Authority and runs the
Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow. It works in partnership with
neighbouring boroughs on the regeneration of surrounding areas and
the City Bridge Trust, which it oversees, donates more than £15m to
charity annually.
Press enquiries
Andrew Buckingham, Press Officer, City of London
Corporation
Tel: 020 7332 1452 / Mobile: 07795 333 060
Email:
andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk