MAJOR improvements to Partick Library have been given the go-ahead, including better provision for children and young people and a science, technology, engineering and mathematics teaching hub.
Glasgow Life, which operates the facility for Glasgow City Council, applied for listed building consent to refurbish and enhance the property in Dumbarton Road.
City planners have approved the work which includes creating a mezzanine gallery level, upgraded toilet provision, new reception desk, storage and training rooms, and new doors and floor finishes. A STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teaching hub for the city will be also created.
A statement submitted with the application stated: “To address a decline in visitor numbers, and to ensure its future, Glasgow Life has identified a need to make the building more attractive to a wider range of potential customers.
“The design intent is to retain and enhance the building’s best features, while providing improvements which are essential for securing the future of this unique and very attractive community and cultural asset.
“Having been last refurbished in the 1960s, the building suffers from outdated accommodation — items of note being poorly-defined spaces in large open plan halls, and very limited toilet accommodation — far less than necessary for a building of this scale.
“The most notable alteration is the new mezzanine, which has been inserted to provide additional space for book storage and study, and a children’s library more tailored to young people.”
It continued: “This building itself has well-defined architectural features and character. The proposals are designed to protect those features, whilst substantially improving the service delivery for the building users.
“Core library functions are retained, and enhanced, occupant capacity is increased, and building safety and security increased. The building will also become more accessible to all potential users.
“It is intended that building usage will increase, users being both local, and city wide – an item of note being that the STEM hub will be an asset for the City of Glasgow.”
