I love the building, we went to the 'family day' there on the 19th. But at least in the sections I was looking in, there didn't seem to be many actual _books_
I visited the other week and thought it looks good from the outside very impressive in many ways but agree that there are very few books and not enough study spaces. The staff counter desks are far too small and there are not enough terminals for staff to access their systems. Also the public toilets are accessed from the childrens space which must be a mistake given past experience with alcohol/drug abuse and Police call outs at the old building. It is also a lot smaller. The vision is Waterstones, but cutprice. They have had teething problems with the new building which is fair enough but their IT/Broadband links are apparently under specified which has caused significant problems. Of interest is that I understand that a clause in the gift of Passmore Edwards for the Listed Uxbridge Rd building means that it must always continue to provide Public Library services. The Planning S106 deal for the new library was negotiated by the previous Labour administration but this must mean real problems for the Tories who presumably were hoping for a sale of some sort, (winebar on the ground floor, flats above?) Although various ideas have been floated for linking the building to the adjoining market, craft/art stuff a la Camden Market. I wish the new Library all the best and am sure that any current problems will be sorted in time. My late wife, Julie worked for many years in the old building and would have enjoyed making the new one work for her readers.....
[...] 3, 2009 by chrisunderwood The new library at Westfield has had rave reviews, and is apparently running out of books it has been so popular. The building is indeed very [...]
[...] September the new Shepherd’s Bush Library opened its doors in the Westfield Centre and the first of several controversial planning decisions [...]
I love the building, we went to the 'family day' there on the 19th. But at least in the sections I was looking in, there didn't seem to be many actual _books_
ReplyDeleteI visited the other week and thought it looks good from the outside very impressive in many ways but agree that there are very few books and not enough study spaces. The staff counter desks are far too small and there are not enough terminals for staff to access their systems. Also the public toilets are accessed from the childrens space which must be a mistake given past experience with alcohol/drug abuse and Police call outs at the old building. It is also a lot smaller. The vision is Waterstones, but cutprice.
ReplyDeleteThey have had teething problems with the new building which is fair enough but their IT/Broadband links are apparently under specified which has caused significant problems.
Of interest is that I understand that a clause in the gift of Passmore Edwards for the Listed Uxbridge Rd building means that it must always continue to provide Public Library services. The Planning S106 deal for the new library was negotiated by the previous Labour administration but this must mean real problems for the Tories who presumably were hoping for a sale of some sort, (winebar on the ground floor, flats above?) Although various ideas have been floated for linking the building to the adjoining market, craft/art stuff a la Camden Market.
I wish the new Library all the best and am sure that any current problems will be sorted in time. My late wife, Julie worked for many years in the old building and would have enjoyed making the new one work for her readers.....
[...] 3, 2009 by chrisunderwood The new library at Westfield has had rave reviews, and is apparently running out of books it has been so popular. The building is indeed very [...]
ReplyDelete[...] September the new Shepherd’s Bush Library opened its doors in the Westfield Centre and the first of several controversial planning decisions [...]
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Camden Market has lots to offer every type of visitor, and it's what makes it one of the metropolitan's premier holiday spots.
ReplyDelete