Central library closure

[bungleboy69]

Sheffield needs a five star hotel. When people who are on business or are travelling and are used to high standards and luxury, they struggle to get anything really nice in our city and will often stay elsewhere.

 

As long as this hotel deal is negotiated properly with potential developers and we retain all the stock and current library facilities in an appropriately located, accessible, fit for purpose quality building, then its a good thing, the city centre is heading in the right direction - lets build on that..

 

Sheffield, a city on the move...

[Hogg]

I have absolutely zero faith of this council finding anywhere suitable for a new library . also I thought Mr graves gifted this building to the people of Sheffield , not to the council to sell to the highest bidder

 

Central Library belongs to the people of Sheffield, not to the Council, to sell, willy nilly. Mr. Graves has left this to us as his legacy. It may not be perfect, but it is our only City Centre Library. I am very wary about what might be offered instead. I am totally supportive of Chinese investment in the City and very much welcome the Chinese presence (both of students and investors) and their much valued input into Sheffield, but don't let us be silly. Do we want to be a city of ignoramuses who cannot support one City Library?

[ECCOnoob]

Central Library belongs to the people of Sheffield, not to the Council, to sell, willy nilly. Mr. Graves has left this to us as his legacy. It may not be perfect, but it is our only City Centre Library. I am very wary about what might be offered instead. I am totally supportive of Chinese investment in the City and very much welcome the Chinese presence (both of students and investors) and their much valued input into Sheffield, but don't let us be silly. Do we want to be a city of ignoramuses who cannot support one City Library?

 

The "people" are not using it enough. The facility is not up to standards expected.

 

Its not about supporting a city library service. Its about why it HAS to be in that SPECIFIC building.

 

Cities close down and re-open library buildings all the time. They do it with Leisure Centres, Community Halls, Civic Offices and Support Facilities all the time. Its called evolving and updating.

 

PS: Did Graves leave the legacy of the central library to the "people". Work started on it being built in 1929 - Graves might have chucked in money to set up ONE of his several citywide galleries on the top floor but its hardly the same as controlling the whole building or its future is it?

 

How many times is the legacy of Graves going to be used as some block against anything and everything the council try and develop or sell off.

Edited November 22, 2016 by ECCOnoob

[samssong]

Little China or Sheffkong will soon be an appropriate name for this City , A city that is selling its soul to a Country that pretends to be a socialist society but is in fact the biggest capitalist state on Earth.

Vast areas of OUR City are being sold off to the highest bidder (including the Moor) and this by a Council that pretends it represents the poorer people who vote for them time after time .

The crown jewels are being given away and to quote a quote . When they have gone they have gone.

[ECCOnoob]

Thank god it is becuase nobody else seems to want to invest in this backward thinking rose tinted place.

 

They are more than welcome to keep doing it.

[Hogg]

The "people" are not using it enough. The facility is not up to standards expected.

 

Its not about supporting a city library service. Its about why it HAS to be in that SPECIFIC building.

 

Cities close down and re-open library buildings all the time. They do it with Leisure Centres, Community Halls, Civic Offices and Support Facilities all the time. Its called evolving and updating.

 

PS: Did Graves leave the legacy of the central library to the "people". Work started on it being built in 1929 - gaves might have chucked in money to set up ONE of his several citywide galleries on the top floor but its hardly the same as controlling the whole building nor its future is it?

 

How many times is the legacy of Graves going to be used as some block against anything and everything the council date to try and develop or sell off.

 

The facility is fine and well used by the people of Sheffield. I use it myself on a weekly basis, as do many of my friends. You may not like Mr. Graves or his legacy, but many library users are grateful for it.

[WestTinsley]

The "people" are not using it enough. The facility is not up to standards expected.

 

Its not about supporting a city library service. Its about why it HAS to be in that SPECIFIC building.

 

Cities close down and re-open library buildings all the time. They do it with Leisure Centres, Community Halls, Civic Offices and Support Facilities all the time. Its called evolving and updating.

 

PS: Did Graves leave the legacy of the central library to the "people". Work started on it being built in 1929 - gaves might have chucked in money to set up ONE of his several citywide galleries on the top floor but its hardly the same as controlling the whole building nor its future is it?

 

How many times is the legacy of Graves going to be used as some block against anything and everything the council date to try and develop or sell off.

It's an historic public building .. why are you so giddy about turning into a 5star hotel anyhow?!.. they can build those anywhere..

[ECCOnoob]

The facility is fine and well used by the people of Sheffield. I use it myself on a weekly basis, as do many of my friends. You may not like Mr. Graves or his legacy, but many library users are grateful for it.

 

15% drop in users in 2015

6.5% drop in users in 2016.

 

21% less useage in just 2 years.

 

You might use it on a weekly basis but why would the new library building stop that?

 

I ask again, why does it have to be in THAT building.

 

---------- Post added 22-11-2016 at 22:28 ----------

 

It's an historic public building .. why are you so giddy about turning into a 5star hotel anyhow?!.. they can build those anywhere..

 

Because a private investor will be responsible for putting up the money for the vast expense required to bring the building up to modern standards. It means that the building will still stand there looking pretty which seemingly as the main thing people are so concerned about.

 

I would rather have that than dwindling local council monies being used for little or no purpose which will lead to continuing drop in useage, ever increasing repair bills and eventual complete closure. As someone else has said, people are already screaming about the Old Town Hall sitting there decaying with no sign of investors wishing to buy it. Do people want another one of those?

Edited November 22, 2016 by ECCOnoob

[Anna B]

Nooooooo.... they can't shut the Central Library!

 

This is a beautiful, purpose built Library that does Sheffield proud. It represents the ideal of a public space for the learning and enlightenment of all the people. It's actually several Libraries in one place, and continues 2 storeys underground with the 'stack' for the storage of books and precious documents. Please, please don't close it. That would be the act of philistines.

 

If it's not used as much as it was, then rebrand it, use some imagination to extend its purpose and attraction, modernise it for the information age. Add a public space for meetings and debate maybe. Get the word out about all the extra things it has, like the Inventors club and the writing group. Let's become a city of light and learning with this at its heart.

 

If they turn it into a hotel it will probably eventually end up empty like the Grosvenor hotel they've just pulled down, or empty like the old town hall. Sheffield's already lost most of its beautiful buildings and its history.

 

Why don't our councillors realise what they've got and treasure it.

[richard1976]

Why not turn the old crown court building into a hotel instead!!