Library of Birmingham

The Library of Birmingham stands in Centenary Square, beside the Birmingham Rep theatre and Baskerville House. It replaced the old Central Library in 2013 and is now the largest public library in the United Kingdom. The building cost £188.8 million and was designed by Dutch firm Mecanoo with engineers Buro Happold. More than two million people visited in its first year, making it one of the country’s top attractions. The library connects directly to the Rep, sharing some facilities between the two. Before construction began, archaeologists worked on the site between the Rep and Baskerville House. The library holds nationally important collections, including the Boulton and Watt archives and the Shakespeare Memorial Room. This room, designed in 1882, once housed the first Central Library’s Shakespeare collection. After being moved twice, it now sits on the top floor with Britain’s most significant Shakespeare holdings. Among its 43,000 books are rare copies such as the First Folio of 1623 and early play editions printed before 1709. The library also features the Charles Parker Archive and the Parker children’s book collection. These archives attract researchers and visitors interested in local and social history. Inside, visitors find a light-filled atrium with multiple floors of books and study spaces. The building uses ground-source cooling from aquifers beneath the city. A grand reading room overlooks Centenary Square through large windows. The Shakespeare Memorial Room offers a quiet space for rare book study. Outside, the library’s glass façade reflects the surrounding square and Rep theatre. Nearby, the old Central Library site is being redeveloped as part of Paradise Circus.