Town centre improvements

The problem for me is that it's a fantastic building that looks good and as you say offers fantastic views but it just isn't a library. There's more books under my bed than there is in that entire building.

The top floor as you said has a lovely balcony but when I went the entire floor was closed off and I was told it was only available if you hired it out. That's all well and good but it's a quarter (I think) of the space that is unavailable to the vast majority of the Barnsley public.
Third floor had some computers in around the walls. All spaced out like it was getting ready for covid. Again nothing wrong with that but imo that should have been the use of the top floor.
Second floor I wasn't sure if I'd walked into a library or an art gallery. Empty shelves with just one or two books sideways on on the shelf. I half expected to see a little plaque underneath them telling you about the art on display.
Ground floor. What an absolute **** show. An actual bar in the library what is that all about? The plans initially called for a family friendly cafe but instead an adult bar is plonked in the library so loud you can't hear yourself think. I know they claim it's separate but it really isn't, there's no wall and it's open plan and it's just so wrong. Go over to the other side of the room (past yet more art installations) for a bit of peace and quiet and instead you get a ping pong table.

It's an amazing building and will be a fantastic community space to make the council some money as a dance studio, conference suite, bar etc but I think that has all been done at the expense of the one thing it claimed to be which is a library. I think it was totally deliberate too, the public wouldn't allow them to bulldoze the old library without building a new one so they built a community centre and called it a library hoping that nobody would notice or care.

 

The bar is separate and l think has absolutely nothing to do with the library (privately owned), the wall closes - l haven't seen it open for a while, possibly due to covid. Library's have to evolve otherwise the young uns wouldn't care, l think a lot of kids these days would say "is that all you can do in there, read? Am reyt dad..." l think they've done well to still make a library appealing for the xbox/social media generation.

 

It’s funny how people can have such different opinions isn’t it?

I’d say the building is a pretty reasonable example of a modern town centre ‘library’. Is it the British Library? No. Does it need to be? No. The building has to be useful in more ways and I’d say the council have managed a nice balance between library and community hub. If they have the facility to order in books then I think that’s pretty acceptable for those that want or need them.

As for the unit next door, as far as I’m aware it was always planned that it would be leased privately. I believe the initial desire was for the folding doors to be open during the lightbox opening hours with the idea that the operator would be able to provide refreshment services for the library without customers having to leave the library itself. However, the unit is far too large for just a cafe and was always labelled as a restaurant in the marketing material. Perhaps the council initially envisaged a coffee chain taking it - who knows. However, I’d hardly describe Lounges bars as raucous. I’ve been in Falco plenty of times and never find it loud. I’ve also been to plenty of their other locations and they’re all exactly the same. You can go in with dogs, they have board games available to play, serve ok food, and are fairly quiet and relaxed during the day. I’d say next to a community hub is a perfect location for that type of ‘bar’. Obviously it’s different in the evening, surely that’s to be expected?

 

I'm not sure that Doncaster is a good example of great town centre planning.

 

The Frenchgate improved it massively especially when they doubled it (or there about) in size. Making it more attractive to visit. Was my first choice of layout in South Yorkshire. Barnsley will take that mantle when it’s all done.
Barnsley is more central.
the glassworks incorporating the market.
Everything within the vicinity. Including the Alhambra. And Cinema complex.
Really looking forward to the completion. Then tackle the neglected parts. As they say Rome, wasn’t built in a day.

 

I don't think architects embrace the old buildings and can't wait to get rid of them. Leeds City Centre is a fine example of using the facia's of buildings with modern facilities behind them.

 

Each to their own I suppose. I think the old one had archetectural merit both inside and out, was a pleasant environment, and actually had some books in it - a prerequisite for a library in my view.

 

I ordered a book to be delivered to Central Library from Darfield, about August time. It took 2 weeks to turn up

 

I quite liked the Shambles St library, much better than the newest one. Only been in that once and have had no desire to return.

 

You say that but the only time I went in was with a 9 year old and it took him about two minutes to ask where the books were and why there was a pub in a library which to be honest is something that nobody can actually explain.

 

If you want books for a 9 yr old try the works.

Hope this explains.

Library @ the Lightbox – the state-of-the-art community hub and first brand new build of The Glass Works redevelopment of Barnsley town centre – will officially open its doors on Saturday 13 July.

The flagship facility –a key milestone of The Glass Works scheme and the cornerstone of the new town centre - will feature four floors and provide a range of digital services including cutting-edge virtual reality, a training suite complete with a 65-inch interactive touch screen, tablet computers and a range of innovative technology.

The fully accessible, modern building will also include a sanctuary room for people with autism and will play host to a Music and Memories Group supported by the Alzheimer’s Society, designed for people living with dementia and their carers.

Those sorts of organisations will be commonplace in the Lightbox – and community groups are encouraged to make use of the space the building will offer.

Meanwhile, the library’s events space will act as a multi-purpose venue able to hold large events, workshops and activities, while its rooftop terrace will offer fantastic views of the town centre as the regeneration edges towards completion.

Visitors will also have access to a range of health and wellbeing services including support for parents and counselling, as well as drop-in sessions with midwives and health visitors.

Library users will also benefit from self-service access out of hours and on Sundays - which will make the Lightbox even more accessible.

Books will still be an integral part of the diverse offer – with members able to borrow a selection of books from multiple genres. By incorporating digital technology, interactive story times with innovative software will bring stories to life through images, lights and sounds, and will help to develop speech, language and reading.

The traditional library offer will remain a key feature of the Lightbox, with users able to access computers and Wi-Fi as well as printing and photocopying facilities.

Lounges café, bar and restaurant – adjacent to the library - will provide a new food and drink destination in the heart of the town centre.

Cllr Jenny Platts, spokesperson for Communities, said: “It’s fantastic news to announce the opening date of Barnsley’s new flagship Library @ The Lightbox.

“This modern and adaptable facility will be a welcoming hub for everyone to enjoy and will inspire families, individuals, community groups and the next generation to learn, discover and explore.

“The Library @ the Lightbox leads the council’s programme to provide better quality libraries across the borough, which meet the needs and expectations of today’s library users. It's particularly exciting as we want to encourage more people to make the most of their local library.”

 

Oh I know all that. The point still stands though that essentially they've built a community centre and called it a library. They can call it what they want but it isn't a library, it's got hardly any books in it which means that it is a complete failure of its primary requirement.

You can't encourage kids to pick up books if the town doesn't have any in its library and I know you were joking a little but it is a bit embarrassing that there genuinely are more books in the works than in a 4 story library that serves a town of a quarter of a million people.


The best thing they could do would be to admit that the lightbox wasn't designed as a library, use it as the community space they intended it as behind closed doors and build an actual library elsewhere.

 

But technology is the way. The library probably has more books accessible than ever. None of this waiting while the hardback comes back in. 3 weeks late. Fines being paid. Or are you looking at nostalgia mate. It’s a library amongst other uses. but brought into the 21st century.

 

Not really looking at nostalgia, more that in my experience when we're all trying to discourage the kids from picking up their devices it's self defeating to force them to pick them up just to read something.
Then there's the fact that if we are accepting that the books are all online why the need for a building at all?

 

Whether you like it or not it’s a library. With more activities added. Read the explanation. Pedant springs to mind. You wanted an explanation. Don’t accept. that’s fine.

 

It's called an opinion Hooky Fella. I'm not trying to tell you you're wrong, I'm. It arguing semantics or saying that it isn't a library. I'm saying that in my opinion it's a lovely building and a great community space but a complete failure as an actual library.

 

In your opinion I get it.

 

Nail on the head, good find that.

 

One of the best views of the development, l don't know if this link will work but if you position yourself at the speed camera side at the top of Harborough Hills and look towards the development its from 2020, move over to the other side of the road and its 2015 - still with the TEC building standing

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.553...4!1sLjJDgYPFGyJrL9QUWyiFSQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656