Redbridge Central Library
London Borough of Redbridge
Shortlisted 2013 Bookseller Library of the Year Awards
School Library Design Case Study:
Redbridge Central Library, located just off the main pedestrian precinct in the town, was opened as a purpose-built library in 1986. The project presented many challenges as the building, spread across 4 floors, encompassed Redbridge’s largest and busiest lending libraries for adults and children, a dedicated reference library, local studies and archives centre, the Redbridge Museum, the schools’ library service and public meeting rooms. Having originally been established to address refurbishment of the ground floor and part of the first floor, the scope of the project expanded to include all of the first floor plus improvements to the second floor, a welcoming café in the foyer and an update of the building’s directional signage.
Opening the Book was contracted to deliver an interior design which made the space lighter and brighter, implemented a successful transition from staff-led counter service to self-service via RFID and improved the customer experience for over 500,000 people visiting the library each year.
A key part of the brief for the children’s area was to make it flexible enough to accommodate the well-attended programme of events. Mobile shelving can be moved aside to create large areas for temporary seating. An interactive digital forest projection was installed – as children approach coloured lights dance across the screen and follow the child’s movements.
Opening the Book training supported library staff in the shift from being stationed behind large enquiries desks to being out on the floor assisting customers where they need it. One counter spans the transition between children’s and adults on the ground floor and there are walk-to staff points in other areas. Staff also received training in how to merchandise the shelves using the new Opening the Book acrylics to aid display.
Opening the Book brought a fresh eye to this tired building and planned a layout which brought attention back to impressive original features such as the stained glass window and original globe lighting. The colour scheme and flooring design enhance the feeling of space and light. The shelving layout achieves capacity without blocking any windows and makes the most of the popular original wooden benching built in front of the windows on the ground floor.
Another success of the project has been the space planning which looked at which areas of the library were underused and where there was pressure on capacity. The new design spreads books and PCs across three floors meaning that, for example, the first floor, which rarely had visitors, is now attracting its proper share of footfall.
Opening the Book worked with museum staff to integrate objects from their collection directly onto shelves with appropriate stock.
Our hand-held camera tours you round the reader-friendly layout at Redbridge Central Library.
Walk in from the main entrance to the fiction display wall, then enjoy the views from the atrium. You can see the shapes of the shelving from above, drop in on the teen section and then experience how the curved shelving and desking sweeps you into the space with new views at every turn. On the way you might spot the hidden museum - display cases integrated into the shelving showcase relevant objects from Ilford's past adjacent to the appropriate books. There's a ticket machine in transport, a cocoa tin in cookery .. Back at the entrance, take a different route into the children's library, with a great under-5s area and an enchanted forest for digital projection, films and special events.
For me, the quality of your product and how well it displays the book is a million miles ahead of anything else we've seen. The wider consultancy, merchandising and understanding of the book as a product again sets Opening the Book apart from the others.
The first new library built in the County for 20 years meant expectations were high at Thame for the library service and politicians as well as the local community.
Opening the Book and Broadstock Office Furniture are working together on a 3-year project to transform Boots Library.
The new Library and Customer Service Centre at Risca is built as a modern extension behind the restored façade of the old Palace Cinema which had been derelict for many years.
Opening the Book was first appointed by Mace to work with the architects, structural engineers, project managers, landscape architects, mechanical and electrical designers at Stages A-E of the planned new building.
Transforming the old chapel in a 19th century school into a contemporary, practical library was an exciting challenge for our design team this summer.
Werneth School in Stockport has been in the fortunate position of being completely relocated into a new purpose-built home on the same site. As part of this, Opening the Book was invited to put forward a design for the new library.
Opening the Book first visited St Mary’s Church, Lichfield, in 2016 to consider the feasibility of the library being part of a larger refurbishment project.
This was a first for Opening the Book and gave us an opportunity to explore how we could bring the same aesthetic of integrating books and play that we bring to our public library projects into a very challenging, much more compact environment.
At Gateshead, Opening the Book created a successful MakerPlace in their existing Sound Gallery.
Opening the Book refurbished Gateshead Central Lending Library, including children’s and young adult areas, in 2009 so we were delighted to return to complete the work with a transformation of the computer and reference areas into the new Gateshead Archive.
Opening the Book refurbished Gateshead Central Lending Library, including children’s and young adult areas, in 2009 so we were delighted to return to complete the work with a transformation of the computer and reference areas into the new Gateshead Archive.
Opening the Book was excited to work with Doncaster MBC in creating the new Danum centre, bringing together the Central Library, the Museum and the Art Gallery to one site.