The weather in Liverpool this summer has been dreadful, with our skies constantly under attack by the monotonous grey clouds. However, on any gloomy day, Liverpool’s Kensington Library never fails to brighten things up, even though the library deals with constant adversity.
A Historical Gem: Kensington Library’s Architectural Legacy
Kensington Library, designed by architect Thomas Shelmerdine in the late 19th century and constructed in 1890, expanded by 1897 and eventually earned its status as a Grade II listed building.
The interior design gives you the impression Shelmerdine used his creativity as a tool to help create an eye-catching place. The tall ceilings, high pillars and large windows that allow the library to use the natural light make the area inside more vibrant.
The Intimate Charm of a Small Library
Kensington Library is small and intimate, which some may view critically, assuming its size limits its capacity for books and internet-enabled computers. And indeed, they would be correct.
However, what Kensington Library lacks in size, it more than makes up for with a strong sense of community. It offers a peaceful alternative to larger, busier libraries—a slower pace that fosters conversation and friendships. The relaxed atmosphere allows its users to communicate with each other easily, have great conversations on different areas of interest and hear more opinions from other perspectives.
Much like Toxteth, Kensington is a culturally and racially diverse part of Liverpool. This diversity is reflected in the library’s patrons, who come from all corners of the globe. For the curious, the library provides a unique opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of life in countries they may never visit.
Challenges Facing Kensington Library
Depending on how well public buildings are taken care of over the years determines those buildings’ future. If public buildings continuously receive a lack of care, their future will become bleak, and Kensington Library could be used as an example to reinforce that notion. As the years have gone by, Kensington Library’s building has deteriorated.
If you visit other libraries close by, such as those in the Old Swan and Toxteth areas, they are both in better condition. While it seems Kensington Library has been pushed aside into obscurity by the powers above.
During the colder months, dampness becomes a persistent issue at Kensington Library. While sufficient heating could help, the current heaters are too small to be effective. Additionally, regular leaks from the roof exacerbate the problem.
To make the place more inhabitable for everyone, I have noticed librarians at Kensington Library having to pull their sleeves up and clean the library. Commendable, as I am sure it is not in their job description.
The public cannot rely solely on the librarians as they can only do so much. Other avenues, like funding opportunities, could help improve the library’s surroundings.
The Importance of Community Engagement
One could argue there seems to be a lack of attention given to the potential Kensington Library actually has as a productive space for the community. If you look up library events for Kensington Library on the official Liverpool Council’s website, there are none.
Other libraries, in particular, Old Swan Library, which is not too far from Kensington and is arguably smaller than Kensington Library, Old Swan Library still has events inside their library for the public, such as Jigsaw Swap Shop and Story Time for children every week.
Yes, Kensington Library has the One Stop Shop on its premises, a shop the public uses for advice on issues with housing, Council Tax, and more, albeit many of Liverpool City Council’s libraries offer the One Stop Shop on their premises. Kensington Library does not have that special something each week inside its premises to help differentiate itself from all the other libraries in the local area, and this is a great shame.
The local community could do more to secure Kensington Library’s longevity. For example, with Liverpool Council’s permission, Kensington Library’s users could create events at the library to help effectively serve the community, similar to what other libraries do across Liverpool.
With austerity ever so common, how can libraries survive during this uncertain climate? Steve Jones, the manager of Kensington Library with 37 years of experience working as a librarian in the public and prison sectors, believes: “In the future, the number of libraries will be reduced, and future service will have a variety of different services inside libraries available to the public to justify keeping libraries open.”
Steve does have a point. How we define a library will change over the years. A library is no longer just a place for books, periodicals, study space, computers, etc, as evidenced by libraries in Liverpool having events and the One Stop Shop inside their libraries.
Steve reassures me there will be ongoing computer classes and story time sessions for younger children. So, these planned future events at Kensington Library show they are not ready to throw the towel in. The library should have a constant flow of events to serve the public of all ages, not events that may occur sporadically.
The Future of Libraries: A Changing Landscape
To keep up with the times, libraries must expand and throw other elements into the mix. Starting with more computers with internet access inside small libraries like Kensington Library because now media convergence is so relevant in modern times, more computers with internet access would have a positive effect on the local community as they can use them to do online courses, read digital books, listen to online radio, partake in online interest groups and more.
Lessons from Spellow Library
Spellow Library in the Walton area of Liverpool, labelled “the first of its kind in the north of England,” is a library that could be used as an example to illustrate what libraries may evolve into in the future. However, the recent social unrest, which led to Spellow Library being torched by rioters, resulted in the library’s closure until further notice.
While Spellow Library is closed, vital services the library usually provides to those who are on low incomes, such as classes for the unemployed to help them gain employment and weekly food banks, are services that, for now, are unfortunately on a definite hiatus due to recent events. Therefore, with these vital services temporarily withdrawn from the area, those from a poor background will ultimately suffer the most because vital free services people depend on to assist with improving their lives are unavailable for the foreseeable future.
This awful incident is a heavy blow for the local community because Spellow Library is more than just a standard “library.” It is known as a revolutionary library that breaks down common stereotypes associated with an actual library.
However, Liverpool resident Alex McCormick set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds to fix the library, buy new books, etc. And, with over £250,000 raised, this shows how generous members of the public are all in agreement on the need to have a library like Spellow Library quickly restored in the community; their support has been incredible. With such a large amount of money raised already, hopefully Spellow Library will be open again to the public sooner rather than later.
If all goes well, Kensington Library will endure for many years to come. By integrating diverse services, much like Spellow Library did before the unrest, Kensington Library can secure its place as a vital community hub.
Andrew Dickinson
