The Press THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1971. The Public Library

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32564, 25 March 1971, Page 10

The Press THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1971. The Public Library

Many users of the Christchurch Public Library in its attractive setting on the bank of the Avon will be disappointed by the prospect of the library’s moving to Manchester Street within a few years. Others, especially elderly people who use public transport, and “casual” borrowers will find a Manchester Street library more convenient. The advantages of the proposed site are that the land is already owned by the City Council and that it will be available before long, probably soon after the new Town Hall is finished. Other river-bank positions have been considered for the library: a position in Cathedral Square would be even better. But there is no guarantee that any of these sites will be for sale soon, or that the ratepayers would be happy to meet the high cost.

The Post Office has made it clear that the present library’ site will be needed for its new postal centre before long if facilities for handling mail are to keep pace with the demand. The City Council, wisely, has decided not to include the library in the civic centre, where it would be less conveniently sited in relation to bus services. Almost by default, the Manchester Street site has emerged as the best available. The library’s need for room to expand is urgent; within a few years the present buildings will be hopelessly inadequate. The Civic Theatre site is not ideal. Surveys have shown that most of those who use the library do so in the course of other activities in the centre of the city. But whether or not a motorist makes a trip “to town” specifically to use the library, he will find it increasingly difficult to obtain parking in the Manchester Street area. The present City Council parking building is already being used almost to capacity; by the time a new library is finished the covered swimming pool and inner city development will have added to traffic congestion. Parking would be a problem, however, for a library almost anyw’here within a mile of Cathedral Square. Other considerations favour Manchester Street—not least because there the library will have room to put most of its public services on the ground floor. This is an important consideration; borrowing has been found to decline by 20 per cent in a library section which is moved even one floor up in the present buildings. At least 20,000 square feet of ground floor space will be needed; the proposed site should also allow some room for library parking. Care in planning should ensure that Christchurch continues to be served by a library of which it can be proud.