facebooktwitterpinterest
mobil menu

Liverpool Central Library

  1. Liverpool
  2. Liverpool Libraries

Reviews, get directions and contact details for Liverpool Central Library

Liverpool Central Library

Story

The Picton Reading Room and Hornby Library are two grade II* listed buildings on William Brown Street, Liverpool, England, which now form part of the Liverpool Central Library.The chairman of the William Brown Library and Museum, Sir James Picton, laid the foundation stone of the Picton Reading Room in 1875. It was designed by Cornelius Sherlock, and modelled after the British Museum Reading Room, and was the first electrically lit library in the UK. It was completed in 1879. The front is semicircular with Corinthian columns, and the shape was chosen by the architect to cover the change in the axis of the row of buildings at this point. The Hornby Reading Room (named after Hugh Frederick Hornby) by Thomas Shelmerdine was added in 1906. It stands behind the older building and the interior is decorated in the Edwardian Imperial style.

Address: William Brown Street , Liverpool L3 8EW, XMS, GB
Phone: 0151 233 5829
State: XMS
City: Liverpool
Zip Code: L3 8EW

Update Info

related searches: liverpool central library picton reading room, liverpool libraries and information services, liverpool central library roof terrace, library in walton liverpool, liverpool library, liverpool library ebooks, liverpool library opening times, liverpool history centre
Similar places near
Harold Cohen Library Harold Cohen Library 1 km Very quiet and huge library. A place must be booked few days in advance. Entrance onl...
Sydney Jones Library Sydney Jones Library 1 km Love this library. Great click and collect service. Staff are helpful too. They have ...
Breck Road Community Library Breck Road Community Library 2 km Staff are the most genuinely nice people I’ve ever come across. Nothing is an inconve...
Wavertree Library Wavertree Library 4 km Got my first library ticket at five for here! Nowadays it has a large computer secti...
Spellow Community Library Spellow Community Library 4 km Must admit today I called in the one stop shop for help regarding my parking permit y...
Sefton Park Community Library Sefton Park Community Library 4 km One of my favorite libraries because of its architecture and location. It was built ...
Larkhill Library Larkhill Library 4 km
Old Swan Library Old Swan Library 5 km A Good library also computers and nice staff
Walton Library Walton Library 5 km
Allerton Library Allerton Library 6 km Love the sense of calm and space and how you can sit at a table and look at a new boo...
Childwall Library Childwall Library 6 km Problems with access..shutters opening only by 1.5 m today. Lots of staff going under...
Garston Library Garston Library 8 km A library and One Stop combined. Staff Couldn't do more to help me with applying for ...
Crosby Library Crosby Library 8 km Great place. Staff are really helpful. Parking should be free but isn't. The one hour...
Woolton Library Woolton Library 8 km
Carnegie Library Carnegie Library 9 km A perfect place with friendly staff, wonderful cafe and authentic atmosphere.
Huyton Central Library Huyton Central Library 9 km Amazing place for all thos who love books, quiet time and place to relax.
Huyton Gallery and Library Huyton Gallery and Library 9 km Great lovely place. Relaxed and peaceful yet you can still hear the sound of young ch...
Liverpool City Apartments Liverpool City Apartments 9 km
Reviews
This is an incredibly beautiful library. The old circular hall is located on the first floor. You reach it via the escalator and then go to the right side of the building. The architecture of the entrance area and the new extension is also convincing. The organic structure and shapes in combination with a lot of daylight make it feel very appealing. A visit to this location is definitely recommended.
This is a great location if you need to study or just look up general information, it also has lots of books and resources as well as a small museum. The location is surprisingly beautiful considering that the exterior doesn't hint at what is hiding inside the building. I truly was blown away and was not expecting much when I first stepped into the library. There is also a nice view at the very top of the building overlooking the city of Liverpool.
Such a beautiful building. Very centrally located, close to the train station. Easy to commute to. It's just as modern inside as it looks traditional from the outside. Friendly staff. There is a cafe inside with drinks hot and cold, a selection of sweet and savoury items. The cafe staff are wonderful and happy to fill up your water bottle!
Great library with a big children área and with good furniture although is quite empty and does not have toys as other libraries provide. Could improve with a theatre, little house, roll play toys etc. Plus, there is only one activity for children on a Tuesday morning no other activities as for example the Wirral or Chester Councils libraries
Lovely quiet place for study and charging sockets available at the desk. Quite modern building with nice atmosphere. What thing I love more is top dome with amazing ceiling architecture. There's a cafe downVisited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo
Liverpool Central Library is housed in a grand old building. There are a range of books on contemporary and classic subjects. The Picton Reading room is a grand old room where people can pick out a book that they want and read and study. The library hosts events such as adult education courses. I saw a free creative writing workshop advertised when I was there. There is also a café downstairs.
I popped into the Central Library only to ask for information about another venue and was delighted to be told about 2 areas of the Library tucked away on the first floor. The Library itself is enormous and spread over 4 floors with a roof garden too. It was absolutely foul weather outside but the Library was warm and welcoming-and very busy! Just on the first floor there’s a door off to the Picton Reading Room. It is the most amazing space, like something from a Harry Potter film with wall to wall books over several levels, beautiful wrought iron staircases and borders. Just look at the photos! Through a simple passage way is the entrance to the Hornby Room full of rare books, illustrations and stuffed animals and birds. The room itself is beautiful with columns and a beautiful ceiling. From there go up to the 4th floor to the roof garden for a view across the city. I have no idea why these two rooms do not get any sort of promotion as points of interest for tourists; they really are spectacular! Picton Reading Room Hornby Room
Beautiful library and easily accessible from Liverpool Lime Street Station. You can walk to the library in 6 minutes. The theatre is in the same area just a short walk from the station. It is a lovely area to walk through and looks very popular for tourists. In terms of the Library it was bright and airy. Has an affordable cafe in the main reception. The staff were very hsl
Liverpool Central Library offers a serene and tranquil atmosphere, creating a perfect environment for readers. The Picton Reading Room stands out as a favorite spot, providing a peaceful haven to indulge in literature while enjoying the serenity of the surroundings. It offers to borrow up to 14 books for three weeks at a time.
Wonderful, well designed space for a library. The people of Liverpool are lucky to have such an asset in their midst. We popped in to visit the breathtaking Picton Reading Rooms and adjoining Hornby Library with their vast collection of rare books - both accessible off the first floor of the main, modern library. All free.
Comment on this business

Liverpool Central Library map

to add Liverpool Central Library map to your website;



Copyright 2025 | All rights reserved.

You can use our top contact for adding and editing your business's contact details.
0.0032 Loaded in seconds

We use cookies

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our website, to show you personalized content and targeted ads, to analyze our website traffic, and to understand where our visitors are coming from. Privacy Policy