An iconic Merseyside building that has been closed for more than nine years is about to get a new lease of life.
The Carnegie Library in Crosby was shut down by Sefton Council in December 2013 as part of a "libraries review" and a bid to save money. Last year it was announced that Cunard Construction (CC) Ltd wanted to return the building to full use for community groups, families, and local businesses.
Popular coffee shop Moose has announced this week that it will be taking over the Grade II listed building. In a post on Facebook Moose said it is "desperate" to "see the library returned to its former glory".
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Moose Coffee said it is an "incredibly exciting project" in partnership with Cunard Construction (CC) Ltd. The library will be transformed into a "digital hub" blending a "traditional lending library with the modern facilities of a 21st-century internet tech hub."
Crosby’s Carnegie Library is one of 2,509 libraries across the world built between 1883 and 1929 with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. There were originally 660 Carnegie libraries in the UK and Ireland.
The post reads: "We are progressing our new site at the Carnegie Library (College Rd) in Crosby. It’s an incredibly exciting project in partnership with Cunard Construction, @unit3_design, and Sefton Council to restore the iconic Grade II listed building and develop a truly modern library.
"A blend of Moose, open working facilities, and crucially the Library’s central space will be fully transformed into a new ‘digital hub’ – blending the ethos of a traditional lending library with the modern facilities of a 21st-century internet tech hub. Living a stone's throw from the library like many Crosby locals we were desperate to see the library returned to its former glory for the community and we are so excited to be a part of the project.
"We have been inundated with questions about our return to Crosby and it’s so good to finally announce our return. We are currently aiming for an opening date in Spring."
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