By the late 1990s, the future of Shetland Library's old home looked uncertain. Surveys of the distinctive building had revealed that three decades of use and weather hadn’t been kind to it. Among other problems, there was extensive corrosion in the cladding of the upper floor and the 1960s insulation, heating and ventilation were well below modern standards.
The Shetland Library in Lerwick has a new home; or rather – after almost 20 years in another nearby building – it has returned to its old home. Bigger and better than ever, it’s a real asset to the islands.
At that time, the building housed the library on the ground floor and the Shetland Museum on the upper floor. A new museum had been in gestation for some time and it opened in 2007 in the historic waterfront setting of Hay’s Dock. The new museum, shown above, which also incorporates the Shetland archives, has been widely praised.
The Shetland Library was meanwhile moved into a neighbouring former church, St Ringan’s. It was, and remains, a beautiful building with some fine stained glass. However, limited space meant that many books had to be held in storage and the computer suite was accommodated in an annexe.
The old museum and library building was, for a time, occupied by council offices; and after further discussion, it was decided in 2015 that the best solution was a complete renovation. It has been extensively modernised and redecorated. There's a new roof, along with new aluminium curtain walling and modern, energy-efficient windows. The building has also been upgraded internally, including the installation of a new air-source heating system.
It’s expected that the work will be completed within the £1.6m budget. Construction work was undertaken by local building firm Hunter and Morrisons Limited as the main contractor. The refurbishment work has been project managed by the council’s Assets, Commissioning and Procurement Service.
Once the restoration was complete, the entire stock was moved from St Ringan’s into what is a splendid new base. In recent weeks, over 60,000 books and materials have been transferred, along with shelving, furniture and IT equipment. Most of the bookshelves are on wheels, allowing flexible use of spaces to host library events or to change layouts for different needs.
With only some minor work still to be completed, the ‘new’ library opened on Monday 15th November. It offers more than 50% additional floor space to display books and materials than the St Ringan’s building.
All library services will now operate under one roof, including book browsing and borrowing and the computer suite. By the end of the year, the library services should be entirely back to normal.
The result is simply superb. At a time when financial pressures are forcing reductions of library services – or even closures – in some parts of the country, Shetland has a bright, modern and welcoming library that caters for every need. There is a huge fiction collection and a wide range of non-fiction and reference material, too.
The stock includes a good range of DVDs and the travel section features a great selection of Ordnance Survey maps.
The Shetland Library has an excellent programme of activities and events for younger readers and it comes as no surprise that the children’s section upstairs is comprehensive, and bound to enthuse young readers. It even incorporates a play area.
For the many students and researchers who use the library, the Shetland Room offers a quiet space with access to an extensive collection of Shetland-related material, including books, pamphlets and CDs. The computer suite offers web access to anyone who needs it.
George Smith, Chair of the Council’s Education and Families Committee said: “I am very pleased that after a long spell of refurbishment Shetland Library will reopen its doors to the public. The building looks great, and it will be so good to be able to have all the library services in under one roof again.
“I would like to thank the contractors for their high-quality work and Karen Fraser, Library Manager, and all the staff and volunteers in the library service and the wider council who have worked tirelessly to make the building ready for the public to use.”
In fact, the library’s services aren’t confined to the refurbished building. They extend into the islands’ schools and there is also a mobile library which visits rural areas on a regular timetable.
The library also offers the inter-library loans service, so if a reader requires material that’s not included in the Shetland stock, it can be obtained from elsewhere.
The library has also hosted many events, for example book launches, poetry readings and sessions for children of all ages, and those will of course continue in the new premises.
You can find more information about the range of activities on the Shetland Library webpage.
The reborn library is another chapter in the remarkable volume of arts, cultural and sporting facilities offered in Shetland. It has always been popular and well used and these improvements can only enhance its appeal.
Alastair Hamilton
Alastair Hamilton moved to Shetland in 1976. Until he retired, he worked for Shetland Islands Council, latterly as Head of Planning, and was also involved in economic development.