County Library

2007-07-06T17:03:00.000+01:00

The County Library blog has come to an end but we’ll leave it here for a while for you to stumble across. The blog was written by a librarian and records the setting up of the new library at Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan. The story starts when the building was handed over to the library service for the fit out on the 29th September 2006. Although there have been other entries, the majority of entries come to an end soon after the library opened to the public on the 4th January 2007.

The library occupies the restored Edwardian Barry Town Hall and a contemporary steel, glass and brick extension. This makes the library an interesting landmark rooted in the landscape and the history of the town, while still providing a modern and forward looking library service.

The library has been a great success. Visitors to the building have increased greatly, our computer facilities are in full time use, the number of books and other issues have risen markedly and there is a queue of partners waiting for their chance to use the building. Most important of all, the people of Barry like it, young and old alike.

Public Library Building Awards

2007-07-06T16:58:00.000+01:00

The library has been nominated for the Public Library Building Awards. We are on the long list with 15 other library buildings. We'll have to wait a while before we know if we've made it to the short list. The building was entered in the "architecture meets practicality" category.

Radio Wales Broadcast

2007-06-27T12:25:00.001+01:00

The Richard Evans phone in show was broadcast live from the library between 12 and 2 today. This was the day that Tony Blair left office as Prime Minister and handed over to Gordon Brown. It was also the day that Labour and Plaid Cymru decided to work in coalition to govern Wales. Library customers, phone-in listeners and political pundits all had an opportunity to give their opinions on air.

Welsh Language Day

2007-05-30T09:30:00.000+01:00

The library hosted a Welsh language day last Saturday which attracted a large number of people. Information about courses was available and some taster sessions were run. There was also a competition, and the winner won a flight to North Wales and 3 nights at Nant Gwrtheryn. See the post for 30th May.

Awards

2007-03-24T09:14:00.000Z

The Town Hall regeneration project only narrowly missed out on a couple of awards recently. The building finished joint second, behind the Newport footbridge scheme, in the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Wales award. The Library and Town Hall had a commended award for the quality of the building by the Local Authority Building Control, the winner being a building in Llanelli.

2007-03-22T14:17:00.000Z

The art work for the youth wall was unveiled today and an official photographer was on hand to record the occassion. Seen here is the photographer, the artists (in blue) from Ysgol Bro Morgannwg, along with their teachers, Sian Jones from Libraries, and councillor Nigel Gibbs, cabinet member for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Blues

2007-03-14T07:49:00.000Z

We've received the official photos of Gary Powell and Taufaaso Filise of the Blues. Here are a couple of photos of them with staff. The vist gave press coverage to the Something to Shout About campaign and the Cardiff Blues included a photo on their own website.

2007-03-14T07:40:00.000Z

Something to Shout About

2007-02-22T08:20:00.000Z

Gary Powell and Taufaaso Filise of the Cardiff Blues visited the library today as part of the month long Something to Shout About campaign across libraries in Wales. The library was packed with children on their half term holiday and also with a good number of parents and olther adults waiting to see which rugby players would show up. The crowd were not disappointed and it took the best part of an hour for the players to sign autographs and answer questions before they could get a look at the building and speak to staff. We'll add some professional photos of the players to the blog when we received them.

The library has now been open 7 weeks and during this time we've attracted almost 50,000 visitors and enroled 1300 new library members. We issued 21,801 books in our first month and this works out as over 350 more per day than the same period last year. Staff don't need statistics to tell them we've been very busy and I think we can rightly claim the building and the service to be a hit.

As well as the Blues we also had Zoolabs in the library today with their hissing coackroaches and other less than cuddly creatures. This was one of many activities running in the County library and across all our libraries in the Vale during half term.

Staff photo

2007-01-25T13:44:00.000Z

We have started to receive copies of some of the official photographs taken on open day. Seen above are some of the staff just before the library opened. In the front row, from left to right are Chris Edwards, Sian Jones, Sandra Wildsmith and Alison Clemo along with Margaret, Jill, Andrea, Paula, Therese, June, Alison, Yvonne, Collette, Donna, Zoe, Clare, Angela, Katherine, Marie, Julian, Gillian, Danielle, Janine, Tina, Danielle, Gavin and Dylan.

Group photo on steps

2007-01-25T13:43:00.000Z

The photo above was taken on the steps of the Town Hall building just before the library opened. The mayor takes centre stage, along with Vale councillors and chief officers. The photo also includes the architects David Caird and Martin Taylor. Most of the staff who worked on opening day are here too.

Architects

2007-01-25T13:40:00.000Z

Architects Martin Taylor and David Caird on opening day.

Alun Pugh

2007-01-24T13:26:00.000Z

The minister forCulture and Sport, Alun Pugh, visited the library and exhibition area today and was given a tour by Sian Jones and Margaret Alexander.

Art wall

2007-01-17T17:05:00.000Z

This is the first sight of the art work produced by pupils at Ysgol Bro Morgannwg. The graffiti board is still at the school but we will be arranging for it to be collected and brought to the library and installed in the next few days. Seen above are Bryce and the pupils who have produced the work.

Visit by the First Minister

2007-01-10T17:23:00.000Z

Rhodri Morgan and Jane Hutt visited the library today and were greeted by Margaret Alexander the council leader, and the mayor Nic Hodges. Sian led a tour of the library, pointed out all the new facilities and interesting design features, and explained all the new services we are able to provide in the building. The visitors seemed impressed and took time to chat to staff and customers. One of the visitors was overheard to say that this was the best library in Wales but we are far too modest to attribute such a quote. We'll add a few official photographs when we get them.

Noddy and Snow White

2007-01-09T18:14:00.000Z

Our special visitors, Snow White and Noddy, led a Clap Tap party for our smallest customers today. They were a little surprised at their own popularity, not quite expecting nearly 50 babies and toddlers to show up with their parents. Maggie and Gillian enjoyed their costumes so much they did a tour of the library and stopped to wave to people at the bus stop.

Clap Tap

2007-01-09T16:13:00.000Z

First children's event

2007-01-06T15:02:00.000Z

The honour of being the first writer to visit the library and talk to children goes to Cat Weatherill. Cat is a storyteller and author who has written two children’s books called Barkbelly and Snowbone. She came for the day and preformed and number of traditional Welsh tales for the children of Barry. Some of the children appear in the photo with Cat Weatherill above, along with Gillian Southby, Children's Librarian.

First through the door....

2007-01-04T20:47:00.000Z

Inside the library it was more like the January sales as the first visitors streamed through the doors. Over 3000 people visited in the first few hours and many of them stayed all afternoon. We welcomed many of our most dedicated customers who returned the piles of books they took out in November. Over 100 new customers joined. Other visitors used the computer facilities or sat down with a newspaper. The children's and youth areas were heaving with children and young people looking at the books, using computers and watching t.v.

The Lolfa

2007-01-04T20:45:00.000Z

The newpaper area proved popular

Computer users

2007-01-04T20:44:00.000Z

61 library members logged on to internet in the first few hours of opening. The library now has a wireless network and we know of at least one customers who brought his laptop to try this out.

Press coverage

2007-01-04T20:43:00.000Z

The press were in attendance. The BBC filmed a t.v. news report which was broadcast on the main evening news on S4C. The Barry and District News reported on the event and the South Wales Echo sent Peter Collins and a photographer. The Barry Gem had the best coverage of photographs but these are not available online.

The Big Day

2007-01-04T20:35:00.000Z

The library opened at 2 pm following a speech by the Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Cllr Nic Hodges. The speech was given at the exhibition entrance on the square to avoid any congestion on Ty-Newydd road. This was a wise decision given the number of people that gathered to wait for the doors to open.

Philip John Community Room

2007-01-04T20:30:00.000Z

The Philip John Community Room was opened by Councillor Neil Gibbs and Sue Rushton. Sue is the daughter of Philip John, a previous Barry librarian who spent 45 years working to develop the service at Barry.

Red ribbon

2007-01-04T20:15:00.000Z

Councillors and officers were invited to view the library before the main doors were open to the public. A speech was given by the mayor and the chief executive. The mayor then cut the ribbon between the exhibition centre and the library to declare the library open.

Final touches

2007-01-03T20:32:00.000Z

The final day before we opened was hectic. Vale carpenters completed work in the staff room and hung framed photographs in the old part of the building. Staff received final training throughout the day and tidied posters and leaflets put out for display. Gavin checked the set-up on the print kiosks. Rivermeade arrived to erect directional signs, including signs next to the lift and at the foot of the stairs. Plescon switched on the book security units and tested the self-issue machine. The day was not complete until Blackboxav arrived to installed one of two information screens at 7pm. The second screen will be installed at the library entrance window sometime in the next few weeks.

Happy New Year

2006-12-28T19:37:00.000Z

The final push starts today to get everything ready for opening on Thursday the 4th.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-21T08:13:00.000Z

Vale of Glamorgan Libraries are closed from Saturday the 23rd to Wednesday 27th December. We open again on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th December.

There are no decorations in the library at Barry this year but other libraries, including Rhoose above, have not held back. As well as decorating the library Sandra has wrapped books in Christmas paper and is issuing customers an extra surprise book for Christmas.

Penarth

2006-12-21T08:12:00.000Z

Display at Penarth Library

Lolfa

2006-12-20T18:01:00.000Z

The chairs have arrived in the lolfa and Sandra takes the opportunity to use the area for a meeting about staff rotas.

The PR section sent a photographer to take some shots of the library today. The first publicity stories that get in the press before opening will probably use these photos of staff pretending to be customers.

Splash of red

2006-12-18T18:26:00.000Z

We're not afraid of colour at the new library. A large consignment of casual seating arrived today, all of it in strong colours. We also received some study desks, occassional tables and the last office desks.

2006-12-18T18:25:00.000Z

2006-12-18T18:24:00.000Z

New Books

2006-12-16T18:39:00.000Z

Tina and Angela prepare new books.

Clock

2006-12-14T08:22:00.000Z

The town hall clock is now working again after being stuck at 9am for the last 5 years. The pendulum for the clock drops the whole length of the clock tower and down to the basement. The weights are wound up to the top of the tower every seven days and take seven days to sink to the basement floor. If they are not wound up again the clock stops.

Jill

2006-12-12T17:11:00.000Z

Jill worked her last day on the staff at Barry today and got a good send-off. Jill is stepping down from a permanent job to enjoy the flexibility of working as a relief assistant. We're sorry to be loosing her but at least we'll get the chance to work with her from time to time.

Apologies for the photograph - it's a technical problem with the camera!

Offices

2006-12-08T18:41:00.000Z

We haven't received all the furniture for offices yet and still await most of the public seating and several tables. Colette is making good use of a bench while she waits for a desk.

Print kiosk

2006-12-07T18:39:00.000Z

Richard from Lorensberg, spent three days with us this week installing the print kiosk, setting up connect and setting up wifi on netloan.

When we open in January this means customers will be able to release and pay for their own printouts using the self-service kiosk, we'll have an online booking system for rooms and equipment, and we'll have a method for logging on to the wifi network using barcode and pin numbers.

Move complete

2006-12-06T18:38:00.000Z

Everything has been moved from the leisure centre and all the books have been shelved. We've left space on the shelves for the new stock to be brought up from the basement and interfiled.

DVDs

2006-12-05T18:37:00.000Z

DVDs and CDs have been shelved

Last crates

2006-12-05T08:27:00.000Z

Would the last one out please turn off the lights!

The books arrive

2006-12-04T17:06:00.000Z

The final movement of crates from the leisure centre started today, a week ahead of schedule. Almost all had been moved by 5pm. There is just one lorry load of books to move. By lunch time tomorrow all 76000 books and other items whill have been moved from the leisure centre to join the 9800 items already moved from the reserve stock.

As well as delivering the crates, McKeown are also shelving the books and doing a fine job of it thanks to pre-planning. Each crate is labeled with a bay and shelf number. We have a floor plan indicating the shelf numbering system if anyone gets lost or confused.

Large Print

2006-12-03T16:57:00.000Z

Most of the large print and talking books have now been shelved.

2006-12-03T16:50:00.000Z

Barry library

2006-12-02T16:40:00.000Z

This is what the old library looks like without furniture, shelving or books. It is even more obvious now that there were no windows in the room originally built as a bowls hall.

The rest of the crates will be collected next week. They'll have to be taken down the steps from the fire exit door because the lift cannot be trusted.

Yvonne & Pat

2006-12-02T16:39:00.000Z

NVQ success

2006-12-01T12:15:00.000Z

Despite all the work at the county library there is still time to make progress in other areas of the service. We've launched a new mobile library and mobile routes in the last few months, we've run a Face 2 Face programme with visiting authors. And today, six staff have achieve their Information and Library Services NVQ awards. Seen above are Dene, Rachel, Phil, Bloss, Julie and Chris with Lynne, the assessor, holding the flowers.

local studies shelving

2006-11-30T08:41:00.000Z

Shelving has now also been erected on the first floor. The local studies collection will be in the area above the lolfa. We still need to decide on a position for the map cabinet.

Training

2006-11-29T08:42:00.000Z

Staff will be able to start shelving books soon. Until that time they are continuing to work on offices, on sorting the book stock and training in the use of new equipment.

2006-11-29T08:40:00.000Z

Shelving installed

2006-11-29T08:37:00.000Z

Demco spent the day erecting some of the shelving. The building is now taking shape as a library but we will miss some of the long views and open spaces.

2006-11-29T08:30:00.000Z

Shelving positioned

2006-11-28T08:35:00.000Z

Book security

2006-11-28T08:28:00.000Z

We've chosen a new book security system to match the one we already have at Penarth library. Plescon were on site today to install the security gates at the main door, the door to the library courtyard (seen above) and the door to the exhibition centre, all routes which customers may take. They'll also install scanners.

deliveries

2006-11-27T08:16:00.000Z

Two interactive whiteboards have arrived. These are just some of the different items of equipment new to our libraries. We'll need to organise training as soon as they are fixed to the wall. We'll have less difficulty operating the dishwasher installed in the meeting room kitchen or the washing machine now installed in the basement.

Demco arrived at 7am this morning to start dismantling the shelving in the leisure centre. By the end of the day the first delivery of this shelving had been made to the new library.

Our second permanent security officer has been appointed. Steve started work today and will shadow Mike to get the hang of things.

Storage

2006-11-26T19:25:00.000Z

We are still waiting for the sliding doors to be built for the craft storage and sink unit in the children's library. The TV for the adjoining unit has arrived. The PCs have been set-up on the children's IT bench.

Furniture

2006-11-25T21:22:00.000Z

Some of the reusable furniture waiting to be set out once the shelving is in place.

Roger

2006-11-24T20:23:00.000Z

It was the last full day at the library for Roger, our Kier Western site foreman. He's been on the project for the last couple of years and knows the building and everything about the site in great detail. He moves on to finish off a project at Pontarddulais and then a new project for the DVLA at Pontadawe. We'll watch out for his irregular visits over the next few weeks and save up questions to ask him. We wish him well.

We've taken some time to decide on the main directional and room signage we need for the building and finally placed an order for the work today. We're assured the signs can be erected in time for Christmas.

First phase complete

2006-11-23T19:47:00.000Z

After a day of action the network is now fully working and the PCs can connect. Gavin and Russell have put the PCs on desks and have set the majority of them up. We'll be able to start showing staff how they differ from the terminals they replace.

Our art project is progressing. A group of kids have come together with Bryce to work on the project for the youth area. They come from the same school and will continue to meet over the next few weeks until the work has been produced.

The first phase of removals is over. The removal company has moved all the furniture from the library at the leisure centre and moved all the categories of books we packed ourselves. They have since crated the rest of the stock at the leisure centre and these crates are stacked ready to move at the end of next week. The older shelving has to be dismantled and re-erected at the county library along with all the new shelving. Only then will we have somewhere to put the books.

Boy with book moves

2006-11-22T20:09:00.000Z

Our boy with a book has been on the move but is now settled facing the main entrance.

2006-11-22T20:08:00.000Z

2006-11-22T20:07:00.000Z

More deliveries

2006-11-21T19:12:00.000Z

Another van unloads at the back of the library

More crates arrived from the leisure centre and these were stacked around the new library. Older furniture and chairs arrived in the afternoon and these were delivered to offices and the area of the library where they'll be used. Staff got on with unpacking books and sorting office spaces.

Carpenters were available to put up clocks (18), shelves (2), notice boards (13) and to carry out various other small jobs.

The DVD shelving went up this morning and 6 slatwalls were erected. By 7pm the men from Cambridge had started assembling the end panels onto the older CD shelving units they collected from the leisure centre.

As well as the main deliveries and other work in the building, the site foreman met with us to discuss various outstanding matters, the shelving company came to survey the site in preparation for shelving next week, and Ben started work as our first permanent member of security staff.

DVD units

2006-11-21T19:10:00.000Z

We have a tannoy

2006-11-21T19:09:00.000Z

2006-11-21T19:06:00.000Z

Computer desks are cleaned

Removals start

2006-11-20T20:30:00.000Z

This was a day for removal men and lorries. Two lorries and a van came from Bristol to move the crates. They were hampered by a faulty lift at the leisure centre, which trapped two men, but they still managed to shift three lorry loads of crates during the day, about 250 crates in all.

The Bridgend Office furniture lorry also arrived this morning bringing flat packed office desks and staff room chairs and tables. These were delivered, distributed around the new building and put together.

Meanwhile the recycling van arrived to empty the squash court of all the paper put aside for recycling. Two Vale Works men with van needed the whole day to move furniture around and dispose of all other rubbish.

Arrivals

2006-11-20T20:14:00.000Z

The first crates arrived at the library after lunch and staff were able to get started unpacking. Some of the books for the promotion area came first. This is the only area we have shelving for at the moment so they are the only books that will be unpacked for the next week.

Office and counter crates arrived at the end of the day so they will be unpacked tomorrow.

Meanwhile, staff back at the leisure centre completed the job of marking furniture and individual shelves with a destination code. The removal men will start on the furniture tomorrow and then crate the bulk of the books.

Break time

2006-11-20T20:13:00.000Z

The staff room furniture has arrived.

Unpacking

2006-11-20T15:12:00.000Z

More sorting

2006-11-19T16:44:00.000Z

Work continued to clear the counter area and office spaces. It took all day to crate the files, supplies, stationery and equipment. Meanwhile, a second group of staff finished off sorting stock at the County library then joined us at the leisure centre to start crating books. All children's books were crated ready for an early move on Monday. The sport and travel sections were also crated, along with the crime section, talking books, large print and quick reads. Most staff were able to finish at 2pm and the office areas were finished by 4.

Packing up

2006-11-18T08:50:00.000Z

The big sort-out began at 9am when 16 staff turned up for work. Half worked in the County library preparing stock, the rest worked at Barry library packing up.

A decision was needed on everything in Barry library, every pen, file, piece of paper, cardboard box, desk tidy and item of equipment. Staff emptied desks and drawers, filing cabinets, shelves and lockers. Anything to keep was put in a crate. 600 crates arrived at 10am. As they were used, all crates were colour coded and tagged with the number of the room they are destined for in the new library. Anything to stay was bagged for rubbish or recycling and pushed down on trolleys to the squash court. IT equipment also went down to the squash court store to be used elsewhere.

Shelves were tagged ready for the books to be crated tomorrow. Furniture was tagged with the room number it will be moved to on Monday.

All this was hard work but very satisfying. We made good use of the music CD collection while we worked, Diana Ross and Bob Marley being particular favourites.

Library closed, exhibition open

2006-11-17T20:25:00.000Z

Barry library closed at 6pm today. The new County library will open on the 4th January. We need all this time to move the stock and set-up the new library. We hope that all our customers have heard about the move by now and will make use of other libraries in the Vale while we are shut. The inconvenience will be well worth it.

We had a planning meeting to coordinate arrangements for the next few days. Staff will work over the weekend to clear all desks, drawers and lockers so that furniture and office supplies can be moved to King square on Monday. 250 crates will arrive tomorrow for us to start boxing up the office contents and some books for removal. The removal company will shift the crates and furniture Monday and then crate and move the bulk of the stock. Only once all stock has been crated can the shelving company arrive to dismantle the shelving and move it to the county library. We expect our furniture removal van to become a common site along Holton Road.

The barriers came down around the main entrance on Ty-Newydd road this morning allowing people to come up to the glass wall and look into the library for the first time. Lots of people took this opportunity, especially people waiting for their bus outside the building. The roof overhangs the front of the building and provides shelter from the rain. Far more important than the library however, the removal of the barriers gave access to the long awaited new public toilets.

We had the heaviest rain of the year this evening but it didn't stop people coming out to view the entertainment on King Square. The marque in the park proved useful and the exhibition centre was packed out.

VDU chairs unwrapped

2006-11-16T16:56:00.000Z

The library is not going to be empty for much longer so here is a view of the first floor with chairs and little else.

VDU chairs

2006-11-16T14:00:00.000Z

VDU chairs have arrived. A few flat pack tables also arrived but there is still no other furniture in the public spaces apart from a few folding chairs. All this will change next Monday when we expect a big delivery of current and new furniture.

Gillian, our children's librarian, managed to get her picture in the Echo this evening.

Security

2006-11-15T21:31:00.000Z

A number of security staff cover the building around the clock, looking after the library, the Mayor's parlour, the exhibition centre, Central Park, the car park and King Square. They'll do their job by walking around the building and grounds but also by monitoring the sites from a number of cameras inside and outside the building.

There were early stories and rumours about the park being damaged by young people. The security staff tell us that this has been much exaggerated. There was some minor graffiti on the youth shelter after the building opened but this was cleaned off the next day. The nets were also ripped off the basketball posts but this was entirely accidental. It seems obvious to everyone on site that the kids are delighted at having a new park and are behaving well.

The original plan was to close the park at 6pm but so many young people were in the floodlit area at 6 that it seemed unreasonable to turf them out. The times have therefore been changed in response to requests and the park now closes at 8pm when most have already left for home anyway.

Main counter

2006-11-14T08:19:00.000Z

Counter detail

The two counters in the building were designed by the architects and built by Kier Western. They have some interesting features that are echoed elsewhere in the building.

PCs were installed around the main counter today. Notice boards arrived. More items of furniture were ordered. A couple of datapoints and power points were repositioned in the floor.

Glass

2006-11-13T17:05:00.000Z

There are two doors in the old part of the building with stained glass. Some of the original glass was missing and was replaced by new. Few people will be able to tell the new from old. The glass above is original, I think!

One of the offices is divided by old patterned galss. see below.

2006-11-13T05:11:00.000Z

Boy with Book

2006-11-12T07:37:00.000Z

Boy with Book by Robert Thomas

Staff have been working seven days a week to get the stock prepared for the move. We are changing security systems so every book and CD in the library needed to be desensitised. This work was completed today ready for the stock to be crated next weekend.

Car Park

2006-11-10T22:18:00.000Z

The Wyndham street car park which serves the library, Central Park and the town centre, was officially opened by the leader of the council, councillor Jeff James this afternoon. The occassional shopper has managed to find a space in the car park when the fencing was left open but now they can park when they choose. The car park has 78 places and will be open from 9.30 - 6.30. A section of the car park has been cordoned off for library deliveries until we open.

The first PCs were installed in the computer room today. Anyone near the window seats might find the views a bit distracting.

Meeting Room

2006-11-09T19:13:00.000Z

The pace of change is stepping up and every day brings something new. The first table arrived today. It's an Executive 800 to match the chairs and cupboards that arrived last week. This almost completes the furniture for the meeting room. It now feels a bit like a boardroom. We held a staff meeting here this afternoon and when we broke for coffee we put our cups on wads of paper and diaries so as not to damage the table surface. We've now added coasters to the list of things to buy!

We've had many enquiries from partners and individuals wanting to use rooms at the library and we will have a two community rooms that can be used. We've already commited some dates to the bookings diary.

Shelving

2006-11-08T18:53:00.000Z

The first shelving arrived yesterday and it took until lunch time today to install. It’s purple, very purple, and we love it. The shelving is on the ground floor just inside the main entrance. It comprises three propeller shaped units that will be used to promote a changing collection of adult stock. The majority of adult books will be on the first floor.

Exhibition space

2006-11-07T20:51:00.000Z

Free standing display boards have now arrived and the exhibition space has been fully kitted out. This will be a great asset for Barry and the new building. We look forward to the opening exhibition of paintings and ceramics by local artists on the 17th of November.

Lights

2006-11-06T21:09:00.000Z

The last couple of electricians responsible for all the work in the building will be finishing in the next few days. One of their last major tasks has been to ensure all the connections are working for the Christmas lights. The front of the building has been decked out with lights in preparation for the switch on at 4pm Friday November 17th. King Square and exhibition space are officially opened on this date. As well as the Christmas lights there will be live music, street entertainers and food stalls. This should not of course be confused with the library opening. Barry will have to wait until 4th January for the County Library to open.

Other events organised for the square before we open include:

Carols for Shelter Cymru at 4.30 on December 1st
Ty Hafan "Light up a life" carol concert 5.30 on December 5th
Festive fun on Saturday 9th December from 11-5

Old library

2006-11-04T19:41:00.000Z

A floor to ceiling glass wall separates the new library from what was the fiction area of the old library. This will become the exhibition space. The original columns, parquet floor, entrance doors and window frames have all been retained. Anyone who steps into this section will recognise all the familiar features of the old library but brought to life as we've never seen them before. It was almost impossible to see the windows in the latter years of the library. Shelves obscured the windows from inside and ivy and shrubs from outside.

Mayor

2006-11-03T08:01:00.000Z

The library is not the only occupant of the building on King Square. What was the ground floor of the original Barry Library has now become an exhibition space. Above the exhibition space, the room originally designed and used as a council chamber has now become the mayor's parlour. This will be used for official functions. Also in the building is the office of the town centre manager .

Chairs

2006-11-02T08:06:00.000Z

A morning spent choosing study chairs (26), operator chairs for computer users (18), staff chairs for library counters (6) and offices (2), chairs for the children’s IT bench (12) and youth area (4). We also had to choose a colour and fabric for each chair, ensuring the colour didn’t clash with other colour choices already made. We found our growing collection of fabric swatches useful, especially those in the Main Line and Extreme Plus ranges. The orders were placed after lunch and then we embarked on a hunt through catalogues for a square 600x600 table suitable for OPACs and next to photocopiers. This proved fruitless so we went back to the RAL charts and chose a colour scheme for the headers above CD and DVD units.

Meanwhile, the first furniture and equipment has arrived. We have a couple of cupboards and chairs for one of the community rooms, a whiteboard for a community room, and a fridge for the community room kitchen.

Computers

2006-11-01T08:16:00.000Z

Computer room

The computer network is up and running and the first PCs have been built. There are no desks to put them on yet so we will continue to store hardware until the furniture arrives. We’ve chosen to use PCs throughout the library rather than the citrix terminals we’ve used to date. PCs will reduce traffic on the 10Mg line to Civic Offices and will enable greater access to moving images and sound. PCs will also give greater flexibility. Each PC will have USB ports, a headphone socket and access to a CD drive so that users can save their own work to a disk or other media. We’ll also have multimedia cards for saving digital images. A print kiosk will enable people to pay for and release their own print jobs without staff intervention.

As well as public access PCs there will be a wireless network in the building extending out to the park and the town square. This has yet to be set-up.

Inspiring learning

2006-10-31T17:14:00.000Z

Vale Libraries have been chosen to take part in the Inspiring Learning For All (ILFA) development programme sponsored by CyMAL. The programme will help us look at all aspects of learning in libraries and help us examine ways in which we can place learning at the centre of what we do.

Catherine Herman, the lead consultant on the programme, joined a group of library staff for our inaugural meeting at the county library today. We will meet with Catherine several times over the coming months and also meet with the other three organisations selected to take part in the programme. They are Denbighshire Heritage Service, Flintshire Museums Service / Greenfield Valley Trust and the Museum and Culture Service, Isle of Anglesey.

Red seat

2006-10-30T17:13:00.000Z

The architects designed a low wall to shape the children's area. Red seating has been provided along this curved wall.

Stamping dates

2006-10-28T17:09:00.000+01:00

The library at the leisure centre will be closed 3 weeks from today and remain closed until the new county library opens on the 4th January. Any books stamped out from today will have a return date in January 2007. People will of course be able to return or borrow books from any other library in Vale of Glamorgan during this time.

Signage

2006-10-26T09:53:00.000+01:00

A lot of thought has been given to directional signage for the library. We started with a list that included signs for most areas of the building but by a process of discussion and elimination we’ve managed to reduce this down to the most appropriate signs. Some areas of the library call out for signage and others are just too obvious to sign. As well as the signs themselves, the naming of areas has caused some debate. Should we use computer room or computer suite? What do we call an area that contains large print and talking books but also some crime books? Do we stick with Youth Area or wait for young people to name the area themselves?

We met two signage companies this morning and looked at their products and costs. We will use several different types of signs, some of them tactile. There will be welcome signs above the library counters, metal plates for door numbers and names, a graphic for toilet doors, a banner to pinpoint the Lolfa, a freestanding directional sign at the foot of the stairs, a list of main library areas beside the lift, and a few signs hanging from the ceilings.

There are large areas of clear glass in the library and as well as ordering signage in the next week or two we will need to order manifestations. These are the round white circles you see on glass to stop people walking into them. We’ll have manifestations around the entrance, on the computer room wall, on the clear glass doors to the library courtyard and on the wall of glass that divides us from the exhibition space.

Children's Library

2006-10-25T08:22:00.000+01:00

The children’s library has been designed with a wall to house a TV and PlayStation. The wall will also house a wash-up area and shelves to store craft supplies and cushions. Children and staff will be able to wash their hands after activities and shut the wash-up area away behind a sliding door when not it use. The bespoke units were delivered last Friday and the fitting is going well.

Samples

2006-10-23T17:03:00.000+01:00

Various chair samples

Attic2 visited today with an example of their plan chair and flight chair. They were extremely comfortable and will look good in the Lolfa. We plan to order these and will also order furniture from the allermuir range from BOF.

Round window

2006-10-19T08:04:00.000+01:00

The children's library has a den area which looks out towards the Lolfa.

Art Work

2006-10-18T08:12:00.000+01:00

Wall panel

We've met and consulted with over 100 teenagers in local schools to ask what they would like to see in the youth area. Many of them came up with the idea of a graffiti style art work. We’ve reserved a wall in the youth area for this, and have asked Bryce Davies to work with a group of teenagers in Barry to design and paint the wall. We met Bryce today and showed him the youth area. He talked about the type of work he could produce and the space and materials he'll need to paint it. We'll now find some teenagers keen to develop ideas with Bryce and have a go with an aerosol can. Bryce is confident that he could paint the wall in situ, without damaging the carpet and surrounding walls, but we don't want to risk it! We'd like the kids to meet at the library to draw and discuss designs but we'll arrange for the painting to be done on panels elsewhere and be brought into the library only once fully dry.

Closing date

2006-10-17T08:22:00.000+01:00

It’s official. Barry Library will close at 6pm on Friday 17th November. It will reopen on King Square, with a new name, during the first week in January 2007. The library will henceforth be known as the County Library. The opening date has been decided but the arrangements for the day and exact opening time has not yet been agreed. Watch this space for further information.

Interviews

2006-10-16T08:20:00.000+01:00

After a great response to our adverts, interviewing has now started for new and vacant posts in the library. We have four days of interviewing arranged over the next two weeks and there will be more to follow. The pressure is on to get new people in post and fully trained by Christmas. We’ve already made a couple of key appointments over the last few months. We have a customer services manager in place to manage the main reception desk and the services on the ground floor. We also have a learning support officer in post to plan and arrange learning activities at Barry and the other libraries in the Vale.

Seating

2006-10-13T20:56:00.000+01:00

Much of the office furniture for the library will be brought over from the current library, as will most of the chairs and tables we use in public spaces. Additional furniture has also been ordered for these areas and the first deliveries are expected soon.

We have several distinct areas of the library that we want to furnish differently to the rest. Four companies were asked to submit their proposals for these areas and we spent some time discussing the designs today. We like two of the proposals in particular but will need some further information before we decide between them. The brief we gave to the companies was to suggest funky seating in the youth area, some eye-catching seating in the window area above the entrance, occassional seats to place around the library and some comfortable tub style armchairs and café tables with chairs in on the ground floor. We've dubbed the small atrium area on the ground floor as the Lolfa as it will be a comfortable place to read a newspaper or sit and chat. We will avoid calling it Y Lolfa so as not to confuse it with the well known Welsh publisher of the same name.

One of our most important tools in recent months has been a collection of various printed RAL colour charts which we guard jealously. Everything in the library has a RAL colour and the charts and colour swatches are helping us decide on colour schemes for various parts of the building.