Redditch Library is a

library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

in the centre of

Redditch Redditch is a town and non-metropolitan district with borough status in Worcestershire, England. It is located south of Birmingham, east of Bromsgrove, north-west of Alcester and north-east of Worcester. In 2021, the town had a population of ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Constructed for £550,000 (£3.3 million adjusted for inflation) and opened on 24 January 1976, it is the town's main public library, having been purpose-built to replace the former building on Church Green. It is the second-largest library in

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

and attracts up to 12,500 visitors a month. It was renovated in 2009 for just over £1,000,000.

Proposed Demolition

The building was marked for demolition in a project led by

Redditch Borough Council Redditch Borough Council is the local authority for Redditch, a non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Worcestershire, England. History The town of Redditch was made a Local board of health#Loc ...

to create retail space and relocate the service to Redditch Town Hall. Despite opposition from library users after a public consultation which was called "fundamentally flawed" by national charity The Library Campaign, the demolition was approved by Cabinet at

Worcestershire County Council Worcestershire County Council is the county council for the non-metropolitan county of Worcestershire in England. Its headquarters are at County Hall in Worcester, the county town. The council consists of 57 councillors and there is no over ...

who stressed that it had been "a consultation exercise, not a referendum". The demolition project was cancelled after a landslide victory by Redditch Labour in the 2024 Redditch Borough Council election, after which the newly elected Labour council saved the building in fulfilment of promises made during their election campaign. There are no plans, now, to demolish the building or move the service.

References

{{Reflist Libraries in Worcestershire Redditch 1976 establishments in England Library buildings completed in 1976