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Lister Drive Library, England
Lister Drive Library is a former library in Liverpool, England. The Grade 2 listed building was built in 1905. The site is also known as the West Derby Carnegie Library. Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish American philanthropist, funded the design and construction.
The library has brick walls with stone dressings, and a slate roof. There are four bays, and a central bay. A large skylight above the central bay provides ample natural light. In addition, there is an octagonal turret/tower above the main entrance.
Lister Drive Library has been abandoned since 2006. Serious structural problems were beginning to emerge. Consequently, these issues forced closure amid safety concerns.
The abandoned library
At the time of my visit in the summer of 2017, the library has been derelict for over a decade. All fixtures and furniture have been stripped from inside years ago. However, despite being “empty”, the architecture still holds a lot of charm. At some point someone has also removed some of the parquet flooring.
As a result of the long abandonment, the building had begun to succumb to wet and dry rot. Emergency protection work was undertaken several years ago. The scaffolding seen in my photos is part of these £100,000 holding works.
The future of Lister Drive Library
In 2017, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the formed Carnegie Library a £3.9m grant. Liverpool Council is adding an additional £500,000 to the project funds. The 12-month restoration plan began on 1st April 2019. OMI Architects won the design contract. The building work will be carried out by HH Smith & Sons Ltd. Both companies have worked on many Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed buildings across northern England. It appears the tasteful restoration of the building is in safe hands.
The refurbishment will repurpose the site as a multi-purpose community hub. Lister Steps will head the scheme. This local group was founded in 1997, “by parents, for parents”. At this new facility, they will continue to support local families. The new building will also host events and provide new training opportunities. Additionally, you can read more about the restoration plans on this website.
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