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The Great Britain Guide

Historic libraries · East Midlands

Derby Central Library

♿ Wheelchair: limited

Derby Central Library — a Grade II*-listed library in england-east-midlands, United Kingdom.

25-29 Wardwick, Derby - geograph.org.uk - 4181661

Stephen Richards — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
45 min–1.5 h
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Derby Central Library is a Grade II*-listed building in england-east-midlands, United Kingdom. Grade II* status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.

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From the Wikipedia article

Derby Central Library was the main public and reference library in Derby, England, between 1879 and 2018. It was established in 1879 along with Derby Museum and Art Gallery, with which it shared a red brick building designed in the Domestic Flemish Gothic style by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. It was formerly the largest branch of Derby City Libraries run by Derby City Council.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

Prior to the Public Libraries Act 1850, a number of circulating libraries existed in Derby. Typically these libraries were run by booksellers and relied on a subscription payment by their members. The "permanent" library in Derby was established in 1811 in Queen Street. This library was open to people who by the 1830s could afford to buy a four guinea share and pay an annual subscription of another guinea. In 1832 this library had 84 members. In 1858, the book collection incorporated the 4,000 volume library of the Derby Philosophical Society. In 1863 the botanist Alexander Croall was appointed the first Librarian and Curator and the following year the museum and library were joined…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
52.9227, -1.4796
District
Derby
Parish
Derby, unparished area
Postcode
DE1 1BJ
Parliamentary constituency
Derby South
Established
1879

Sources

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Other works by Richard Knill Freeman

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Derby Central Library?
Derby Central Library is in the East Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode DE1 1BJ), in the parish of Derby, unparished area.
When was Derby Central Library built?
Built or established in 1879.
Is Derby Central Library a listed building?
Derby Central Library is officially recognised as Grade II* listed.
How do I get to Derby Central Library?
Drivers can navigate to postcode DE1 1BJ. It sits within the Derby South parliamentary constituency.