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Montrose Library

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The Montrose Library is situated in an A-listed Carnegie funded building in the north Angus coastal town of Montrose. It was first opened in 1905 and in 2018 received a £1 million refurbishment to provide it with "flexible, community focused spaces".

Building in High Street, Montrose
Montrose Library
General information
StatusCategory A listed building
AddressHigh Street, Montrose DD10 8PH
Opened19 October 1905
Design and construction
Architect(s)J Lindsay Grant, Manchester

History

In 1901, Scottish philanthropist Dr Andrew Carnegie, responded to a request for funding to provide a public library in Montrose. “I should be very glad indeed to comply with your suggestion and consider it a privilege. If Montrose will adopt the Free Libraries Act and provide a suitable site, I shall be glad to provide money for the building”- Andrew Carnegie.

The architect commissioned was J Lindsay Grant of Manchester.  The total cost of the building was £7,500 with further contributions from the town of Montrose of £1000, from Mr and Mrs W. Douglas Johnson of £500 and from “Montrosians at home and abroad” of £1000. Contributions for funding the book collection were requested from present and former Montrosians and local children's families to stock the juvenile section. The library was opened  in 1905 by John Morley MP. Montrose Library was the first ‘open-access’ library in Scotland.

Collections, services and outreach

Montrose Library is run by Angus Alive, a charitable trust running culture, sport and leisure in partnership with Angus Council.

Refurbishment

The library was officially reopened on 5 September 2018 by Scottish author Stuart McBride, after a £1 million refurbishment.

Gallery

  • Public Library Sign on the outside of the building
  • Stained Glass Window
  • Outside of the building
  • "The Whisper" by William Lamb sculpture outside the library
  • Statues in the library
  • Plaque to commemorate the opening of the library

References

  1. Pinnington, Edward (1905). Montrose Public Library. Montrose: Standard Office.
  2. Montrose Free Library- Second Paper. Montrose: Montrose Library. 1904.
  3. Montrose Free Library. Montrose: Montrose Library. 1904.
  4. Kelly, Thomas (1973). A History of Public Libraries in Great Britain 1845 – 1965. London: Library Association.
Libraries in Scotland
General libraries
Specialist libraries
Notable librarians

56°42′35″N 2°28′09″W / 56.70983°N 2.46911°W / 56.70983; -2.46911

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