| Cathays Library | |
|---|---|
 Cathays Library in 2007 | |
  Location within Cardiff | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Arts & Crafts |
| Town or city | Cardiff |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°29′51″N3°10′56″W / 51.4974°N 3.1821°W |
| Completed | 1907 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Speir & Bevan |
Cathays Library is a Grade II* listed library building in Cathays, Cardiff, Wales. It is one of the 2,500 Carnegie libraries, financed by the American businessman Andrew Carnegie.
The library is situated on the northern edge of Cathays at the junction of Crwys Road, Whitchurch Road and Fairoak Road, opposite Gladstone Primary School. [1] It backs onto Cathays Cemetery.
Preceding the current library was a Cathays Branch Reading Room, which opened in May 1890. It initially contained 300 books and had an assistant librarian. [2]
The current library was constructed between 1906 and 1907, though the panel above the main door is inscribed 1906. [3] The building is in an Arts & Crafts Gothic style, designed by Cardiff architects Speir & Bevan. [3] It has a generous single storey in a 'butterfly' plan, with two main wings parallel to Whitchurch Road and Fairoak Road. The front gable ends have large windows each divided into four lights. The building's central entrance section has a narrow octagonal tower above it, with a leaded spire. [3]
It was designated in 1975 as a Grade II* listed building, as "an especially accomplished and well-preserved Arts and Crafts design" with a "pioneering butterfly plan". [3]
At various points in the 21st century, Cathays Library has been threatened with closure, either due to reviews of the library services by Cardiff Council or claims of excessive repair costs. In 2003, 1000 people signed a petition to keep the library open. [1] In autumn 2009, the library closed for repairs and refurbishment. £1 million was spent (including £300,000 for the Welsh Government) to remove dry rot and damp rot, clean the exterior and bring the interior up to modern standards. It reopened in June 2010. [4] [5]
Following the library's reopening in 2010, the original reception desk was kept but with new modern furniture including moveable 'designer' shelving. The west wing of the building was reopened, having previously been closed following an arson attack. The library had 15 public computers and a small meeting room for up to 10 people. The building also has public toilets which had been restored. [4]
The library holds Cardiff's heritage and local studies collection. It also hosts history activities and community events. It is closed on Fridays and Sundays. [6]
Cathays is a district and community in the centre of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is an old suburb of Cardiff established in 1875. It is densely populated and contains many Victorian terraced houses. The area falls into the Cathays ward. It is the third most populous community in Cardiff, having a population of 18,002 in 2011.
Gabalfa is a district and community in the north of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is characterised by a four-lane flyover road at the Gabalfa Interchange, where the A48 road meets the A470 road which leads from Cardiff to northern Wales, and the A469 road.
Whitchurch is a suburb and community in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is approximately 3 miles north of the centre of the city on the A470 road and A4054 road. It falls within the Whitchurch & Tongwynlais ward. The population of the community in 2011 was 14,267.
The New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) is the public library of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Succeeding earlier libraries in the city, it opened in 1897. Three branches were added by 1908. Carnegie library branches were added in 1911 and 1915. By 2005 a dozen branches were open. The main library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Llandaff North is a district, community and coterminous electoral ward in the north of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.
Whitchurch Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Whitchurch, an area in the north of Cardiff. It was managed by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. The hospital remains a grade II listed building. Its grounds are separately listed, also at Grade II, on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.
The Cathays electoral ward of Cardiff, created in 1890, which since 1974 has covered the Cathays and Castle communities. There is no community council for the area and it has elected four councillors since 1999.
Architecture in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, dates from Norman times to the present day. Its urban fabric is largely Victorian and later, reflecting Cardiff's rise to prosperity as a major coal port in the 19th century. No single building style is associated with Cardiff, but the city centre retains several 19th and early 20th century shopping arcades.
Cycling in Cardiff, capital of Wales, is facilitated by its easy gradients and large parks. In the mid-2000s between 2.7% and 4.3% of people commuted to work by cycling in the city. In 2017 12.4% of workers cycled to work at least 5 days a week. However, cyclists in the city are deterred from cycling by poor facilities and aggressive traffic, according to research by Cardiff University.
Public libraries in Cardiff are owned and operated by Cardiff Council. There are 20 public libraries in the capital of Wales, the largest of which is Cardiff Central Library. A mobile library service is also provided. In 2018/19, there were almost 91,000 Cardiff residents, around 25% of the city's population, who borrowed an item from a municipal library. Increases in visits, active borrowers and library members took place during 18/19 as the service continued to grow in popularity with Cardiff's citizens.
Roath Library is a Grade II listed building on Newport Road, Cardiff, on the border of the Roath and Adamsdown districts. In 2014 the library closed for repairs, and in 2015 it was decided to close the library permanently.
Insole Court is a Grade II* Listed Victorian Gothic mansion in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, built for wealthy businessman James Harvey Insole and dating back to 1855.
St Paul's Church is a Grade II listed Church in Wales parish church opened in 1890 in Grangetown, Cardiff, Wales. Renovation work commenced in 2023 after a period of closure. Community consultation alongside further fundraising and renovation will continue after this period.
There are around 1,000 listed buildings in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. A listed building is one considered to be of special architectural, historical or cultural significance, which is protected from being demolished, extended or altered, unless special permission is granted by the relevant planning authorities. The Welsh Government makes decisions on individual cases, taking advice from the heritage agency Cadw, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and local councils.
The Church of St Andrew and St Teilo is a Church in Wales church, located in Cathays, Cardiff. In 2020 the church was relaunched as Citizen Church, with a mission to serve students and young professionals.
The Cardiff Combination Football League is a football league covering the city of Cardiff and surrounding areas in South Wales. The leagues are at the seventh, eighth and ninth levels of the Welsh football league system.
