Address: Centenary Sq, Birmingham, B1 2ND, United Kingdom
Phone: +441212424242
Rating: 4.5
based on 297 reviews.
Building Design & Accessibility
Pros:
"The building has 9 floors. There is a beautiful hidden garden on the 7th floor with views over the city."
"All areas are wheelchair friendly and multiple lifts."
"This is a great designed and very modern looking library located just off broad street!"
"A new, modern, landmark building near the middle of the main civic complex of buildings."
"The Library of Birmingham must be the biggest in the United Kingdom it's built like a 3 tear cake all levels have access by lift, elevator or stairs."
"The music rooms can be rented at a good price and we enjoyed the skyline view from the top."
"Really it's a pride of Birmingham library designed in circle, and well arranged huge collection of books in all source."
Cons:
"Navigation to the secret garden was slightly complex."
"Just a shame that actually moving between floors in the building is such a hassle on a busy day!"
"Would help if the lifts worked properly as this place is huge."
"It is just wasting of tax payer money."
"The building looks very hideous like a broken mattress with spokes popping out in all directions."
"On the whole a great space but the cracks are beginning to show, quite literally, with a leaking roof, buckets placed underneath near computer area on 2nd floor."
"One of the ugliest buildings in Birmingham following just behind the Bullring."
Library Services & Staff
Pros:
"The facilities are also ultra modern with lots of computers, places to study and even private rooms for those who prefer quieter environments to study."
"As you would expect from a library it has lots of books and excellent resources."
"A massive Library with an enormously large collection of books."
"Thank you all the staff at Birmingham Library, I feel privileged to have the services you provide."
"The young lady member of staff went above and beyond in order to help us find what we were looking for."
"All the staff were approachable and helpful."
"The staff are very professional and they assist you when necessary."
Cons:
"The library opens too late (11am) and more annoyingly, closes way... way too early! (5pm!!!!!)"
"The books are very limited as well as the computers on the lower ground very-outdated."
"It seems the varieties of book and publisher and author are not so much."
"The staff are bloody clueless while ducking and diving their sheer responsibilities when they feel like it."
"Staff are unhelpful, there is a lack of seating, and the opening and closing times are ridiculous!"
"The abysmally sluggish internet at the Library of Birmingham is utterly unacceptable."
"The painfully slow internet connection."
Security & Safety
Pros:
"The library is also well-served by public transport."
"Parking is available at Snow Hill, which is just a short walk from the library."
"Wheelchair accessible and friendly."
Cons:
"Someone stole my wallet on Wednesday 9th March 2022 between 3pm -4.45pm while I was on computer 305 and there is no CCTV camera covering that area so there is no chance to find the thieves I feel very strongly upset and frustrated and bad."
"Long wait for lifts that don't turn up."
"There are three lifts near the entrance but only two in use as one was 'closed' for exclusive use for a wedding."
"The only downside for me was the toilets - they have a hands free flush system that is easily triggered whilst still seated!"
"There are very few toilets on upper level floors which is not great given the massive study areas."
"Parking can be an issue."
"One of the escalators was inoperable during our visit but you were able to walk through, all lifts worked."
Atmosphere & Experience
Pros:
"We are so lucky to have such a beautiful building as the library in Birmingham."
"It's a great place to read, study, or simply relax."
"Amazing place. Perfect for studying."
"One of the coolest free places you can go."
"A wonderful exciting building to visit so modern many good features."
"Beautiful building which is just a good a place to work as it is to visit - there two different balconies to look over Birmingham, both with lovely gardens and benches to sit on."
"The library is fantastic. It is a book lovers heaven, or haven."
Cons:
"Better off staying at home."
"Here you get teenagers who come to socialise."
"I think there should be staff walking around advising people that this is not a social place it a place to work as its not much good having a library you can't concentrate in."
"New but the library is very primitive, careless, and lack of organization."
"The facade of the building is rather a blight on the area by Chamberlain Square."
"The arrogant security staff who can be very heavy-handed when they want to be."
"Library should be a place to study in a quite and calm environment but this place is full of hustle and bustle and noises of escalators and other things."