THE NEW €28 million Cork County Library was officially opened yesterday some seven months after the basement of the building was submerged when the river Lee burst its banks last November.
Mayor of County Cork Derry Canty said the new building was a major asset to the library service in the county, serving as a HQ for co-ordinating services provided across its 28 branches, five mobile libraries and central reference and local studies departments.
“Most importantly, for the public the new building provides improved access and a fitting repository for the very extensive and unique information and book resources and collections which represent the treasures purchased donated and carefully gathered over many years.”
Cork county manager Martin Riordan said the new facility, which extends to 4,500 square metres spread over seven floors, will form part of the civic campus linking the adjacent Cork County Hall on Carrigrohane Road on the outskirts of the city.
“For the first time since the establishment of the county library service 83 years ago, we have a headquarters and focal point worthy of the scope and scale of the library operation throughout the county,” said Mr Riordan.
The new building, which was designed by Shay Cleary Architects, who also designed the refurbished nearby Cork County Hall was due to open last November when it was hit by flood waters.
Heavy rainfall forced the ESB to discharge record volumes from Inniscarra Dam resulting in the basement of the new library being flooded, with waters rising up two feet causing extensive damage to the ground floor.
