We’re giving your library a lift
As part of our ongoing efforts to make your Library more accessible to everyone, a major programme of upgrade to our three main lifts is due to start on Monday 14 July 2025, commencing with the right-hand side lift.
This is a long-term project and is likely to last until May 2027.
We will update this page as the project progresses.
Some noise disruptions will be unavoidable; however, we will keep you updated about which areas of the Library will be affected as the work progresses, and we thank you in advance for your patience while we improve your Library.
21 November 2025:
The Library Customer Experience Leadership team has regular catch-ups with the Library Lifts Upgrade Projects Managers and Contractors. Those meetings are extremely valuable; we are kept updated about the progress of the project and about any works that are likely to cause disruptions of any kind to our users. We had such a meeting on Wednesday, and the project is progressing as planned with no issues. The contractors also shared some images from beyond the hoarding which you can see below.
As always, we thank you for your patience and cooperation while we improve your Library.
02 October 2025:
Our Project Manager has advised that the installation of metal separations and supports has commenced within the lift shaft as planned, and our contractors have provided some pictures from beyond the hoarding which we thought you might like to see.
Please remember that this work means the middle lift will be out of service from Monday 29 September for a duration of two weeks. The left-hand side lift (floors 1 to 7) and the glass lifts (floors ground to 2) will remain available, but there may be slightly increased waiting times to travel to and from the upper floors of the Library.
We thank you for your patience while we improve your Library.
From Monday 29 September:
To allow for the installation of protection panels in the lift shaft, the middle lift will be out of service from Monday 29 September for a duration of two weeks. The left-hand side lift (floors 1 to 7) and the glass lifts (floors ground to 2) will remain available, but there may be slightly increased waiting times to travel to and from the upper floors of the Library.
We thank you for your patience while we improve your Library.
From 1 September 2025:
The work to the right-hand side lift is progressing as planned. From Monday 1 September, the work to widen all the doorways and make the lift more accessible will start, from the 7th floor and moving down the building. It is likely to last for three weeks and it will be a noisier period of work. Please contact our team should you require any assistance.
19 August 2025: the Library lift upgrade project is progressing as planned, and the contractors have very kindly shared with us some images from beyond the hoarding that we thought you might enjoy.
