Faces of the Library of Birmingham take tour of construction site

The Faces of the Library of Birmingham met with deputy leader of Birmingham City Council Ian Ward and were given an exclusive tour of the inside of the building site by contractor Carillion. The Faces saw for themselves how work has been progressing on some of the Library’s most striking features, including the impressive Book Rotunda at the heart of the new building, the 300 seat studio theatre and the environmentally-controlled “golden box” that will store and protect the library’s internationally important archive collections.

Cllr Ian Ward, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, comments:

“All of the Faces of the Library of Birmingham were selected due to their passion for libraries and each embodies the many different roles that libraries play in people’s lives. The Faces are helping spread the word that we are building the library of the future right here in Birmingham and bring the library to life in their own communities across the city and beyond.”

The group included teenage radio presenter Shaun Baxter, actor and astrophysicist David Ault and Bhangra expert Gursh Chana.

The final group of Faces of the Library of Birmingham was announced in May 2012 and there are now 26 in total – one for every letter of the alphabet.

The full list of ‘Faces’ who attended

Andre and Imarni Hesson from Great Barr

Frank Sidney Smith from Maypole

Wal Warmington from Edgbaston

Steven Woodhouse and Trevor Boddington from Birmingham

Thomas O’Flaherty, from Hockley

Gary Baker from Sutton Coldfield

Ian Myatt from Sutton Coldfield

Eunice McGhie-Belgrave from Stetchford

David Ault from Walsall

Dr John Blewitt from Malvern

Matthew Tye from Handsworth

Seyi Kolade from Harborne

Shaun Baxter from Handsworth

Gursh Chana from Great Barr

Information on all the Faces can be found at www.rewritingthebook.com.