Council takes formal delivery of £24m building set to open in June

A new £24m library for Newcastle designed by Ryder Architecture has been handed over to the city council.

The Newcastle City Library will be one of the largest public libraries in the country, featuring a 180-seat performance space, creche and cafe, alongside the usual library amenities.

The library was built by Kajima and Tolent, and is set to open in June this year.

The Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, fresh from writing a poem to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the RIBA, attended the handover ceremony in his capacity as chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

He said: “It's a wonderful building, combining excellent opportunities for pleasure, learning and discovery. A beacon, in fact, and a magnificent reminder of everything that libraries can offer their communities.”