Central Public Library, Victoria Square, Middlesbrough
The public library dates from 1909/12 and was designed by S. B. Russell and T. E. Cooper (London) in a Classical style. It was built under part patronage of Andrew Carnegie who gave money to many towns to help provide libraries. The library was officially opened in 1912 by Alderman Amos Hinton. It was built on two plots of land, one donated by Sir Hugh Bell, the other by Alderman Amos Hinton. In its original form, it provided a lending library where boys' and girls' sections were separated by a screen and a ladies' reading room. There was a central news room with a separate entrance in Grange Road. On the first floor were the law and patent and reference libraries.
