Armley Public Library

Armley Public Library is a public library built in 1901 by Percy Robinson. It is constructed of red brick with stone dressings and features a slate roof. The building has a semicircular stone porch at the corner, which includes an arcade of three large round arches supported by short bulbous columns. The spandrels and frieze above the arches are richly carved. One arch contains wrought-iron entrance gates, while the other two have a staircase running through, featuring a heavy balustrade and iron cresting on the stone handrail.

Above this corner feature is a short brick tower with stone quoins. The tower has a battered stone clock stage with a diagonally set square panel, topped by a squat louvred wooden bellcote that is adorned with Ionic pilasters and corner brackets, and an ogee-shaped lead-clad dome with a finial. Each return elevation showcases a large Dutch gable with a stone-shaped pediment that includes a datestone and coat of arms.

The north elevation facing Stocks Hill continues with five additional bays, featuring Ionic pilasters between the bays that support a continuous entablature with a modillion cornice. High under the entablature is a continuous row of three-light stone mullion windows, while the basement is finished in ashlar with large segmental-headed windows. The slate roof includes flush roof lights.

Inside, a plaque on the wall of the entrance gateway commemorates the building's opening on April 17, 1902, by Councillor John Bowling. The entrance way and corridor feature a mosaic floor and a glazed wooden screen with leaded glass in Art Nouveau designs, including two panels with the coat of arms. The entrance has glazed double doors with overlights and wooden panels above, topped with broken ogee pediments. A glazed dome with moulded ribs and transoms frames the leaded glass panels. The main hall is characterized by pilasters between the windows that rise to a bracketed cornice, with moulded friezes above the windows. The hall also features an elliptically-arched and panelled barrel vault with two rows of continuous flush roof lights and cast-iron frames.