Coleraine Library, Queen Street, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1BE

Coleraine Library is a detached circular two-storey library over basement, built around 1969 to designs by local architect John Neil of Dalzell and Campbell. The building occupies a prominent corner site at the junction of Queen Street and Circular Road.

The structure uses concrete frame construction, formed from three reinforced concrete frames crossing each other at a central axis and supporting three circular concrete plates for the roof, first floor, and ground floor. The circular plan is supported on freestanding vertical columns. A triangular roof lantern with triangular roof lights and vertical steel windows sits centrally on the roof. The exterior is characterised by full-height steel-framed glazing panels arranged in a zig-zag pattern across the entire ground and first floors, interspersed with opaque coloured panels that enliven the facade. The rear of these opaque panels are used internally as bookshelves.

The site slopes steeply, with a basement area to the north, east, and south enclosed by steel railings and set against a textured concrete retaining wall. The principal entrance faces southeast onto Queen Street, accessed by ten tiled steps with timber and steel balustrades crossing a tiled platform that bridges the basement area. A replacement aluminium-glazed entrance porch opens onto this platform. A further entrance at basement level to the northwest has a replacement uPVC screen. An access lift has been added to the right of the entrance around 2014, replacing part of the original steps.

Internally, a large hexagonal opening contains a central staircase connecting the different floors. Large triangular windows around a star-shaped central timber-boarded ceiling flood the interior with natural light. The interior remains bright and spacious with original spatial organisation largely maintained.

The roof is a flat membrane. The concrete walling is supported on the reinforced concrete frame, and windows are steel casement with glass and coloured opaque panels.

Coleraine's first public library was located in the Town Hall in the Diamond during the 19th century. By the early 20th century it occupied a room in the Town Hall. By the 1950s the library was located in Queen Street in the first floor of a temperance café leased by Londonderry County Council. The 1969 building was Coleraine's first purpose-built public library. The steeply sloping and unsuitable plot was skilfully resolved through Neil's modern design approach, allowing both ground and first floor entrances. When completed, the library was valued at £848 under the Second General Revaluation of property in Northern Ireland (1956-72). Field inspection shows the building has not been discernibly altered since completion and continues as Coleraine's main public library.

This is one of the most interesting public libraries built in Northern Ireland during the 1960s, representing an expressive and unusual example of modern library design that builds on the legacy of the many fine Carnegie libraries constructed in the early twentieth century. The building is a local landmark of considerable social and cultural interest to the community and demonstrates innovatory structural and spatial qualities appropriate to its prominent and challenging site.