An Edzell library that shut two years ago is in line to be brought back to life as a tourist attraction.
Angus Council hopes the work on the historic Inglis Memorial Library building will make it one of the region’s top tourist attractions.
The council’s neighbourhood services committee has instructed officers to prepare a plan to restore the library to its original 1898 layout.
The High Street building was recently upgraded by Historic Scotland to a Category A listed building because of its status as a rare and unusual example of a surviving 19th century library.
The hall’s contents include the original stock in the region of 6,000 volumes which were gifted to the library when it opened in 1898 by Lieutenant Colonel RW Inglis, who had the hall built in memory of his parents.
It also has a historic book issue system, the Cotgreave indicator, which is still in working order and contains loan records, printed catalogues and lists of regulations.
The Library and Information History Group (LIHG) of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals considers the Inglis Memorial Library to be unique in the history of librarianship.
The plans could include conserving and repairing the unique stained glass windows and the mosaic Librarian panel about the vestibule door, replacing carpet tiles with linoleum in the style of the original flooring and installing Victorian fitments, lighting and curtains.
Panels could be used to display historic photographs, archive material and memories from residents of the library and could also be used to tell the story of the Victorian village and its daily life.
Neighbourhood services convener Councillor Donald Morrison said: “If these ideas for the library can be taken forward, with input from Historic Scotland, this would be a welcome additional attraction for tourists in that area of Angus visiting the Glen Esk Folk Museum, the Caledonian Railway and the Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, as well as our excellent museums at Brechin and Montrose.”
Councillor Mairi Evans said the work would reverse the ”bad” decision to close the library in 2010.
She said: ”We have worked with the library group in Edzell to find a workable solution that would turn a negative and bad decision from a couple of years ago into something that could give the building a whole new lease of life.
”Inglis Memorial Hall could be turned into something better than it’s ever been before.”
A modern lending library will also be part of the plans, which is likely to be manned by volunteers.
The cost of potential work has been put at £84,000 although Councillor Jim Houston pointed out that the largest cost £40,000 for the restoration of the library’s stained glass windows would have to be carried out by Angus Council anyway as it is responsible for the fabric of the building.
He added: ”Edzell residents have long regretted the closure of their library. Although they have been served to an extend by mobile library service they haven’t had access to the Ingles Hall as a reading room.
”Local volunteers helping to man the lending library which will help its sustainability.”
Photo byStanley Howe/Wikimedia Commons
