THE City ofEdinburgh Councilhas approved plans by theNational Libraryto replace platform lifts in its entry hall currently described as a “safety hazard” and “crush risk” to children.
The current lifts require “constant supervision” by staff and are too small to accommodate the increasingly prevalent larger, powered wheelchairs.
The new lifts will greatly improve accessibility at the important institution and bring the building in line with a nationally recognised code of practice which aims to ensure the built environment is inclusive and accessible for disabled people.
Alterations to areas of the building’s entry hall surrounding the lifts are also being planned.
A National Library spokesperson today said: “We are pleased that our application for planning permission has been granted by the City of Edinburgh Council.
“The new platform lifts will be an improvement on the existing ones and will help us meet modern standards.
“We want to make it easy for everyone to access the collections and also enjoy our services and programmes.
“The new lifts will be easier to find and to use for those who need them, and will help us make the library more welcoming and inclusive for all.”
The National Library of Scotland (NLS) plans to replace balustrades thought to have been added in the 1950s with modern, safe and accessible design fittings adjacent to the new lifts.
Accessible platform lifts were initially installed in the library’s entrance foyer in the 1990s and 2000s, but these are now deemed to be out-of-date and unsafe.
A design and access statement submitted by Reiach and Hall Architects on behalf of the NLS said that the library is keen to enhance the accessibility of the building and wants to be proactive about meeting the requirements of disabled visitors.
It states the reasons for the alterations as follows: “The current platform lifts within the main entrance are deemed to be a crush risk for small children, requiring constant supervision by NLS staff.
“This poses a significant safety hazard to library visitors and introduces avoidable demand on staff resources.
“The existing platform lifts are too small to accommodate the increasingly used larger, powered wheelchairs, limiting accessibility for some individuals with disabilities.
“The replacement platform lifts must meet the requirements of BS 8300: Parts 1 & 2 2018, ensuring that the library complies with current accessibility standards.
“The existing provision does not meet these standards. In addition to upgrading the existing platform lifts with new models that meet BS 8300 standards, the project scope includes the necessary modifications to the building to accommodate the new platform lifts, including alterations to the surrounding areas and the installation of new control systems.”
The NLS is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom, with over 24 million items in its collection.
The library was built to take over national library status from the nearby Advocates Library.
Building work was begun in the 1920s – following an act of parliament establishing the library in 1925 – and eventually completed in 1958 – after interruption by the Second World War.
Today, the library stands as one of Scotland and the UK’s most important institutions, with copies of the Gutenberg Bible, the First Folio of Shakespeare, and the last letter of Mary Queen of Scots within its collection.
Another building of the National Library was opened in Causewayside in Edinburgh’s Southside in two phases in 1989 and 1995.
The entrance hall of the library, where the refurbishments will take place, houses a shop, cafe, and exhibition spaces.
The design and access statement submitted on behalf of the NLS concludes: “The entrance to the National Library of Scotland building on George IV Bridge is a culturally significant space.
“It has a strong, recognisable presence in the Old Town streetscape and is the very first space experienced by visitors to the National Library of Scotland, the portal through which the public can access the national collection and its critical repository of knowledge and cultural heritage.
“The Category A listed building on George IV Bridge is also historically significant in its site and adjacency to the Advocates Library, physically linking the National Library building to its heritage and foundation.
“Overall, the design proposal for the platform lift replacement strives to compliment the historic, civic character of the space through the careful stripping back of peacemeal additions, and a subtle re-ordering of the fragmented floor plan to streamline the journey to the platform lifts, reinforcing the processional entrance experience of the original design intent.”
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