Part of Todmorden Library is temporarily closed, after water leaked into the extension through its roof during the recent heavy rainfall.
Calderdale Council took immediate action to get the leak under control, and is now investigating to identify the cause.
To keep customers and staff safe, and to enable the investigations to continue, access to the library extension is not available until further notice. This includes the children’s library, the accessible entrance and the public meeting room.
The rest of the library building, and all the other services provided, are open as normal.
Whilst the accessible entrance to the library is temporarily closed, people with mobility issues or prams can either call Todmorden Library in advance for help with access, or they can renew items online at www.calderdale.gov.uk/libraries or by calling any Calderdale library. A range of free digital library services, including eBooks, can be accessed on the Council’s website 24/7.
Plans are being drawn up for the longer-term replacement of the extension roof.
Parts of the extension to the original Todmorden library building contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which can weaken over time.
The Council does regular structural surveys of all its buildings to ensure they remain safe.
Regular monitoring has taken place at Todmorden Library for some time due to the RAAC. This includes carrying out scans of the relevant areas to check for movement. These scans have not identified any issues with the structure.
However, as a precaution and to give further reassurance to staff and the public, the Council is planning to install scaffolding in the access corridor and into the children’s library. This will provide an additional safeguard while investigations are completed and works are progressed to replace the roof. The scaffolding will be in place throughout this period.
Cllr Silvia Dacre, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources said:
“The safety of library users and staff is our priority, so we’ve taken the decision to temporarily close the library extension so we can deal with the leaking roof and do a thorough investigation to make sure the building is safe when it reopens.
“We are looking into longer-term plans for the roof and the RAAC in the extension.
“We apologise for the inconvenience that this temporary closure may cause. All services in the original library building are still up and running as usual.”
Information about Calderdale Council’s library service can be found at https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/libraries or by following @CMBClibraries on X (formerly called Twitter) or Calderdale Libraries on Facebook.