Hawick Library

Hawick Library is housed in the building built in 1904 and funded by Andrew Carnegie in Hawick. The library is a listed building.

Hawick Library
the library front
General information
Address	3 Laidlaw Street
Town or city	Hawick
Country	Scotland
Coordinates	55°25′39″N 2°47′6″W
Completed	1904
Client	Andrew Carnegie
Design and construction
Architect	John Nichol Scott
Designations	listed Cat B

History

This is a 1902 drawing by John Nichol Scott of his design

In the 1800s there had been a library in Hawick but its home was within the Town Hall. A grant of £10,000 from Andrew Carnegie enabled the construction of a purpose built building. It was one of the first design to be built by the partnership of John Nichol Scott and Alexander Lorne Campbell and Scott's design was exhibited in 1902. The new library incorporated a sculpture by William Birnie Rhind.[1] The Scott and Campbell partnership had been formed in 1899 and although they won competitions their first designs that were built included St Stephens UF Church in Comely Bank[2] and Hawick Library.

The building opened in 1904 and the town's celebration included a day's holiday.[1]

The library was extended in 1939 with a reading room whose stilts created a carport. The building was recognised as a listed building in 2008.[1]

In 2016 the local council agreed to transfer the running of its libraries including Hawick to a trust with an estimated saving of £400,000.[3]

References

1. Good Stuff. "North Bridge Street, Hawick Library, Including 1 and 2 Laidlaw Terrace, Hawick, Scottish Borders". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
2. "www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200379". scottisharchitects.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
3. "End of story for national newspapers at Hawick Library". Retrieved 2018-08-19.