1904 – Carnegie Library, Keighley, Yorkshire

The library is an Arts and Crafts style Grade II listed building and was the first public library in England endowed by Andrew Carnegie. Designed by Birmingham architects, Arthur McKewan and James Swan, it was chosen after an architectural competition. By the competition closing date, 30 April 1901, 146 designs had been submitted. The designs were judged by Leonard Stokes, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

“This design was places first by the assessor, Mr. Leonard Stokes, in a recent competition in which 146 designs were submitted and is now to be carried out with some slight modifications. The disposition of the plan is explained by the fact that on the south side of the site sufficient land was provided for future extension; the principal rooms were consequently placed on this side.

Accommodation is provided as follows : (Ground floor) newspaper reading-room for 150 readers, separate ladies’ room ; lending library space for 40,000 volumes ; (first floor) reference library 4,000 superficial feet and accommodation for 40,000 volumes ; patent library 2,000 superficial feet ; store for valuable books ; rooms are provided for the staff (both sexes), workroom and store-rooms on the ground and basement floors.

The building will be faced with local freestone and the roofs covered with green Westmoreland slates.

Internally the walls will be plastered down to dado, which will be of dull glazed tiles — the floors of the principal rooms are to be of wood block on concrete and those of the halls of marble mosaic; the ceilings of plaster panelled in simple forms; the woodwork generally of pine stained a suitable colour and varnished.
The buildings will be heated by hot water at low pressure and lighted by electricity.

The estimated cost of the buildings is 10,000/. Messrs. McKewan & Swan, of Birmingham, are the architects.”
The Builder