ABSTRACT
The controversy that surrounded the construction of the new British Library building, opened in London in 1997, reflects the tensions that have arisen, and continue to arise, between modernist and traditionalist approaches to public library design, including the renovation of historic library buildings. As in the wider world of politics and economics, 'old' and 'new' appeared to be locked in combat. However, upon closer inspection, and at a certain level, the new British Library successfully combines the modern and the functional with the classical and the historic. The public library community recognises that, despite the goodwill attached to their institution, they face a fierce struggle to survive in the information age and to convince the wider world that the public library is a 'relevant repository of public knowledge'. Public opinion appears to be divided, therefore, on the question of the ideal architectural style for a public library: both the new and the old have their supporters.
