Overview

Manchester Central Library is a majestic building. Distributed over six floors, this rotunda-style structure inspired by the Pantheon in Rome really is a sight to behold. With accessible computers, accessible toilets on every public floor, a Changing Place toilet, a study hall, and a cafe, it truly is a place for everyone.

Transport & Parking

There are no dedicated parking facilities, but the library is directly across from St Peter's Square Metrolink.

Access

The library is well-equipped across six floors. The accessible entrance faces St Peter's Square and features two sets of automatic doors, while the main entrance has steps. Upon entering through the accessible entrance, the reception desk is on your right, and the gift shop is straight ahead. Beyond the gift shop, you'll find the café and seating area. This floor feels more like a museum than a library, with exhibits and small, quiet spaces where people were reading, writing, and charging mobile devices. One exhibit celebrates the accents of Manchester's 10 boroughs, featuring videos and audio recordings, while another focuses on disability rights. The entire floor is step-free. The lower ground floor houses the accessible toilet, along with the Relations Resource Centre, newspapers & magazines, customer reservations, computers, the Children's Library, the City Library, and an exhibition space. On the first floor, you'll find historic periodicals, the Henry Watson Music Library (which occasionally hosts performances), the Wolfson Reading Room, and several computers. The Wolfson Reading Room feels particularly historical. The second floor boasts meeting rooms, computers, and the Business & Intellectual Property Centre. There are accessible computers with high-contrast keys, accessible software, and magnifiers. The third floor contains additional meeting rooms and computers, while the fourth floor holds reference books. Lifts provide access to all floors, with braille buttons and handrails. However, one of the lifts was out of order during my visit. I didn't identify an induction loop in the lifts, but they are installed at the customer service desks throughout the library, including the café and gift shop. The museum is spacious, and can accomodate most mobility devices.

Toilets

There is a Changing Places toilet, which has all the essentials, but it's let down by poor signage and a barrier to entry. Located on the basement level, the toilet is accessed using a key card, which is carried by staff members. This would be fine if the toilet were located in one of the main library areas. The toilet is near the lending library on the basement level and can be found by travelling along the corridor, to your right as you exit the lifts but it's tucked away and easy to miss. I had asked about the facility when I came in via the upper floor, but the staff member I spoke with said there wasn’t one, only a baby change. When I finally tracked down a member of staff on the basement level, I was able to access the toilet. The toilet is spacious, with many of the facilities one would expect in a Changing Places toilet. It features a large, adjustable changing bed, a towel dispenser for the bed, and a ceiling track hoist. There are grab rails on either side of the toilet seat, with the flush located on the right when seated. There is space for both right and left-side transfers, although there is a bin in the left-side space. The emergency cord is on the left when seated, and it hung to the floor during my visit. To the left of the toilet is a large height-adjustable sink with a lever-style tap. A second static sink has been installed, with the tap activated by pushing a button. There are no shower facilities, despite the wetroom style floor. I didn’t spot a colostomy shelf. The door opens outward and is heavy. When exiting, a button on the wall is used to unlock the door. A large mirror is provided, which is something many places forget to install. Despite the many positive aspects of the toilet, the requirement to seek a member of staff when a RADAR key would do, and the onus on a disabled person or their carer to track down a member of staff, is a huge negative. Access solutions are as important as the toilet itself, and the lack of signage is a huge issue in my opinion. There are additional accessible toilets on every floor of the library, all of which require a RADAR key and feature toilet seats with a soft backrest and grab rails on both sides, a sink and mirror with grab rails on both sides and a colostomy shelf. In all but one of the accessible toilets I visited the emergency cord hung to the floor.

Staff

I've rated the staff a four collectively. The person who wasn't aware there was a Changing Places Toilet was very helpful, this is clearly a knowledge gap. The member of staff who allowed me to access the toilet was pleasant and quick to help when I found them - but I did have to find them

Photos