Overview

Paisley town centre is in the middle of a colossal revamp. A spectacular £100 million has been invested to upgrade Paisley Museum, Paisley Town Hall and most recently Paisley Central Library. Originally part of the museum at the top of the High Street, the old library was difficult to navigate, accessed by a steep ramp at the side of the building, which also functioned as the museum's only accessible entrance. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case as the library has been moved to a new location, on the same street but closer to the centre, accessed via ground level, with lifts to each floor and two accessible toilets. The library is now sleek and modern, but there is room for improvement, especially where signage and accessible toilets are concerned.

Transport & Parking

There is no dedicated parking at the library, as it’s now halfway up the pedestrianised section of the High Street. There is parking at the top of the High Street, which is uphill, and features a handful of accessible and standard parking spaces. There are also 4 accessible spaces on the nearby New Street, located on a steep hill. The library website mentions parking options on School Wynd, however, the spaces there, and at the nearby car park are on a severe incline. I parked on Causeyside Street, which is mostly level, outside of the Paisley Centre (a small shopping centre) where there are four accessible parking bays at the entrance, a further four up the street and a long single yellow line. There’s a lift within the Paisley Centre, exiting on the top floor and leaving the centre via the High Street will bring you to the library. Bus stops are located at the top and bottom of the High Street. Paisley Gilmour Street Railway Station is nearby, exiting into County Square from the station and taking a right onto the High Street will also lead you to the library.

Access

There’s one entrance to the library, through an automatic sliding door that’s wide enough for most wheelchairs and powerchairs. On the ground floor, you’ll find the reception desk, which is low and accessible, and the self-issue and return terminals, which are equally accessible. To the right are adult fiction books, with the children’s books toward the back of the room. A little unconventional for a library, there’s a children's play area beyond the children’s books. As one may expect, this can get busy and noisy! There’s also an accessible toilet on the ground floor, in a corridor to the left when you enter through a heavy door. The additional floors, accessed via the stairs or the lift are carpeted. It looks modern, but I struggle pushing my manual chair across certain types of carpet. The 1st floor has more adult fiction books, graphic novels, and a selection of audiobooks. There are several PCs and two meeting areas, one is behind a door, the other in a large recess with a horizontal shutter. The graphic novels are on a shelf upon a platform at the window, making the books difficult to see and hard to access. On the 2nd floor are non-fiction books and a computer area with several PCs. I’m advised there is an accessible toilet on this floor, I was unable to find it on my visit. The 3rd floor, known as The Gallery, is smaller and overlooks the other floors. This area mostly consists of teen books and manga. There’s a long table with a few PCs, a seating area against the window and two desks with chairs. The desk to the right looked like it could accommodate a manual wheelchair. Additionally, I found the placement of some pillars within the library a bit obstructive. I expect they’re placed specifically for support, but once or twice I had to double back, rather than go around a shelf. Signage was mostly limited to the lift areas, which mentions an upper ground floor with toilets, but the lift wouldn't stop there. The lift has an induction loop.

Toilets

There are two accessible toilets within the library, one on the Ground floor and one on the 1st floor. I couldn’t locate the accessible toilet on the 1st floor as there was no clear signage. I found the standard toilets along a long corridor, and behind a door. I asked for assistance at the desk and spoke with a helpful lady who showed me to the toilet. This is where I started to see some issues. The corridor where the toilets are located is behind a heavy door. There was no touchpad or automatic opening, so the lady had to hold the door open for me. She then showed me where the toilet was, only for us both to realise that there was no way for me to signal for help with the heavy door when I was finished, she suggested that I pull the red emergency cord to signal the reception desk that I was coming back through. This was a helpful compromise in the short term but something that should be looked at. It’s better when the accessible toilet is, you know, accessible. The toilet had a sliding door, which didn’t need a radar key. There’s a standard toilet, with grab rails on either side, with the flush being a button on top of the cistern. The sink is static with grab rails on either side, the soap dispenser is wall mounted. Free period products are provided in a plastic box on the floor - it would be helpful if these were higher, on a small table for instance. There’s a waste bin and a sanitary bin. There’s also a baby change in the toilet. The red cord appeared to have been cut, as a result, it can only be reached from a sitting position. Both red bangles, one of which should be reachable from the floor, were fastened together, which is disappointing. When I was ready, I placed one of my Euan’s Guide Red Cord cards on the cord - a nice reminder of why the cord should hang to the floor - and then pulled it to notify the lady at reception that I was on my way to the door in the corridor. She was waiting with the door open by the time I arrived. I filled out a feedback form, where I called out the signage, the trouble I had getting into the toilet and the fact that the red cord was far too short.

Staff

The lady at the front desk was pleasant and exceptionally helpful. She was eager to hear any feedback I cared to provide, as the aim was to have the library accessible to most. We had a short conversation on some of the issue and she was hopeful that the feedback would be implemented

Anything else you wish to tell us?

I’d highly recommend a visit to Paisley Central Library, despite a few failings, it’s a great facility in a great location. The library hosts regular events like a writing group, book launches for local authors and community social groups. Overall, it’s a vast improvement over the dated library that once served the town. There are a few easy fixes, which would truly make the space accessible to most.

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