Blyth Family History Library
A project to refurbish the existing family history area to house both lending and research materials at Blyth Library in Northumberland.
Making local history resources accessible
The area needed to be accessible and user friendly so customers would be able to find the materials they required with ease. High end cabinetry for the display and storage of books, maps and microfilms was a key requirement, as was a bespoke desktop for the IT area and high specification microfilm reader.
The design was to be finished in oak, in keeping with the theme of the rest of the Library. FG Library & Learning proposed a completely bespoke solution, designed to maximise the use of available space.
The storage products were manufactured to a simple, classic style that employed traditional cabinet making techniques to achieve an understated, clean look. On-site skills, such as scribing, were also applied during installation. Finished mostly in oak veneer with hints of steel blue laminate, the finished look is classic yet contemporary, and the furniture has a tactile quality that will slowly gain in character over many years to come.
Graphics were added to certain door fronts. Historic archive photographs of Blyth were supplied by the council, and these were applied to the doors as a ‘wrap’ to give a neat edge-to-edge finish. Adding this personal touch helped bring the area and the collection to life.