Library proposals are ‘deeply flawed’

Library proposals are ‘deeply flawed’

18 June 2025

PROPOSED changes to Downpatrick Library have come in for more criticism.

Local Alliance councillor Cadogan Enright has described plans to move the much acclaimed Cultural Heritage Gallery as “deeply flawed”.

The Recorder exclusively revealed two weeks ago that Libraries NI plans move the heritage gallery into the main library in order to accommodate an art gallery and cultural space area.

Libraries NI says the changes are improvements and insists it is committed to the future of the library.

However, critics say the changes will result in a downgrading of services and fewer books.

Cllr Enright says he has asked to Libraries Ni chief executive Jim O’Hagan to carry out an urgent review of the reorganisation.

Cllr Enright, who has published several books on local history and folklore, described the Heritage Gallery as a “treasure-trove of Co Down material for local historians and writers like myself”.

He said: “The Lecale area has deep roots that are preserved in our archive. Like many local historians, I have left rare books or publications into the archive. The archive is well-used and much respected.

“I am being told the plan is to move the archive out of its protected space and displace much of the adult section of the library. This will leave the archive without its effective protective screen and significantly reduce the choice available to library users.”

He continued: “I have asked CEO Jim O’Hagan to look into these plans and consider alternatives.

“Firstly, the library service appears to have underestimated the value of this Co Down archive and needs to re-consider if it should be doing this at all.

“Secondly, it is difficult to see why gallery space or performance space in Downpatrick is needed with the excellent arts centre and also the Saint Patrick Centre with good galleries and performance spaces nearby.

“Finally I pointed out that the density of books in the children’s section is quite low. If this project is really to go ahead I have suggested that the children’s section could be co-located with the new space and that the existing children’s section be partitioned off to house the archive.”

Cllr Enright has urged all other users of the heritage gallery to write to Libraries NI and make their feelings known.