SEFTON Council’s Cabinet Member Communities and Partnership Engagement, Cllr Liz Dowd was at Crosby Library last Friday to see the installations of a new artwork designed to brighten up the children’s library.

Liverpool based artist Linny Venables worked with pupils from nearby Waterloo Primary School to create designs for fused glass plates. Linny is now creating a mural, inspired by the library garden, which uses the plates the children designed.

After watching Linny working on the installation Cllr Dowd said:- “We wanted to brighten up the children’s library aspart of the overall improvements at Crosby Library and Linny’s mural certainly does that. And it’s great that local children from Waterloo Primary have had the chance to take part in designing the glass plates for this artwork and will be able see them every time they visit the library.”

Linny, who had an exhibition entitled Sweet Factory at The Atkinson, Southport recently said:- “It was such a delight to be commissioned to create the new mural in the children’s library, especially as we were able to involve the children from Waterloo Primary. It gave them the chance to be part of creating the fused glassed plates, which will be an integral part of the finished piece. I can’t wait to see their reactions when they see the finished work.”  

Now the mural is in place, the Crosby Library team will be inviting the children who took part in the design, and their parents, to see the work they have helped to create.

Another project designed to brighten up Crosby Library, the restoration of its 45 spectacular chandelier lights has also been completed. Originally installed as a feature when Crosby Library 1st opened in 1968, the 45 lights, which hang over a 7-metre drop, have had a full refurbishment.

The Council's Sefton Arc team fully restored them with energy-efficient equipment meaning Crosby Library is now brighter and greener.

You can find out more about Sefton’s Libraries here.