Overview

Bristol Central Library is right in located right in the picturesque College Green area of the city, where you'll also find the City Hall, Bristol Cathedral, beautiful gardens and no shortage of coffee spots. There are steps up to the front exit, with level access via the side entrance. I appreciate the fact that the "side entrance" didn't feel tacked-on; it leads you up a ramp to automatic doors and brings you in through the café area. So often, additional entrances are ill-conceived and leave me feeling like I'm using the service entrance - good job, Bristol! Whether you're in to check out some books, or just for a bit of quiet, the venue offers a lot in terms of accessibility and is well worth checking out if you're in the area.

Transport & Parking

I arrived at the venue using my wheelchair. I noted that there is on-street parking spaces nearby on College Street and Deanery Road, but they were all standard bays. There are six full-size accessible parking spaces located behind City Hall. A handy bus stop can be found on nearby College Green. Cityline routes 1, 2, 2a, 3 and 4, along with the Temple Meads Connection 8, routes 5, 71, 72, 77, the U2 Unibus and the Y6 South Glos Lynx, all stop here. Bristol Temple Meads Station is about a mile away. Just a note that the route up to College Green is quite hilly. There are cycle lanes along the way so it’s worth keeping an eye out.

Access

As mentioned above, the front entrance has stairs but if you continue along to the right side of the building, you'll find tactile paving and a ramp, which has rails on either side. There are also steps on the left with rails and clear marking on the step edges. As you enter through the automatic doors, you'll arrive at the café. The café is pretty spacious, with four tables, all of which have wooden chairs that can be moved if needed. The café counter does not have a lowered section, but there is a visible hearing loop on the counter. It's nice to see this front and centre. The card reader is to the right of the hearing loop and sits in an adjustable cradle. I could reach it from my wheelchair. There is a children's library nearby, next to the lift entrance. I didn't assess this as there were lots of children playing and I didn't want to catch them in my photos. The lifts are quite small, though a powerchair user would fit in with a second person, even if it is a squeeze. Neither the buttons on the outside nor the inside of the lift have braille markings, and I didn't notice a hearing loop symbol on the inside. There is a grab rail around the perimeter for those who need it. In the reference hall, there are rows of bureau-style desks, which have power sockets and USB slots for charging phones, laptops and mobility devices if needed. There are heavy wooden chairs at each. At the back of the hall, there is a height-adjustable desk, which is great to see, but there are no sockets, USB or otherwise, to use. There are several tables to sit at and a large circular table set near a bay window. The bookshelves dotted around are high, so some may need assistance to retrieve the books they need. The help desk here has a hearing loop. The main library area has a hearing loop symbol on the wall. There are plenty of seats but the bookshelves are just as high as in the reference hall. Public computers are available to hire. I noticed one where the desk was designed with wheelchair access in mind. There is a level change in this area, which has a ramp and two steps with clear markings and rails on either side. The reference hall has wooden flooring, the main library has carpet tiles – useful to note for those using manual chairs. Signage is minimal but clear and I understand that a member of staff trained in BSL is normally on duty.

Toilets

There is an accessible toilet on the first floor, which can be accessed using the lifts. The toilet has a manual door, which opens outwards and does not require a RADAR key. The door is secured from the inside by twisting the small lever on the lock. There are transfer spaces to either side of the toilet, both of which were unobstructed on my visit. White grab rails are mounted on the wall on both sides of the toilet, but neither the rails nor the seat contrasts with the rest of the toilet; however, they do contrast with the green wall. The toilet seat has a soft backrest. The red cord hangs to the left when seated and wasn't tied up – love it! The sink has a small basin, with a lever-style mixer tap and grab rails on either side. A soap dispenser is located just above the sink. To the right of the sink, there's a low mirror and a shelf above the radiator – though I don't think this is intended to be a colostomy shelf. A baby change table and a Dyson Airblade hand dryer are available. The toilet is a little grubby and could do with a lick of paint, but otherwise it's a decent toilet.

Staff

The staff at the café and the other desks within the building were lovely, eager to help and made sure I could find my way around.

Photos