Water is seeping in through the roof of the north’s biggest public library – forcing part of the building to be cordoned off.
Damage to the internal roof of Inverness Library at Farraline Park has caused seven of the tiles to fall away, resulting in the floor space below it being taped off.
A black bucket has been placed on the carpet to collect water just feet away from bookshelves, and six yellow warning signs have been placed around it.
Highland Council insisted last night that it was only a “minor issue” with the flat roof of the 175-year-old building, and confirmed that repair work would take place next Tuesday.
The authority was unable to confirm the cost of the necessary repairs.
The library, located opposite the city’s bus station, contains thousands of pounds worth of books, and is also frequently used as a place for members of the public to gain internet access.
The leak is beside doors leading up to the archive section and within feet of bookshelves, but a Highland Council spokeswoman confirmed that there has been no damage to any books or contents.
She added: “Water has been seeping in and some of the internal roof tiles have come away.
“Before the workmen can gain access to this particular section of the roof, they will have to remove the air conditioningair handling unit. It will not be necessary to close the library and the works should be completed by the end of the day.”
John West, member of the Inverness Civic Trust, said: “The roof is of a concern but hopefully it’s just an isolated incident. If you have a leak in a property of that age, that can sometimes be seen as a warning to highlight the fact there are weaknesses in the roof, and rather than wait for an accident to happen, it’s worth having a look to check. Presumably they will check the whole roof next week.
“Above the reference room they keep all the historic books which go back to the times of the Highland Clearances. These are old manuscripts and would be irreplaceable.”
Inverness Central councillor Bet McAllister said that she would be calling for a review of the entire library roof next week to ensure any other issues are picked up, adding: “It has to be done because they have to preserve our listed buildings.”
The library was originally built in 1841 as Farraline Park School, also known as Bell’s Institution, by architect William Robertson of Elgin.
It ceased to be a school in 1937 and functioned as a courthouse, police station and theatre before becoming a public library in 1980.