Council seeks views for Central Library feature

Liverpool City Council is asking residents to put forward suggestions for a new literary pavement being created as part of the £50m redevelopment of the city's Central Library.

The 22 metre long and 4.5 metre wide walkway will lead from William Brown Street to the entrance of the restored library and engraved on it will be titles from world books, cinema and music.

The council also wants suggestions for two other key areas including a panel called Literary Liverpool, which will cover the back of the building.

The panel aims to showcase writers who were either born in the city, or lived, worked, visited or were influenced and inspired by Liverpool. So far, the list includes the novelist Beryl Bainbridge, poet Adrian Henri and playwright Willy Russell.

Inside, there will also be an area dedicated to famous quotations which will be visible from each floor of the building.

Cllr Wendy Simon, cabinet member for culture and tourism, said: "Liverpool's Central Library will be one of the best public libraries in the UK and we think it's important to give people the chance to have their say on these important features which will be part of the city for years to come.

"I'm sure there will be a huge amount of debate around the lists, and people will be keen to get their favourite book or film on the pavement.

"The Literary Liverpool section is going to be particularly hard to whittle down – the pool of talent we have would be enough to cover every building in the city so getting it to a select few will be a difficult task.

"I'm hoping as many residents and visitors take part and let the team know who they want to see permanently recognised in this fantastic new development."

Work began last autumn on the 150-year-old library, which lies within Liverpool's Unesco World Heritage site. A full restoration of the Grade II-listed parts of the building, which date back to 1860, and the famous Hornby Library and Oak Reading Rooms will be fully open to the public for the first time.

The sections behind the façade, which were built in the 1950s and 1970s following World War II bomb damage and now suffer from damp and a leaking roof, will be rebuilt to make the most of the available space.

The library is scheduled to reopen in spring 2013. The work is being carried out by the Inspire Partnership, which is a joint venture between Amber Infrastructure and Shepherd Construction with architects at Austin-Smith:Lord and Cofely as providers of facilities management services

• The deadline for feedback is 5pm Friday 11 February. To fill in the online form visit the Liverpool City Council website