The new Birmingham library is having some problems, even though it’s only been open for about seven months, and it cost over 300 million dollars to complete the facility. Librarians working in the closed stacks aren’t able to access hundreds of books from the collection because they are up too high on the shelf, and the necessary equipment to reach them hasn’t been made available yet.

The new Birmingham library is having some problems, even though it’s only been open for about seven months, and it cost over 300 million dollars to complete the facility.

Closed stacks are research materials that have to be specially requested by library patrons.

Librarians working in the closed stacks aren’t able to access hundreds of books from the collection because they are up too high on the shelf, and the necessary equipment to reach them hasn’t been made available yet.

Brian Gambles, the Birmingham Library director is quoted as saying: “We had planned to introduce this service in the autumn, after the initial post-opening rush had settled a little, but because we're still awaiting delivery of equipment to enable staff to retrieve items from the storage stacks safely, we have had to delay this service.”

Gambles also says that the materials from the closed stack that are too high on the shelf right now should be accessible later this spring.

Critics are upset about how the library was designed with appearance in mind rather than functionality first.

There has also been controversy about the expensive new building eclipsing four community libraries in the area that are in danger of closing because of budget concerns.