Disappearance of the reading room of the Louis Nucéra library, what is really happening?

Latest News

The major project to extend the green corridor of Nice is prompting the municipality to undertake renovation work in its largest library. The future of the reading room worries the left wing, the City reassures.

An online petition is being shared by the Viva! movement Democracy, Ecology, Solidarity. Launched on Saturday, March 25, it has garnered nearly 2000 signatures to date. The group fears the loss of 1000 square meters as well as the study room and its 280 seats in favor of “a few solitary benches under the relative shade of palm trees.” It also fears the disappearance of the 320 square meters of the reception area, purportedly allocated to the MAMAC, as well as “the disappearance, or significant reduction, of spaces dedicated to music and cinema.”

The municipality condemned the dissemination of “false information” when the left-wing group gathered in front of the library entrance to alert the users on Saturday, March 25.

A 21st-century library to “save the book”

The city hall is undertaking a renovation aimed at modernizing the “most frequented” cultural place in the city, recalls Christian Estrosi. Installing a patio to the northeast in continuity with the Promenade du Paillon is part of the project. It is also proposed to reverse the access to the library from Yves Klein Square to Rue Traverse Barla to bring light into the building.

The city council meeting on Friday, March 31, was an opportunity to take stock of the situation. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, an ecologist municipal councilor, was able to seek clarifications to “reassure users” about the “rumors” circulating on social networks: “We ask you to clearly explain what will affect the functionality of the Louis Nucéra library.”

Jean Luc Gagliolo, deputy in charge of education, books, and fighting illiteracy, first recalled that the library was built in 1995 to be a shopping center. It has not undergone major renovations since its opening in 2002. “Our priority is indeed to provide the people of Nice with a modern and rejuvenated library,” he reassures.

A reading room “preserved in its current dimensions”

In response to Viva!’s concerns, the deputy mayor declares the intention to “preserve the entirety of existing spaces and services for the benefit of readers, particularly spaces dedicated to music, video, and youth. And expand the digital offering which is currently insufficient.”

He confirms that the mandate given to the architect, unanimously chosen by a jury representing all political groups, includes the “preservation of the reading room in its current dimensions.” He mentions a patio that will “certainly be an integral part of the reading room”. Before concluding: “The new library will be a place where the book will maintain its rightful place.”

These clarifications have not sufficed to quell the concerns of Robert Injey. “The deputy mayor plays on the confusion that may exist between a study room (tables and chairs) and a reading room (a simple chair in a patio …),” he laments. The architect in charge of the project is expected to submit a preliminary design by the end of April.

spot_img
- Sponsorisé -Récupération de DonnèeRécupération de DonnèeRécupération de DonnèeRécupération de Donnèe

Must read

Reportages