It has now been over two years since Cardonald Library closed due to concerns around RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete). While the original closure was necessary on safety grounds, the prolonged lack of visible progress since then has become a growing concern for the local community.
This public blog on this issue wht Cardonald Library was published more than a year ago, with hopes that a clear plan and timeline would follow from Glasgow Life. Since then, funding has been granted, which should have marked a significant milestone. However, we are now nearly a year on from funding being agreed, and progress appears slow at best.
The most recent public update — shared via Facebook — states that remedial works could take up to 18 months to complete once work starts on site. This distinction is important. At present, there is no visible evidence of works having commenced on site: no construction activity and no clear start date communicated to residents.
If on-site work has yet to begin, it raises serious questions about the overall timeline. Based on the information currently available, reopening before 2028 increasingly feels optimistic rather than realistic.
What further compounds frustration is the lack of regular, transparent communication. Beyond occasional social media updates, there have been no material public briefings explaining:
- when works are expected to start,
- what the key stages of the project are,
- or when the community can realistically expect the library to reopen.
Libraries are not optional assets. They are vital community spaces that support literacy, digital access, learning, and social connection. Extended closures without clear communication risk eroding public trust and disengaging the very communities these services are meant to serve.
There is also concern around responsiveness and accountability. An email sent to Alison Taylor MP almost a year ago regarding the library has still not received a response. While delays can happen, prolonged silence only reinforces the perception that this issue is not being treated with the urgency it deserves. This is something residents may reasonably reflect on when considering future support for the Labour Party at a local level.
In the coming days, I will be seeking clarity from relevant parties, including local MPs, MSPs, and councillors, and submitting a Freedom of Information request to Glasgow Life to better understand:
- the current status of the project,
- confirmed timelines,
- and the reasons behind the ongoing delays.
We are not asking for the impossible — simply clarity, accountability, and visible progress. Clear timelines, regular updates, and evidence of activity on site would go a long way toward restoring confidence that Cardonald Library will reopen within a reasonable and transparent timeframe.
Until then, the question remains entirely fair:
what is actually happening with Cardonald Library?
