A sideways view of Minerva on Hyde Library

On the top of Hyde Library is a statue of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and sponsor of the arts, trade, and strategy, holding a book.

Hyde Library was originally Hyde Technical School and Free Library. It opened in 1897 replacing the former Mechanics Institute.

In recent years the building was shared between the library and Tameside College but after the college moved out the library was extensively refurbished between 2006 and 2010 and a gallery to local artist Harry Rutherford was opened. However in 2012 the gallery was moved to the Central Art Gallery in Ashton under Lyne.

In the first round of "council austerity cuts" the public were presented with three "choices" regarding the future of library services. Smaller local libraries were closed in the light of promised improved facilities at main libraries such as Hyde. Now, in a new round of service cuts, the proposal is to move library services to the Town Hall.

The plan is then to sell the library building.

Petitions opposing the move of library services and the selling of the building are being presented to the council by local people opposed to what appears to be a growing centralisation of services in Tameside Metropolitan Borough in Ashton-under-Lyne and the stripping of assets in Hyde and other towns.

See another view of Minerva on Hyde DP Xtra.

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