| Alexander Library Building | |
|---|---|
 Front entrance of Alexander Library Building | |
 Interactive map of the Alexander Library Building area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Library |
| Location | Between James Street Mall and Francis Street, Perth, 25 Francis Street, Perth,Perth, Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°56′56″S115°51′38″E / 31.948822°S 115.860565°E /-31.948822; 115.860565 |
| Current tenants | |
| Construction started | 1982 |
| Completed | 1985 |
| Opened | 18 June 18 June 1985; 40 years ago (18 June 1985 -06-18)[1] |
| Cost | A$37.6M |
| Landlord | Government of Western Australia |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Cameron, Chisholm and Nicol |
| Structural engineer | Norman, Disney and Young |
TheAlexander Library Building is located in theCultural Centre ofPerth, Western Australia.
It was named after Western Australian historian and former member of the Library Board,Fred Alexander.[1][2]
It houses theState Library of Western Australia, theJ S Battye Library,[3] and theState Records Office, in the Perth Cultural Precinct.
The building falls under the responsibility of the Western Australian government Department of Culture and Arts. It was completed and opened in 1985.[4][5]
It has been changed internally over time, however the basic structure remains.[6][7]
The sloped walkway just east of the building runs roughly along the alignment of the old Museum Street, which ran betweenJames Street and Francis Street. The street had a unique streetscape, one of the most mixed in this area of thePerth central business district – which was all removed in the construction of the new library building.[citation needed]
Only one building is commemorated on the Alexander Library Building structure – thePerth Baptist Church which was in Museum Street from 1899 to 1979. The Theosophical Bookshop and library was long established at the corner of Museum and James Streets. The streetscape can be found inWise's Directories for the earlier decades.
