Hornsey Library's adults' library closes from Monday 30 November for RAAC roof repairs until spring 2027. The children's library and study space stay open.

The adults’ library at Hornsey Library in Crouch End will close from Monday 30 November. Haringey Council is shutting it to strengthen and repair reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, or RAAC, in the roof.

It is due to reopen in spring 2027. The council has not given a month.

The rest of the building on Haringey Park stays open throughout. The council announced the closure on 22 October.

What stays open, and what moves

The council says these parts of the library remain open for the whole project:

  • the children’s library
  • the Original Gallery
  • the quiet study space

Some adult services will move to other parts of the building rather than stop:

  • book returns
  • public computers
  • a selection of books to borrow

You will also be able to reserve books from any of Haringey’s other eight libraries and collect them at Hornsey. The council has not yet said where in the building each service will go, or whether the opening hours will change.

The library currently opens 10am to 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10am to 7pm on Tuesdays, 10am to 5pm on Saturdays and noon to 4pm on Sundays, according to its council page.

Why RAAC means closing the room

RAAC is a lightweight, “bubbly” form of concrete used in buildings from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. The Department for Education’s identification guidance says RAAC panels are “considerably weaker than traditional concrete” and are now beyond their estimated service life. It records sudden roof panel collapses with no apparent warning, including in roofs that looked in good condition. That is why rooms under RAAC roofs are cleared for repair work.

The council’s release does not say when the RAAC was found, how much of the roof it affects or what the repair will cost.

The building is Grade II listed, the council’s library page notes. The release says the work will “preserve the historic character of Hornsey Library and future-proof its adults’ library for many more years to come”.

What the council’s budget shows

The council’s own spending report gives a clue to the scale. The 2026/27 first quarter finance update lists £1.13m for Hornsey Library among works carried forward from last year in its council buildings programme. That programme was forecast to overspend by £2.2m.

The same report lists “RAAC works being delivered by Major Projects” as a separate item. It does not break that down by building, so it does not show how much of either sum is for this roof. We reported the overspend in September.

The same list carries £450,000 for a roof replacement at Muswell Hill Library.

What it means for you

If you use the adult lending shelves at Hornsey, you have until Sunday 29 November to browse them as normal. After that, the selection kept in the building will be smaller. Reserving online and collecting at Hornsey is the way to get a specific book.

If you need a full adult library before spring, the nearest alternatives are:

  • Stroud Green and Harringay Library, Quernmore Road N4. Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm.
  • Highgate Library, Shepherds Hill N6. Open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm.
  • Muswell Hill Library, Queens Avenue N10. Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm.

None of the three opens on a Sunday.

If you use the computers or return books at Hornsey, both carry on in the building. Go to the library desk on your first visit after 30 November to find where they have moved.

If you are booked into an event at Hornsey, the children’s library, the gallery and the study space are open, so most events should run. The library’s events listing is the place to check.

The Friends of Hornsey Library support the library alongside its staff, and can be reached at friendsofhornseylibrary@gmail.com, according to the council page.

We will update this story when the council confirms where each service moves and the reopening date.

Sources