The new Jubilee Library at Brighton is a bright, airy, welcoming building, which deals with CDs and computers as well as books.

It's a far cry from the old library in Church Street, which served Brighton for more than 100 years.

Opened in 1889 as the Victoria lending library, it had more than 17,000 books and was the pride of Brighton.

But by today's standards, it was a forbidding-looking place, with books inconveniently arranged and some only available by using a balcony (see picture).

Although the library was extended and remodelled over the years, it was plain the Church Street building, part of the Royal Pavilion estate, was inadequate.

For at least 30 years there were plans to replace it, until the Jubilee Library was opened last year under a private finance initiative.

This picture comes from the collection of Terry Sinnott of Hartington Place, Brighton.

  • Send your pictures, along with a note about where they were taken, to Adam Trimingham, The Argus, 9 Dyke Road, Brighton BN1 3FE.