Data, voice & structured cabling. Blown optical fibre Manchester

The John Rylands Library houses one of the most spectacular collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world. Its magnificent neo-Gothic building is a landmark in the centre of Manchester. The Library's treasures include the St John Fragment (the earliest fragment of the New Testament in existence, dating from c 125AD) as well as some of the most breathtaking medieval manuscripts imaginable. The new wing contains 10kms of new shelving in a temperature-controlled environment to ensure that the library's priceless collection of artefacts is protected. The Library was originally an independent institution and is now part of the University of Manchester.

A new entrance wing to house a range of modern visitor facilities.
A programme of repairs and conservation to the original 1890s building.
New exhibition galleries.
Improved collections and reader facilities; including high speed data access.

With the building closed for three years and the painstaking process of conservation and new build to be finalised, it was critical that INS Sudlows worked to ensure that the unique specification of the cabling installation worked in harmony with this historic building. Even the outlets themselves had to be specially selected to blend in with the buildings unique architecture.

Project Manager Darren Stephens commented that, “This has to be one of the most interesting and yet challenging projects that I have ever worked on. It was a real privilege to work with so many world class craftsmen, all working together, to ensure that this beautiful building will be enjoyed by future generations of visitors.”

The John Rylands Library is one of Europe’s most prestigious buildings and it is a testament to the engineering skill and attention to detail by INS Sudlows engineers that has helped provide data access inside this delicate and historic building.

case study

John Rylands Library