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Eric Baxter • Published 8 Jun 2010 14:00
PART of an Inverclyde historic book collection worth around half-a-million pounds could be sold off.
The books are housed at Greenock's Watt Library and McLean Museum and some of them could be sold to upgrade the facilities.
Councillors will be asked to shell out £13,000 to pay for experts to value the books since the entire collection has never been valued.
Education and communities director, Albert Henderson, said in a report to Thursday's full council that a partial valuation in 1976 and a consultant's report in 2005 indicate that the collection is of 'local and national significance' - and could be worth more than half a million pounds.
He said: "It is good practice to have an accurate valuation of the council's assets.
"There is also a possibility, subject to committee approval, that some of these assets would be used to assist the funding of future developments of the Watt Library and McLean Museum."
Inverclyde Council took over responsibility for running the library and museum and art gallery from the Watt Trust in 1973. Since 1974 the library has operated as part of the public library service as a specialist local history and archives centre.
It dates back to 1783 and benefited from donations by, among others, inventor James Watt.
In 1828 Watt's son offered to provide a building to house a statue of the inventor and the collections of the Greenock Library. The present building in Union Street opened in 1837.
Mr Henderson said discussions have been taking place on the future development of the library and museum complex.
He said: "The main difficulty in carrying out a full valuation of the Watt Library collection is that the books are spread over two sites and would need to be transported to a single location for valuation purposes, pushing the cost up to £13,000. The cost would be paid from Watt Trust funds."
A further report will be produced on the valuation and wider development of the Watt Library and McLean Museum.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 08 Jun 10
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