This report originally ran on Deutsche Welle.
When a new library opened in the UK city of Birmingham in 2013, many locals embraced it. It was hailed as a source of civic pride and an attraction for international visitors. But eighteen months on, this ambitious architecture project is in line for controversial spending cuts – a prospect faced by many libraries and other public services across the UK.
[audio http://radio-download.dw.de/Events/dwelle/dira/mp3/eng/32EE8270_1_dwdownload.mp3]