Whether this classic example of 1960s brutalist architecture should be preserved for future generations or sentenced to the wrecking ball is a hot topic.
So when The Birmingham Post reported that English Heritage was urging the Government to preserve the library as a building of architectural importance, there was a flurry of posts and comments.
"I can only think [English Heritage] they have taken leave of their senses," exclaimed Sandwell Labour Councillor Bob Piper on a blog post entitled Bring on the Demolition Squad:

"There are not many things I would agree with Prince Charles about, I suspect, but his view of the Central Library "looking more like a place for burning books, than keeping them" strikes me as just about spot on."

But there are at least 65 people that disagree with that assessment. They are the members of the "Save Birmingham Central Library from demolition!" group on social networking site Facebook.
Affectionately referring to it as "our concrete masterpiece" they state the case for preservation:

"We want to save our post war heritage, our concrete beauties, so at least we can surprise our children with how the architects thought in these times, and because, hey, if New York and London think they're cool, so should we! It would make a wonderful new modern art gallery! Save Birmingham Central Library from the bulldozers!"

Picture by Ted and Jen.

Post blogger and veteran online personality Jon Bounds, creator of the website Birmingham: It's Not Shit (B:iNS) is one of the group's members.
His grand plan ""Central Library, keep it, knock everything else down"gained some credence amongst bloggers.
Commenting on B:iNS Josh Hart said:

"It's a plan that could work although persuading anyone influential to listen will be tough. My gut feeling is that this plan would let the Central Library 'breathe' and, with some modest maintenance, it could all look pretty good."

On his own site LiveBrum.co.uk, Josh also links to a fascinating interview with the library's architect John Madin which was produced by The Stirrer website a little while ago. In the video Mr Madin defends the library and dismisses criticisms made by Prince Charles and others:

The Post's Public Affairs Editor, Paul Dale, gave his assessment of the situation and, whilst seeing both sides of the argument, predicts that "the Government will refuse to list the Central Library and that the building will be torn down by 2015."
But Martin Mullaney, Liberal Democrat councillor for Moseley & Kings Heath, has other plans. On his website he outlines his proposal to convert the reference library building into a "Tate Modern Birmingham". He also adds some interesting diagrams to boot.
Meanwhile freelance journalist Paul Groves no longer cares either way as long as something actually happens:

"There clearly is no simple solution to the Central Library puzzle. But all the pontificating, political point scoring and general prattishness of the last few years has ensured it has become far more complex than it should have and we are really no further towards getting a resolution."

But Post News blogger Roshan Doug wonders why anyone is bothered about the library.
Roshan, the Post's very own Agent Mulder, thinks there are more serious issues to be addressed....namely UFOs in Shropshire.

"If this morning's newspapers are anything to go by, we seem to be more interested in the fact that Andy Murray has made it to the second round of Wimbledon (wow!) or - for Brummies, at least - the question of whether or not our collection of books are going to be re-housed in another part of the city and, if so, exactly what will become of the old building that will be left behind. Horror of horrors! How utterly bizarre this perspective seems to be."

So, if E.T invades and we're still too busy deciding the fate of Birmingham Central Library to defend ourselves, you can't say that you weren't warned.