s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁the ▁library ▁held ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁volumes ▁of ▁exception al ▁quality . ▁In ▁the ▁following ▁years , ▁thanks ▁to ▁be quest s , ▁the ▁library ▁acquired ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁works ▁and ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁manuscript s , ▁which ▁required ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁an ▁an nex ▁behind ▁the ▁main ▁building . ▁ ▁The ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Library ▁and ▁the ▁library ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Manchester ▁merged ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁University ▁Library ▁of ▁Manchester . ▁Special ▁collections ▁built ▁up ▁by ▁both ▁libraries ▁were ▁progress ively ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁the ▁De ans gate ▁building . ▁ ▁The ▁building ▁has ▁been ▁extended ▁four ▁times , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁to ▁designs ▁by ▁Champ ne ys ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁after ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁delayed ▁by ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁The ▁Lady ▁Wolf son ▁Building ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁and ▁a ▁third ▁extension , ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁an ▁appeal ▁to ▁renov ate ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁launched . ▁Fund s ▁were ▁generated ▁from ▁gr ants ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Manchester ▁and ▁Heritage ▁Lot tery ▁Fund ▁and ▁don ations ▁from ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁and ▁companies ▁in ▁Manchester . ▁The ▁project , ▁Un lock ing ▁the ▁Ry lands , ▁demol ished