Ealing Central Library to be revitalised

LordEaling · Site Admin Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 3

Refurbishment work to revitalise Ealing Central Library and create a more inviting and user-friendly facility has commenced.

Ealing Council will invest more than £2 million to refurbish the library as part of its “Libraries for the 21st Century” programme. The library will be closed from Sunday 22 April 2007 until January 2008.

A temporary library will be available from Tuesday 1 May, which will provide a number of key library services but on a smaller scale. This will include a range of adult, teenage and children’s fiction and non-fiction, DVDs, newspapers and free internet access. There will be a limited local history and reference service and study space.

The temporary library will be located on the ground floor of the Ealing Town Hall Annexe, adjacent to Ealing Town Hall on Uxbridge Road. It will be open on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays between 9am-5pm and Tuesdays to Thursdays between 9am-7pm. The service provided on Sundays from 2-5pm will be transferred to Acton Library from 6 May until the opening of the refurbished Central Library.

Councillor Nigel Sumner, Cabinet Member for Health and Community Well Being, said: “Ealing Central Library is in desperate need of modernisation to encourage a broader range of people to come and use this vital facility. The refurbishment will help us to ensure that central Ealing is provided with a relevant and accessible library service that will appeal to many more of our residents.

“The new library will be a state-of-the-art facility. It will provide library users with a welcoming indoor space with a varied range of quality contemporary and classic books, an increased number of computers for public use and a children’s library on the main floor. There will also be new services and areas to cater for different users’ needs, for example, a dedicated area for adult education, a silent study area where a traditional library feel will be maintained, a space where young people can read and relax, exhibition and meeting space, and a small coffee shop and public toilets to improve users’ comfort.

“Whilst the closure of the library will cause some inconvenience for residents, I am confident the temporary service will provide a suitable alternative while we wait for the new and improved library to open next January. I would like to thank the public for their patience during the refurbishment period.

“I would encourage anyone who has questions about the refurbishment work or wants information on the library service to visit the temporary site over the coming months and library staff will be more than happy to answer any questions.”

For more info: http://www.ealing.gov.uk/press_releases/2007/april_2007/pr969.html