Central Library to close for refurbishment

[dutchman]

Coventry City Council’s flagship Central Library is to close for three weeks to allow a £130,000 makeover.



The building, on Smithford Way in the city centre, is to close immediately after the half term holidays on Monday 25 February and reopen again on Monday 18 March.

Because the library is open seven days a week, a temporary closure was the only way to allow the improvement work to be carried out quickly and safely.

Almost 1,500 people visit the library every day and a mobile library offering a wide selection of books will be open every day on Ironmonger Row.

Loan periods will be extended to cover the closure but items can still be handed in to a return box at the main entrance or to any other city library.

The Central Library renewals (024 7683 1999) and enquiries (024 7683 2314) telephone lines will still be open during the closure period. . On line services including renewals will also be available.

Improvement work to be carried out includes:

All areas apart from the main entrance to be re-carpeted and re-painted - the first time this has happened since the library opened in 1986
The popular children's library is being enhanced
A new, colourful carpet in the children's area
Creating a comprehensive Health and Wellbeing Zone by enlarging the current Books on Prescription area and offering a range of other books on health
A range of additional furnishings being provided such as tables and chairs
Revamping of CD, DVD and audio area
Taking the opportunity to change and improve the lay-out of the library.
A new World Zone that will provide information on different languages and culture
Maximising the dedicated study area upstairs
Wi-Fi coverage throughout the library will be boosted and will be free for two hours
Greater access to the library catalogue around the building
Creation of a library shop selling a range of items such as study books, children's activity books, children's posters and memory sticks
A new vending machines will be providing refreshments to users
A new and improved area for people with visual impairments

Staff working at Central Library will help to empty and return to the shelves 95,000 books and organising the new layout while the library is closed. They will also be covering services at other libraries across the city.

Throughout the closure period a mobile library will be based on Ironmonger Row where books can be taken out and returned. It will be open 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm on Saturday and 12pm to 3.30pm on Sunday 3 and 9 March.

Councillor David Kershaw, Coventry City Council's Cabinet Member for Libraries and Adult Education, apologised for any inconvenience caused during the closure.

He said: "It is unfortunate but unavoidable because the Central Library is open seven days a week meaning carrying out the work on days we are closed is not an option.

"The work we are carrying out shows our commitment to our library service as improvement work has been or about to be carried out at a number of other libraries such as Radford, Earlsdon, Stoke and Foleshill.

"Coventry City Council has a strong belief in our library service and we want to ensure that they are all fit for purpose.

"That means ensuring libraries that are far more than just a place to loan books or audio items as they are evolving and are increasingly used as places to study and to be signposted for information and advice."

For more information about opening times at all Coventry Libraries visit http://www.coventry.gov.uk/directory/9/ ... _libraries.