City library closes for £1.3m renovation

2 hours ago

Helen Burchell

News image — The library is closed until mid-July but alternative arrangements are in place for users

David Freezer/BBC A view of the outside of the library in Norwich. It has a glass window and a sign on it telling people the library is closed. Books and staircases can be seen inside and there is a table outside with a range of leaflets on it. — The library is closed until mid-July but alternative arrangements are in place for users

A library that opened in a city 25 years ago has closed for a major £1.3m refurbishment project.

The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, located in The Forum in Norwich, will be closed until the middle of July, although some services would still be available.

A temporary space will open in The Forum on 5 May, enabling people to borrow and return items, with a small selection of books on display. Many of the library's regular groups and activities will continue in the site's gallery area.

However, there will be no study spaces available, or computing and printing services, but Norfolk County Council said computers would be available to book at other local libraries.

The authority, which runs the city library, said the planned work included a new entrance, more study spaces and a new design of the early years library.

There are 47 council-run libraries in Norfolk, and while the Millennium Library is the largest in the city, there are others in suburbs including Hellesdon, Sprowston and Taverham.

Customers have been encouraged to return items to other nearby libraries but for those who are unable to do so, there would be a limited facility to return items at the temporary location in The Forum.

Loan time would also be extended to allow for greater flexibility and reservations can be collected from the same location, with pick-up times also extended.

The council said a full closure of the library was necessary to ensure public safety, while allowing the project to be completed sooner and at lower cost than a series of partial closures.

Norfolk County Council An artist impression of what the ground floor of the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library could look like once the refurbishment work is complete. Works on the ground floor includes improves to the children's and early years areas. — Plans for the refurbishment were shaped by library users' feedback and would see changes to the early years and children's areas, and more study spaces

The Norfolk Heritage Centre on the second floor, will be closed for the duration of the works "due to the sensitive nature of the material contained in the heritage centre, which makes moving it more challenging and potentially putting the material at risk", the council said.

The Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) will also be closed but alternative BIPC access would be available at Wymondham and Wroxham libraries, and options for outreach sessions were being explored.

Sarah Hassan, the head of libraries development at the council, said: "This refurbishment represents a significant investment in Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library as it reaches its 25th year.

"It will allow us to improve the layout, accessibility and overall experience for users of all ages.

"We recognise that this will cause some disruption and we are grateful to our library users for their patience while we work to improve the library for the future."

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