Temporary Tamworth library opens for half term holiday

Thousands of books, and other equipment, will be transferred while the Corporation Street library, pictured, is closed for refurbishment.

Tamworth’s temporary town centre library will open in time for the October half term holiday.

Thousands of books will be moving to 56a Albert Road while the current Corporation Street library is closed for a major refurbishment.

The temporary library will open its doors at 8.30am on Monday, 24^th October and stay there until spring next year.

Victoria Wilson, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Communities and Culture, said:

The building on Albert Road will be fully staffed and it will have computers, a meeting room, photocopying and printing, as well as books and audiobooks.

It has a good space for people to use and we wanted to have it up and running in time for October half term, which is traditionally a busy time, so residents of all ages can come and have a look round.”

The main Corporation Street library will close its doors to the public at 4pm on Saturday, 15^th October to allow stock to be prepared for transfer. The upper floors will be closed from the beginning of the week (Monday 10^th), although meetings already booked for that week will go ahead.

The register office will also make the temporary move to the former youth and community building on Albert Road before returning to Corporation Street. Meetings remain by appointment. The office closes on Friday 14^th October and is available again at Albert Road from 28^th October.

Once the Corporation Street building reopens the county council’s adult and children’s services will also occupy part of the upper floors after moving from nearby Marmion House, which is earmarked for redevelopment.

Victoria Wilson added:

We have had a couple of informal coffee mornings at Corporation Street so that individuals and groups could chat to us about what’s happening and the reaction has been positive to the plans for both sites.

When we return to Corporation Street next year, it will be 50 years since the library first opened its doors there and this refurbishment of the building underlines our commitment to providing a first class library in the heart of Tamworth.”