13/10/05 - Help Shape The New Library - Cllr Tomlinson

Local residents invited to help shape Swindon's new Central Library

The promise to build a new central library in Swindon by 2008 comes to life this week with a challenge to local people to come and help shape its design and the services that it will offer.
 
Swindon Borough Council is hosting an exhibition in the Brunel Plaza on the ground floor (outside Samuel's Jewellers) with first impressions of what the 2000 square metre library could include.  Local people will be invited to comment on which services they feel are most important and views will then be used to brief the architects on the next stage.

Modern libraries are no longer hushed halls where people go to borrow books - as the new one in North Swindon is already demonstrating. 

Libraries can provide a range of services - from courses to a place to check emails,  a café to an after school homework club.  And Swindon Borough Council is determined to make sure that the central library continues its role as one of the busiest libraries in the Borough with plenty on offer.
 
Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Recreation, Justin Tomlinson said: "This is an incredibly exciting time as we are starting to see real progress on delivering the promises from our Swindon 2010 document.  In six months time, we'll have builders on the site of the new library.  I genuinely want local people to help us shape that library - not just the physical structure of the building but the services that it will offer. I'd like to encourage everyone to come along and give us their views."

The consultation will take place in the Brunel Plaza from Thursday, 13 October to Saturday, 15 October with library staff on hand to talk to visitors at the following times:

Thursday     9.00am to 8.00pm
Friday         9.00am to 5.30pm
Saturday     9.00am to 3.30pm

Additionally, the architects and consultants employed by Swindon Borough Council to help design the library, will be at the exhibition on the Thursday morning and Friday afternoon.

The new library sits in The Promenade, one of the seven major regeneration areas identified by the New Swindon Company to revitalise the town centre.