Library’s new chapter
WITHINGTON Library is set for a major refurbishment.
The revamp will see the creation of two new meeting rooms, extended areas for children and teenagers, new furniture, new computers – and lots more books.
Work to repair the building’s roof will be carried out and the building will be fully redecorated.
Better lighting and shelving will also be installed.
The building, one of Manchester’s Carnegie libraries, opened its doors in 1927.
It’s now in need of a facelift to ensure it serves future generations of Withington residents.
The existing meeting room is well used, so two extra rooms – which will be free to fire – will be provided.
New PCs and Wi-Fi printers will be provided and the library’s book stock will be refreshed, with new titles for children and adults.
The library’s children’s area will be extended, with a new teenage area added, providing young people with a comfortable study space.
Withington Library temporarily closed earlier this month so work could begin. It’s set to reopen in the spring.
During the refurb, opening hours at Didsbury Library and Fallowfield Community Library are being extended, while nearby Withington Methodist Church will host a selection of books and allow library members to collect reservations, or return borrowed items.
Regular activities held in Withington Library – including LEGO Club, age-friendly coffee afternoons and the weekly Tiny Tots and Toddler sessions held during school term-time – will take place at the Methodist Church during the refurbishment.
Until Withington Library reopens to the public, Didsbury Library will open on Wednesdays (9am to 8pm) and Fallowfield Community Library will open on Tuesdays (10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm), Wednesday mornings (10am to 1pm) and Friday afternoons (2pm to 5pm). Executive member for schools, culture and leisure, Coun Luthfur Rahman, said: “We’re investing in the future of Withington Library and making significant improvements for the long-term benefit of this much-loved institution, which plays a vital role at the heart of the community. We’re taking steps to increase provision at other libraries and community venues during the building’s temporary closure and hope that library users will bear with us, while we create a refurbished library fit to serve Withington for many years to come.”