Mhairi Black
PAISLEY AND RENFREWSHIRE SOUTH MP
I RECENTLY had the chance to go along and meet some of the lovely staff and get a tour of Paisley Central Library in the learning and cultural hub on the town’s High Street.
This is a £7million investment delivered by the SNP in Paisley town centre and I must say I was amazed by how much the space has to offer for the local community.
I have had the pleasure of visiting a Bookbug class before and the new library facility is perfect for these, as well as a range of other get-togethers and events organised by various organisations for people in Paisley.
I know that the Paisley Book
Festival will be returning this year and the hub is a perfect venue for taking part in this.
I am also aware that the facility recently won an award for Refurbishment of the Year – and rightfully so.
Well done to everyone involved in making this space so welcoming.
It is also great to see that the library has an excellent play space for our younger readers.
It is so important that we encourage and inspire our children and young people to enjoy reading.
Paisley Central Library really is the perfect place to do that, with quiet areas to enjoy a book, sensory items and a play area where young ones can release lots of energy.
Reading a book and becoming immersed in all sorts of stories and knowledge can be such a
Anyone who lives or works in Renfrewshire can go in and get a library card for free so that they can enjoy the power of reading
wonderful experience.
However, I must be honest and admit I haven’t used a library since I was at university, so it was excellent that the staff at Paisley Central Library were kind enough to sign me up and give me my own library card.
This facility is for everyone in the community and anyone who lives or works in Renfrewshire can go in and get a library card for free so that they can enjoy the power of reading.
It really is heartening to see these facilities and multi-millionpound projects coming to be in the town.
It all seemed like a distant dream when plans for the library, a revamped Paisley Museum and a refurbished Paisley Town Hall were there on paper.
Now we are seeing them as a reality and are witnessing the culture and heritage that Paisley is proud of and is known for coming to life.
It really is good for the local community to have these structures in Paisley and equally for people living in the wider Renfrewshire area to come into town to enjoy them.
This brings footfall into the town centre, with people also coming from outside of Renfrewshire to enjoy Paisley culture, and this in turn helps our local businesses and enterprises to grow.