Why are we redeveloping the library?

Huntingdon Library is one of the busiest in the county, but it was unable to offer the comfort, space and facilities that are provided in other key towns in Cambridgeshire. In recent years, feedback from customers has highlighted problems with:

· Heat and noise
· Lack of toilets
· Unsatisfactory children’s facilities
· No facilities for group activities, storytimes and meetings
· No refreshments
· Inflexible layout and shelving

At the same time the Archives Service, provided from the County Record Office in Grammar School Walk, has also been struggling with an inadequate building:

· Cannot be made fully accessible for people with disabilities
· Lack of modern facilities for the public
· Lack of modern storage facilities for the archives

What can the new building provide?

We believe that these much loved and well used services will not only benefit from a new building, but that there are extra benefits to be had from bringing the services under one roof. All Huntingdon’s historical resources – its archives and local studies collections - and the expert staff, who look after them, will be gathered in one place, providing a unique study centre for everyone who is interested in the heritage of the area

The new centre will provide nearly 50% more public space than the existing library and records office put together. We aim to provide the most comfortable and modern facilities to include many that are not currently available:

· Improved children’s library and homework facilities – space for 50% more books!
· Customer toilets, including disabled and baby change facilities
· Meeting room for storytimes, events, school classes and for clubs and societies
· State of the art storage conditions for precious archive materials
· Modern study facilities for archives and local studies users
· Additional display and educational space for the nearby Cromwell Museum
· Refreshments

To set the record straight:

· The library is not under threat of permanent or temporary closure. During the building work we will be providing all the library’s services from a temporary facility at Dryden House
· The new centre will offer 50% more public space than the current library and records office
· Our mobile library service will continue to operate as usual, but from a different base, avoiding the traffic problems, which can currently hamper the service
· All the partner agencies currently housed in the library are welcome to move with us to the temporary building and to the new building – but they may wish to make other arrangements, and there may be other partners that wish to join us

Keeping in touch and informed

We are aiming to contact to a wide variety of local groups and organisations as part of this consultation process – please let us know if your organisation wishes to be included

Lesley Noblett
Head of Libraries, Archives and Information