Official Opening Event: Wednesday 16 September,
6.30-9.30pm
About 150 people celebrated the official opening of
Gainsborough Community Library and had a great
time.
Councillor Rosie Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Sport, Culture,
Diversity, Health and Wellbeing lead the formal opening followed by
Sara Bettsworth, Head of Big Lottery Fund East of England and Rev
Rick Tobin, speaking on behalf of Voices for Gainsborough Library
User Forum. Seven community representatives of all ages cut the
ribbons which were then turned into memento
bookmarks.
Throughout the evening there were guided tours of the building by
local volunteers and refreshments available in the marquee. Local
resident Victor Robinson provided live music with other
entertainment from a clown and living statue from Foolhardy Circus.
There were broadcasting and recording demonstrations in the Sound
Studio, the unveiling of a needlecraft hanging project in the
community room and burying of two time capsules in the garden.
Guests were able to talk to the two artists, Paul Richardson and
Larry Jackaman, whose work features in the library.
Apart from members of the local community, councillors, staff
and other people involved in making the new library a reality,
other guests included Councillor Joanna Spicer the Chairman of
Suffolk County Council.
Radio Suffolk live broadcast: Wednesday 16 September,
9.30am
Radio Suffolk broadcast its morning show live from the
library from 9.30am
New Library Opened Tuesday 4 August 2009
The new
Gainsborough Community Library opened to the public at
9.30am on Tuesday 4 August. The library had 13,000 visits in the
month following. It has longer opening hours with no lunchtime
closures. The library has a full
programme of weekly activities for all
ages, including
Bookstart, Club 4 Teenz and Top Time for older people.
Councillor Rosemary Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Sport, Culture,
Diversity, Health and Wellbeing said: “I am very pleased to see the
new Gainsborough Community Library open. With the excellent new
library, meeting rooms, café and garden it is a marvellous resource
for the whole community. Big Lottery funding was an essential part
of the project but central to the vision of the scheme has been the
enthusiastic support of local people. They have made the Community
Library project their own and I hope everyone will use and enjoy
their fine new library.”
Local people have been involved in the project from the beginning
to ensure that the new library would meet the needs and aspirations
of their community. New facilities include a café serving drinks
and light refreshments, a community garden and a digital sound
studio. As well as an attractive library area with a new LEAP
(Learning, Enterprise and Access) Point, there are community rooms
available for hire.
|
Café Libra staff |
Café Libra |
It is a very striking building, principally glazed and partially
rendered, with a distinctive mirror green stainless steel rotunda.
A number of sustainable elements have been integrated into its
design. Several pieces of interesting public art are featured
throughout the building, some of which have been created with
community involvement.
The new Gainsborough Community Library cost £1.4 million and was
funded by the Big Lottery Fund as part of its Community Libraries
programme which supports the development of public library
buildings as centres of community activity and learning.
The story behind a new Library for Gainsborough
Suffolk County Council has been awarded in excess of £1,4
million from The Big
Lottery’s
Community Libraries Fund to build a state of the art new
library in Gainsborough in Ipswich.
The new library will be on the same site as the old
Gainsborough library. In addition to a modern library
facilities it will also house community meetings rooms, a garden
and a café.
The new library is expected to open in August 2009.
Please follow the links below to find out
more information about this project:
New Gainsborough Library - Facilities
and resources
Proposals for facilities and resources at the new Gainsborough
Library.
New Gainsborough Library – Our bid to the Big Lottery
Fund
Read our successful bid to the Big Lottery Fund.
New Gainsborough Library - Photo
Gallery
Photographs of the various stages in the building
and development of the site for the new Gainsborough
Library.
New Gainsborough Library - Artists' impressions and
film
Artists’ impressions and a film of what the new
Gainsborough Library development will look like.
New Gainsborough Library – Newsletters
Read current and past newsletters about the project.
New Gainsborough Library – Construction work
Find out about the construction work on the new building.
New Gainsborough Library – Books and other Stock
Tell us about what books and other material you would like to see
in the new library.
New Gainsborough Library - Contact Us
Contact details for feedback, comments and input about the new
Gainsborough Library development.
