The new Collingwood Library has officially opened after moving to its new home.

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It has relocated to Broadway Gardens, Bushbury, from former shop premises on The Broadway.

The move has created a new self service library, enabling customers to take out, return and renew items at the touch of a button, and has built on the wide range of facilities already available at Broadway Gardens, an ExtraCare retirement scheme.

Councillor Elias Mattu, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities, officially opened Collingwood Library at Broadway Gardens yesterday (Monday 11 November, 2013) and said: "We are very pleased with the new library facilities at Broadway Gardens which have enabled us to provide an improved service to the local community.

"Customers will benefit from additional computer access, free wi-fi, a children's area and new furniture as well as the full range of stock available at the old library, and I'm confident they will enjoy their new surroundings."

Collingwood Library at Broadway Gardens will continue to operate its previous opening times of 10am to 1pm on Tuesdays, 2pm to 5pm on Wednesdays and Fridays and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays.

The relocation of Collingwood Library is part of a wider review of library provision in the city which aims to protect the service at a time of major budget cuts, primarily through the development of community hubs where a number of services are provided under one roof.

Councillor Mattu said: "People are well aware of the huge financial challenge that the council is currently facing. We are doing all we can to protect services by reproviding them in innovative new ways, like we have done with Collingwood Library.

"I'd like to thank the staff and residents of Broadway Gardens for their excellent help and support in setting up the new library, and also the Wolverhampton Libraries team for making it such a smooth transition."

Broadway Gardens Manager Jenny Jackson said: "We are delighted to welcome Collingwood Library to Broadway Gardens.

"We already offer day opportunities for local people aged 55 and over and we're always eager to welcome more people to our scheme.

"We've helped the council save a service that has been used for many years by local residents, and we look forward to welcoming visitors old and new to what will become our own community hub."

For more information about Collingwood Library at Broadway Gardens, please call 01902 552027 or visit Type=articles;Articleid=1703;Title=Libraries;.

  • released: Tuesday 12 November, 2013