New home for Brighton library

Hollingbury Library reopened in its new home at Old Boat Corner Community Centre in Carden Hill at 9am today.

The library will now open seven days a week, instead of the previous three days, offering a broad selection of books for all ages, plus computer and internet access. (See opening times below.)

The community centre, which is next to Carden Park, also has its own café open seven days a week as well.

A special launch event will be held at the library on Thursday 23 November from 10 to 11am to mark the reopening. The event will include a storytime session for younger children, refreshments and an opportunity to find out more about the variety of library services available.

Councillor Alan Robins, chair of the council’s economic development and culture committee, said: “We are modernising our library service to ensure we keep libraries open and keep them at the heart of the community. Moving Hollingbury Library into the community centre means we can now offer local residents extended opening hours and the opportunity to use the library any day of the week.”

Patcham and Hollingbury Cllr. Lee Wares said “Today is a great day for Hollingbury.

“When we were told Hollingbury Library was to be closed we attended a public meeting. It was a truly inspired idea of Cllr Geoffrey Theobald to relocate the Library into Old Boat Corner Community Centre.

“It would have been devastating for Hollinbury to be the only library to close in the City and we are grateful for the volunteer management team of Old Boat to take it on.

“Cllr Theobald came up with a plan to provide a better and more accessible library for the community and we are glad the council took on his idea.”

Old Boat Corner Community Centre is the first of two new locations for Hollingbury Library – a second library service will also be available at Hollingbury and Patcham Children’s Centre at Carden Primary School in the new year, with a particular emphasis on books and services for young children and families in the area.

The old Hollingbury library building, also in Carden Hill, was in need of significant repairs and closed last month.

Opening times:

Hollingbury Library at Old Boat Corner Community Centre will be staffed on Thursdays. On other days people will be able to borrow books and use computers using their library card.