Volunteers and young people will help mark the 10th anniversary of Brighton’s Jubilee Library tomorrow on World Book Day.
Since opening in 2005, Jubilee Library has become the top performing library in the region and second most popular in the country.
The building, which forms the centrepiece of Jubilee Square in the heart of the city, has zlso won many awards for its contemporary design and energy efficiency.
Tomorrow, library service volunteers will celebrate the anniversary with tea and a birthday cake. Library volunteers in the city deliver books to people who can’t get out to a library and help customers learn computer skills.
They will also listen to the work of local writers and John Agard on an audio installation, created as part of the libraries’ Evolving in Conversation project, funded by the Arts Council.
Jubilee Library re-opened last weekend after internal improvements. The council added two new small meeting rooms and a computer training suite where volunteers can help people do things online such as looking for jobs or applying for services.
There is more space for customers to study and plug in their laptops and other devices. A new sitting area, which can be used by book groups and community groups has been created on the ground floor. Staff also moved stock and IT facilities to make them more accessible
Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the economic development and culture committee, said: “Jubilee Library has just gone from strength to strength.
“It’s a firm favourite with residents and visitors, attracting around one million visits a year, around twice those originally expected.
“We’re delighted to be celebrating the anniversary with volunteers who make such a valuable contribution and just after we have carried out refurbishments to provide better facilities and more space for study and WiFi use.”
Jubilee Library is also hosting the launch of this year’s Young City Reads project. Children from across the city will take part in a drama and storytelling workshop with actor Tom Dussek themed around this year’s Young City Reads title William Sutcliffe’s Circus of Thieves and the Raffle of Doom.
The fun and celebrations continue after school when families can try their hand at circus skills and taste the new Young City Reads ‘Big Top Banan(z)a’ ice-cream flavour created by Boho Gelato specially for the Young City Reads project.
