Work Begins To Upgrade Barry Library To Learning Hub

Construction work is now underway on a £100,000 investment into Barry library that will see a state of the art adult learning centre established and the building transformed into a learning hub for the Vale of Glamorgan. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once improvements to the building are completed the library will have gained three classrooms, a computer suite, office space and a crèche. It will then become the new home of the Vale of Glamorgan Open Learning Centre currently based at Provincial House. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Lis Burnett, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education, said: “Education and lifelong learning will be central to the next chapter the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s regeneration work and where better to locate a Learning Hub than the library, the first port of call for anyone seeking information. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This latest investment into Barry Library will provide the whole Vale with a first class facility, purpose built to help residents of all ages to gain skills and knowledge and broaden their horizons.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All of the library’s most popular services will be maintained and library users will now be able to access a wide range of adult education courses – covering everything from drop in computer workshops, employability skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to English and maths courses for those who want to improve their skills for life and work – all at the same location. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The start of improvement works being undertaken will require Barry library to close for two weeks between 18 July and 01 August 2016. During this period library users will still be able to return borrowed items to the Art Central entrance of the Town Hall. Library users will also be able to return their books or access the full range of library services at all other Vale libraries. A limited number of computers will also be available to library users at both the Open Learning Centre, Kendrick Road and Palmerston Learning Centre, Cadoc Crescent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All of the planned improvements are due to be completed by November 2016 and all new facilities to be up and running in time to mark the ten year anniversary of the renovation work that previously brought the town hall building back to life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​