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Libraries serve an essential purpose in society – as spaces where people can learn, meet, and exchange ideas.
Investing in libraries and giving people access to books, digital resources, learning materials, safe workspaces and skills development support is vital and helps people to achieve their best.
Popular Clevedon Library, in Old Church Road, reopened last week after extensive refurbishment.
The building was once used as a school and opened as a library in 1992. It’s one of the busiest in North Somerset, with more than 87,400 items loaned and more than 63,400 visits a year.
Improvements include a new accessible community space and meeting room for businesses, called The Waverley Room, self-service technology, more energy efficient heating and lighting, improved accessibility and upgraded toilets.
You can also visit the library before and after normal opening times by signing up for extended access. You’ll need attend a short briefing session first to find out how it works. Find out more on our extended access webpage.
These improvements were made thanks to a £215,900 grant from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, delivered by Arts Council England, as part of the Libraries Improvement Fund.
We provided additional in-kind support and other funding. The project was also supported by Clevedon Town Council.
Last Friday we also signed a 125-year lease to secure the long-term future of Nailsea Library.
We plan to relocate the library to Colliers Walk, in a site formerly occupied by HSBC bank, and keep the facility in the town centre.
The move, planned to take place before next summer, forms part of our strategy to have modern, accessible libraries where people can go to benefit from a variety of services.
Nailsea Library is popular but its existing 50-year-old building in Somerset Square is in poor condition, in need of roof repair because of regular flooding, is very energy inefficient, and it doesn’t meet modern accessibility standards.
The new accessible space will create potential to develop and modernise the service for Nailsea and its surrounding community.
The library’s relocation, which is subject to planning and landlord’s consent, is supported by Nailsea Town Council.
Read our libraries strategy for 2021-31 on the North Somerset Council website.
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