As one chapter closes another one begins

Central Library has closed it doors for the final time in three years.

But no sooner has one door shut than another one opens in the shape of City Library at Elliot House on Deansgate. City Library opens at 9am on Monday 28 June and will be the library's new home while Central Library undergoes extensive refurbishment.

Having packed up around 25 miles of shelving and more than one million books, items and archives, Central Library can now undergo a full restoration which will see the building returned to its former neoclassical glory.

The work is expected to take until 2013 to complete so in the meantime, Elliot House will provide the city centre's library service.

Staff will be on hand to guide and advise visitors of how the new library operates, including the latest technology, which enables library users to issue books themselves to beat the queues.

The general readers library and research material is still available alongside DVDs, papers and magazines.

The local studies service is also available bringing with it its extensive collection of books, microfilm and computer resources for local and family history.

Councillor Mike Amesbury, Manchester City Council's executive member for culture and leisure said: "We're heading into an exciting time for Manchester's library service and the improvements being made to Central Library will secure it for future generations. In the meantime we've got an excellent new library, City Library on Deansgate, providing all the services that our visitors have come to expect. There are of course a number of other libraries around the city, and a Manchester library card will enable members to use any of these as well."

City Library is located in Elliot House on the corner of Deansgate and Lloyd Street, opposite the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Opening times are Monday to Thursday 9am to 8pm and Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm.