Amnesty offered at new Leicester Central Library

03/05/2011

LEICESTER Central Library, which reopened to the public last week following a £500,000 refurbishment, is offering an amnesty on outstanding library loans and charges in a bid to encourage any lapsed users back to experience the new services on offer.

Library customers visiting the new Leicester Central Library before Saturday, 14th May, will be able to return overdue loans without incurring a charge.
Leicester Central Library staff will be happy to clear outstanding library charges to give customers a fresh start.

Adrian Wills, head of libraries at Leicester City Council, said: “We’re thrilled with the response to the new Leicester Central Library.
We had over 2,500 visitors to the new building on the first day alone.

“Our priority now is to welcome back existing customers who have not used the service recently.
We’re holding an amnesty so our customers don’t need to worry about library charges incurred before the new library opened.
We welcome the return of any overdue library loans.”

Leicester Central Library has now reopened for business in the 1905 Carnegie library building on Bishop Street following a £500,000 refurbishment project whichh brought all central library services together under one roof, including:

• Books for reference and loan
• Public access computers
• CD and DVD hire
• Children & young people’s area
• Local studies & family history section
• An exciting programme of library events

The project will achieve annual savings of £228,000, as well as enabling the city libraries to reinvest in core services such as the public computers.

Longer opening hours have also been made possible through the amalgamation of the two library buildings, with the Central Library now open from 9.30am to 8pm Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 6pm Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturday.