A message from North Yorkshire Council...

Excitement is building in Richmond as the relocation of the town’s library to a more modern, fit-for-purpose space is planned for next month.The library is moving from Queens Road to the council-owned Mercury House on Station Road, which has public access and provides customer and registration services. As well as offering a more modern space, the move aims to provide taxpayers with better value for money by making use of the council’s buildings, reducing costs and making it easier to look after.

The existing library on Queens Road will close at 1pm on Saturday, October 31, and is scheduled to open in Mercury House at 10am on Monday, November 23. Customers will be able to borrow additional books to cover the closure period with return dates being extended, and the nearest alternative libraries are Colburn and Catterick.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture and arts, Cllr Simon Myers, whose responsibilities include libraries, said: “We are excited to see the benefits that the relocation will bring to library users, securing its long-term future in the heart of the town. “The new space is fit-for-purpose and reflects the evolving needs of the community, bringing the library under the same roof as other important council services. Staff and volunteers will host regular activities such as storytimes, provide IT support, and customers can enjoy hot drinks while reading or studying in comfortable surroundings. Richmond library currently attracts more than 1,700 visitors each month, and we hope the refurbishment will bring in even more people.”

Since 2017, the library has been run in partnership with the community organisation CRACCL, which serves Colburn, Catterick and Richmond libraries. The organisation relies on volunteers for delivering the day-to-day services, with support from council staff.

In recent years, the building on Queens Road has suffered from maintenance issues and has resulted in parts of the building being closed off. Mercury House offers a viable alternative which is fit-for-purpose. The new library will include an improved children’s section with the aim of welcoming more school groups. There will be a dedicated IT area and ground floor space for the local studies collection which is only accessible by stairs in the current building. There is disabled parking and bus stops outside of the building, as well as an accessible entrance.