Published on:
20
August 2012
Alloa Library showed it is a facility for all ages when it opened its doors for the first time on Monday in the front part of the Speirs Centre, having moved from the old library in Drysdale Street.
And there was a surprise in store for 86-year-old William Duncanson, of Fairyburn, Alloa, who was the first customer through the door to use the new temporary library on Monday morning.
Council Leader Gary Womersley and Convenor of Education, Sport and Leisure, Councillor Ellen Forson were on hand to present Mr Duncanson with a certificate and a voucher to mark the occasion.
William, a retired police sergeant and court officer, said: "It looks an excellent facility and I look forward to using it on a regular basis. I am an avid reader of fiction and crime thrillers and use the computers as well."
At the same time, three-year-old Heather Williams from Alloa, also received a certificate and voucher as the last customer to use the former library in Drysdale Street. Heather, who this week began nursery school, took out the book "In Their Night Garden" from the children's TV series.
There is a wide range of services available in the Speirs Centre such as book borrowing, leisure bookings, information and enquiries, computers for public use, reading area, comfortable seating and photocopying. There are also newspapers and magazines to suit a range of interests.
Sport and Leisure Committee Convenor, Councillor Ellen Forson, said: "The move over the past two weeks from Drysdale Street to the Speirs Centre has been as smooth as we had planned and we are delighted to be once again able to offer an excellent service within the town centre.
"We are sure that the people of Clackmannanshire will bear with us with what is only a temporary facility and when the works are completed they can look forward to having a superb new fit-for-purpose, modern, state-of-the-art community hub which is scheduled to open fully next year."
A ramp has been provided at the front door in Primrose Street for everyone to use and this will make it easier for all customers to gain access to the building. Within the building there is comfortable seating to help customers relax while reading the books or newspapers, or meeting with friends.
Alloa Library will be based in the front part of the Speirs Centre while work continues on the rest of the building.
Copies of newspapers, census records and old parish records dating back to 1595 will be temporarily housed in Sauchie CAP, during the transition period. Local history material has also been housed out of view, but can be made available upon request.
During the changeover from the Drysdale Street library to the temporary library at the Speirs Centre, library services have also set up a "fines amnesty", which will run from 20th August until 29th September, during which no one will be fined for the late return of their library books.