Library gets biggest make-over since the Fifties

County council chairman Cllr Bob Lacey performed the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony at the library's broad new easy-access sliding doors on Thursday morning.

But there is nothing traditional inside the revamped building.

Bexhill library users have become the first in East Sussex to have a self-service touch-screen computer-controlled book-borrowing and returning facility. Language options include English, French, Polish and Turkish!

For the first time, the library now has a toilet for the public's use.

With its new doors, wide internal spaces and new lift, the facility has full disabled access. The toilet has baby-changing facilities.

Instead of entering the library via a dingy narrow corridor, users are now greeted by a former staff work area which has been turned into a stylish entrance foyer featuring huge enlargements of Edwardian scenes of the Colonnade and De La Warr Parade.

Space freed by the introduction of the touch-screen technology has changed the former booking-in/booking-out area, so opening up the children's library.

The old shelving had been transferred from the De La Warr Pavilion when the library was opened in the Fifties.

By replacing it with lower modern units which do not intrude on the window area, light now streams into the ground floor of the library.

New lighting, a new enquiry point and an upgraded heating system have been installed.

The whole effect is set off by a blackberry-and-white colour scheme.

Previously, there had been pressure for Bexhill to have a new library. The town had two choices '“ to take advantage now of a refurbishment which has created more space or to await its turn in the queue for a new library.

Cllr Bob Tidy, lead county cabinet member for community and services, told staff and guests gathered for the opening ceremony that the refurbishment was an "absolutely wonderful" example of what could be done with the county's libraries.

East Sussex County Council had now refurbished half its libraries. It was building three new ones.

The make-over had made the library more accessible to the public. It now had new windows. There were areas for people to sit and read in comfort and for the first time there was now a toilet for the public.

Three years previously he has suggested to the county library service that it should think about new ways of operating.

Little did he think that Bexhill would be the first in the county to offer touch-screen self-service.

He paid tribute not only to the library service, its architects and equipment providers but to Bexhill staff who had maintained their service to the public while work went on about them.

The library, completed last month, features 30,000 of replacement books.