From the 14th June the library will also open half an hour earlier, at 9am on Wednesdays, bringing the opening time into line with other weekdays. The changes have been made possible after the Conservatives agreed a new package of enhancements to library services as part of the Council’s budget at the beginning of the month.

Cllr Marcus Franks, Executive Member for Leisure and Culture commented, “I am pleased that we have finally been able to remove the anachronism of early closing on Wednesdays. These extra hours mean that Newbury Library will be open for a full day on Wednesdays for the first time since the move to the new building.”

Cllr Franks continued: “The extra money provided in this year’s budget also means we can guarantee that the district’s book stock will be fully funded this year, restoring the cuts that were made in 2001. This investment follows on from a series of service enhancements that have been implemented or announced throughout the district’s libraries, including extra opening hours at Pangbourne, lunchtime opening at Burghfield Common, Lambourn and Mortimer, the refurbishment which is about to start at Thatcham, the planned rebuilding of Hungerford and of course the new library for Wash Common.”

Cllr Franks concluded: “At a time when there is a nationally recognised crisis in public libraries, with closures and falling stock levels, West Berkshire is now bucking that trend by making excellent libraries a priority. In the longer term we see libraries developing into key focal points for service provision in West Berkshire. Our libraries have a promising long term future.”