Library welcomes1.4 million visitors in first five years

LISBURN City Library has attracted almost 21,000 new members and over 1.4 million visitors have come through its doors since the state of the art facility opened in 2005.

The figures were revealed as the library celebrated its 5th birthday.

The Mayor, Alderman Paul Porter and MLA Paul Givan and with Libraries NI Board member Councillor Allan Ewart, recently helped celebrate the important milestone with Libraries NI staff.

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The library is both a concept and destination library focused on ensuring that the customer spends time in the facility - browsing book shelves, reading or socialising on the comfortable casual seating, using computers, attending an event.

The emphasis is not primarily on borrowing as the space is designed to enable people to remain in the library for extended periods, use the facilities, read a book, view an exhibition, learn how to use a computer, listen to a piano recital and enjoy the range of resources offered by Libraries NI.

Adrienne Adair, Business Manager with Libraries NI said: "The library opened to the public with 60 hours per week including two 'later' evenings to 9 and 10pm. This experiment with later opening was designed to reflect the economic and societal changes in the population of Lisburn.

"By planning programmes to take place during the longer library opening hours, staff have provided people with opportunities to try out a diverse range of cultural experiences in an informal, accessible environment."

Mr Givan hailed the Library's success.

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"For many years Lisburn campaigned for a new library and the numbers of people that have used the facility speaks for itself. Over one million people in the first five years have visited and with almost 20,000 new members it is a demonstration of how popular the library is," he said.

"Particular tribute should be given to the staff for providing excellent service to everyone that visits and through the many outreach programmes they organise there has been a very significant increase in the number of people that use the library. I have every confidence the next five years will build upon the success of the first five."

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