Opening date announced for Paisley’s new £7m central library

The opening date for Paisley’s new £7m central library and learning hub has been revealed.

Located on the High Street, the library is set to open to the public in late November this year.

The new facility will bring back into use a formerly-vacant shop unit on Paisley High Street.

The current Paisley Central Library is temporarily based at the Lagoon Leisure Centre and will be closed to the public from September 22 while the transition takes place.

The £7m investment in Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub includes £1.5m in funding from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.

It is being delivered on behalf of the Council by Hub West Scotland who have appointed Collective Architecture to create the new design, and main contractor CCG to deliver the refurbishment.

Joyce Higgins, libraries and digital development manager at OneRen, the charitable trust which operates Renfrewshire Libraries, said: “We’re counting down the days until we reveal our incredible new library facility on the High Street. Across four floors, it will provide a venue where everyone is welcome to come and enjoy what will be one of Scotland’s best library facilities.

“We will have spaces for children and families to enjoy, IT and digital facilities offering increased connectivity, spaces for events and to support the Paisley Book Festival – and, of course, places where you can enjoy some time with a good book, away from it all.

“Our new library will be a central focus for the communities of Paisley and Renfrewshire and we look forward to welcoming everyone to our new home.”

When the current Paisley Central Library closes, library users will be able to access nearby services at Ralston, Ferguslie and Glenburn libraries.

Services are also available to all, online, 24/7, allowing access to ebooks and e-audiobooks, as well as a large number of digital resources.

Eligible customers can also continue to make use of Renfrewshire Libraries’ free home delivery and collection service.

The facility is part of Renfrewshire Council’s multi-million investment in the town’s cultural venues.

Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Renfrewshire Council’s cultural spokesperson and chair of OneRen, said: “I know that the people of Paisley and Renfrewshire are looking forward to seeing the fruits of our investment in the town centre – all of which is designed to increase footfall and vibrancy across the local area.

“With the re-opening of the newly refurbished Paisley Town Hall, our new central library facility will further improve Paisley’s position as a must-visit destination as we continue on our journey to revitalise the town centre through investment in our cultural treasures and outdoor spaces.”

Renfrewshire Council is also refurbishing the Paisley Arts Centre and Paisley Museum is being transformed into a world-class home for the town’s internationally-significant collections.