Enfield’s busiest library will undergo a £4.2 million top-to-toe refurbishment as part of the Council’s plans to provide an unparalleled 21st century library service for residents. Work at Edmonton Green Library will create a two storey library and digital access centre, with extra computers, free wifi, extra study space and customer access kiosks as well as fantastic resources for students and children and a dedicated local history and museum space to celebrate the area’s rich history.
There will also be online training resources at the library, which will be open seven days a week and a huge range of books and other resources. Enfield Council’s housing services will remain on the top floor of the building.
To facilitate the work, the library – which is visited more than 400,000 times a year – will close to the public from September and will re-open in Summer 2017.
The refurbishment is part of the Council’s Library Development Strategy agreed in 2015 to create a sustainable future for the borough’s libraries.
Edmonton Green was designated as one of four hub libraries which will deliver a wide range of library services alongside community based activities.
Edmonton Green Library has not seen any investment in 15 years and this redevelopment will bring it up to the same high standard as the other hub libraries which have all seen investment.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services & Protection, Cllr Ayfer Orhan, said: “Edmonton Green Library is a much loved and needed facility which acts as a vital social and learning hub and an informal meeting place by all manner of community groups. We value it greatly, as do our residents which is why we are investing in its future. We are spending a significant sum of money on refurbishing our flagship library in Edmonton Green so it can continue to deliver a phenomenal range of services to people in the area and act as a focal point for the community.
I am incredibly proud, that despite significant budget reductions from central government Enfield Council been able to protect our library service, upgrade our facilities and keep all 17 libraries in our borough open – something that many London councils have been unable to do. Over the coming weeks we will be consulting local people on what they would like to see in the new Edmonton Green Library so I would urge people to participate. We will also be setting up alternative arrangements to ensure people who use the library can continue to access the services they rely on whilst the refurbishment takes place.”
