Temporary closure of the County library

Work is due to start on 04 October at Oxfordshire County Library; continuing our commitment to transform the library as part of the Westgate redevelopment. These additional works could not be scheduled during the refurbishment given the tight project timeframe.

The library will be closed from 5.30pm on 04 October until 9am on the 14 October to enable this necessary work to be carried out.

All loans will be extended to cover the closure time and the nearest libraries to County Library are Summertown, Headington and Botley. The online library is also open 24/7 for residents’ convenience.

Work to replace the lifts in the main entrance of County Library will start on 11 November 2019 and be completed on the 11 May 2020. Throughout the lift replacement one lift will remain in operation at all times to ensure full access to library users.

The goods lift at the rear of the library will be replaced from September to October. This work was planned at the time of the redevelopment but has been delayed by the availability of parts.

There will be some loud noises during installation of each lift, and the time for these short periods of disturbance will be published for users of the library. The library service will be working closely with the contractors to minimise the inconvenience to library users.

County Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, cabinet member for education and cultural services, said:

“We hope that library regulars won’t be too inconvenienced and encourage users to look at online library services or use the other libraries. I am delighted that the lifts will finally be replaced with larger versions that are more accessible for wheelchair users.”

The library reopened in December 2017 and is one of the busiest in the UK attracting up to 2,000 visits per day.