Library will not fully open until new year

A Black Country library will not be fully reopened until January after failure of heating system forced closure last month. Work costing £80,000 starts on Monday.

A replacement boiler will be installed at Willenhall Library. Staff operated a restricted service from the foyer since heating stopped working but it was decided to close the library most days from yesterday in expectation of colder weather. A service in the foyer saw 100 visitors a week compared to a usual 1,500 a week according to figures released today.

It will now open on Wednesday mornings (9.30am-12.30pm) and for councillor's surgeries on Saturday mornings until work will is completed in early January when the building can be reopened.

New Invention library in The Square will open an extra two days – or 16 hours a week – while Willenhall Library is closed and mobile libraries will have eight weekly stops across the area.

Councillor Barry Sanders, Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure and culture, said onset of colder weather meant they had, with reluctance, had to close the library temporarily.

"We know that many people rely on the library. This is why we have drawn-up a package of measures to help fill the gap."

Willenhall South Councillor Carl Creaney said: "I am absolutely fuming about this as none of the ward councillors were notified about this.

"This is breaking a promise made to us that the library foyer service would be kept open."

The mobile library is due to stop on Tuesdays in Hunts Lane (9.40am- 10am); Pool Hayes Lane (10.10am-10.35am) and Farbrook Way (10.40am-11am). It will then be in place every Tuesday from 5.30pm to 5.55pm in Noose Crescent and again in Furzebank Way from 6.10pm for 30 minutes.

On Thursday, the mobile library will be located in Farmhouse Way for 20 minutes from 9.30am.

The vehicle then moves to Durham Avenue at 11.50am before switching to Fibbersley Park Primary, Noose Lane. The book renewals line is also available on 01922 709256.