Blackburn Central Library

Town Hall Street
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB2 1AG

tel: (01254) 661221
fax: (01254) 690539

library@blackburn.gov.uk

Opening times

Monday	9am to 7pm
Tuesday	9am to 7pm
Wednesday	9am to 7pm
Thursday	9am to 5.30pm
Friday	9am to 5.30pm
Saturday	9am to 5.30pm
Sunday	10am to 4pm

The Central library is one of the busiest libraries in England and it has three floors available to the public; all are fully accessible via ramps and two lifts. The ground floor is the main lending area and includes:

Quick Choice
Self-service
Fiction and non-fiction
Business information
Audio books
CDs, DVDs
PCs
The Curve

The first floor is where you will find the Children’s library, Crèche and meeting rooms.

The second floor houses:

Community history
Family learning centre
ICT training suite
Study area
Meditation room.

Self-service

For your convenience we have installed a drop box to return all your library items to save you having to queue at the central desk at busy times. There are also three self-issue units on the ground floor and one in the children’s library on the first floor.

To check out your library books simply follow the instructions on the screen or ask staff for a demonstration.

When your books have been issued the computer will print out a receipt which gives you a full list of the titles you have borrowed and reminds you of the date they are due back. The self-issue units are currently for books only. Please take all other items you would like to borrow to the issue desk.

Quick choice

We aim to make your visit a pleasurable experience and hope you will linger but if you are in a hurry and haven’t time to browse head straight for our 'quick choice' area, handily situated by the main library entrance. Here you will find the latest modern fiction, attractively displayed and constantly changing so that there is always something new.

However, for readers with more time to linger, we have a comprehensive fiction collection covering classics to crime, and adventure to westerns. We also stock a small collection of foreign fiction.

Lifestyle, travel, the arts

In this area you will find books on a wide range of subjects. From hobbies to home and garden, sport to stage and screen, you'll find it here. All leisure reading, including fiction and audio books are also housed in this area and you will find plenty of comfy armchairs dotted around to enable you to settle down for a really good read.

At the top end of the ground floor, by the Northgate entrance, we have installed state of the art specialist equipment for people with sensory impairments. For more information visit Services for those with special needs or contact the reception counter on (01254) 587926.

Information library

We have more technical and specialist non-fiction in this area, including business information and our Inventors' information point. There is also a ‘hot desk’ facility where different partner agencies and organisations offer advice and support. These agencies have access to private office space to ensure confidentiality where necessary.

PCs are available in this area and you can book these via the information desk.

The Curve PS2 available @ the Curve

This ground floor space has been re-designed as a result of feedback from our customers. With comfy seating, snacks and hot drinks facilities, plasma screen, Playstation 2 units and an exciting collection of information books, novels and magazines, it is an ideal space to have ‘time out’ and catch up with friends.

Media

We have an exciting range of up to date technologies to complement our existing range of CDs, videos, DVDs and CD-Roms. There are multi-media PCs for public use and comfortable seating on which to relax while reading magazines or taking in the action on our giant plasma screen.

We've put in listening posts so that you can try out CDs before you borrow them and listen to music from a selection of local bands.

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Children's library

The walls in the children's library are decorated with stunning artwork created by winning entries from our Changing Rooms competition. The whole room is vibrant with colour! With lots of space, easy to use layout, computers with internet access and lots of new books there’s something for everyone from tots to teens. Children’s videos, DVDs and CD-Roms can also be found in this area.

Creche

For adults who are attending library-based courses we can now offer a state of the art crèche. We welcome our partners such as Sure Start, St Mary's College and local pre-schools who make use of this facility with their trained staff. For more information please contact us on (01254) 661221.

Meeting rooms

We have lots of space for community use with three meeting rooms of various sizes, as well as The Hornby Lecture Theatre. For details of how to book the meeting rooms please click here.

Learning centre

Our learning centre provides 29 multimedia PCs in a spacious setting. All have online learning packages loaded that allow you to learn at your own pace and at a time and day that is convenient to you.

Scanners are attached to PCs 2 and 13, language software is loaded on to PC 8 and we have special software – Jaws and Supernova - for those with visual and hearing impairments, on PCs 27 and 28. Please let staff know if you wish to use these facilities when you book.

There are both colour and black and white printers available to use for a small fee.

Bill Gates Room

This is our ICT training suite, with ten multimedia PCs running Windows v2003. It also contains a laptop, OHP, smartboard, flipchart and printer. Community groups can book the room for ICT tutor led learning sessions and E-learning events.

We also offer a range of free ICT taster sessions,led by qualified tutors. Please ask our helpful staff for more details the next time you visit.

For more information on booking this room, please see our rooms for hire page.

Community history

In the community history area you will find a wealth of fascinating resources to help you trace your family tree or research the local area.

There are books, local newspapers dating back over 200 years, maps, photographs, census returns, parish registers, birth, marriage and death indexes and much more.

As many of our resources are only available on microfilm or microfiche we have machines available for you to access these records, including a reader/printer machine, which can provide you with copies from film or fiche. Pre booking is advised, see contact number below. Please note, a staffed service is not always available in the Community History department. Customers are advised to contact the library before visiting if staff assistance is required. Please ring (01254) 661221 or e-mail community.history@blackburn.gov.uk

Study area

We provide a quiet space for you to do your homework or research - three computers are provided by Blackburn College, for use by their students. Please ask the staff if you wish to use one.

A selection of daily newspapers and magazines is available here to read and there is also a photocopier.

Meditation - A space to think

Everyone is welcome to use the quiet room next to the learning centre. Please ask a member of staff in the learning centre for access.