Darlington Library to start new chapter after £3.7m refurb

The library keeps its heritage features mixed with modern furniture and fixtures

A town centre library is set to start a new chapter when it reopens after a £3.7m refurbishment.

Darlington Library will open on Saturday after a major restoration project was completed.

The Grade II listed building in Crown Street had been closed since September last year.

The library, which was built in 1885, has served generations of readers and will be there for years to come, Darlington Council said.

The library offers more than books with virtual reality headsets and sewing machines

Mixing heritage features with modern furniture, the library has been restored so people can also meet up and try crafting or technology such as virtual reality headsets, as well as reference and children's sections.

Councillor Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: "This marks an exciting new chapter.

"Our dedicated staff, both within the library and other teams, have worked closely with contactors to ensure the sympathetic restoration of key heritage features while at the same time upgrading and modernising facilities to 21st Century standards."

The children's library has soft furnishings and a woodland theme

The children's library features artwork on the wall from Charlie Mackesy's book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.

As well as the main lending library, there is an area for meetings, a study area and the Crown Street Art Gallery, which offers the chance to view works from the borough collection, as well as other artists.

Built in 1885 and originally known as the Edward Pease Free Library, the building was extended in 1933.

Darlington mayor councillor Jan Cossins said it was exciting to see the "improvements and changes" to a building she had visited many times, especially as a child.

"It's amazing to think about how many generations of our Darlington families have used this library since it opened in 1885, and now, many more generations will have that same wonder and enjoyment for years to come," she said.

A timeline of the town's history is a focal piece on the walls of the library