Paisley Central Library

Cultural Services Update

Work is well under way on a £100m investment in Paisley town centre venues and cultural infrastructure over the next few years. This is being led by Renfrewshire Council and its partners as part of wider plans to change the area’s fortunes using heritage and culture.

The aim is to turn our historic venues into 21st century facilities which can host the new visitors, events and cultural activity the area is attracting. Work on venues operated by Renfrewshire Leisure includes:

  • a £42m transformation of Paisley Museum into a world-class destination showcasing the town’s unique heritage and collections.
  • a £22m revamp to make Paisley Town Hall a flagship performance venue for Renfrewshire and the west of Scotland, and preserve its place at the heart of life in the town;
  • an extension and refurbishment of Paisley Arts Centre
  • a new learning and cultural hub housing library services in a formerly-vacant High Street unit,
  • investment to create new outdoor events space and sporting facilities at St James Playing Fields

This complements investment by the council in town centre transport links and outdoor spaces, and ongoing work to help owners restore historic buildings;

What are the benefits?

The venue investment is central to the wider work to use the power of Paisley’s internationally-significant heritage and cultural assets to change its future by making us one of Scotland’s key destinations for culture and events.

Aside from preserving our precious architectural legacy and museum collections, the revamped venues will host activity which will bring huge volumes of new visitors and footfall to the town, bringing new life to the town centre and creating chances for business to thrive.

The museum alone is forecast to attract 125,000 visitors a year and create hundreds of new jobs during construction and once it opens. The revamped town hall will double attendees to 100,000 and – along with the arts centre – will be able to attract more and bigger shows, bringing more footfall into the town. The revamped St James will be able to host major outdoor events – such as big outdoor music gigs. And the investment in outdoor spaces will make the town more attractive for visitors, residents, workers and students to spend their time and money.

What is the timetable for closures?

For investment of this scale, we do have to close some of the venues while work is ongoing. Paisley Museum, Paisley Central Library and the Heritage Centre are planned to close on 20 September and reopen in 2022. Paisley Town Hall shuts at the end of 2018 and reopens in 2021, and Paisley Arts Centre will close in summer 2019 and reopen in autumn 2020.

LIBRARY

What will happen to Paisley Central Library?

Paisley Central Library will move to a temporary home in early 2019 next to the Lagoon Leisure Centre before moving to the new learning and cultural hub when it opens in 2021. The new building will be a flexible modern learning space and a 21st-century home for library services, driving footfall to the heart of the High St. The heritage library will go to a temporary home in Mile End Mill for the next four years then move back into the museum when it reopens.

How can I access library services now?

There are 11 other libraries in Renfrewshire and an extensive e-book facility for customers. Bookbug sessions will be relocated to the Lagoon. Visit renfrewshireleisure.com/libraries for more information.

I need access to PCs – where am I going to go in the meantime?

Public access PCs will be available in the Paisley.is office at 5a High Street from 25 September. Library staff will be on hand to assist visitors. Opening hours will be follows: Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat 9am – 5pm. Tues and Thurs 9am – 8pm.

PCs are connected to the internet. To check their internet speeds you can visit https://www.speedcheck.org/ and run a free test.

What happens to Bookbug and other popular sessions?

After the closure of the Library, Bookbug sessions will take place in the Lagoon – the first session at this venue will be on 1 October. The Digiteer service will continue to operate in the temporary facility at 5a High Street, and then in the temporary library at the Lagoon.

Paisley Central Library

Paisley Central Library was added on to the existing Museum in 1901 and again in 1933.

Lending library and reference service including local studies. Language packs, CD Roms, discs and tapes; large print and general books to lend; newspapers and magazines; photocopying and fax facilities. There is also a collection of local & family history. Free internet access offered on 24 PCs for the public. Learning centre providing computer based training packages.

Paisley Library - Paisley Museum

 

Open:

Address 68 High Street, Paisley
Postcode PA1 2BB

 

Monday 09.00 – 17.00
Tuesday 09.00 – 20.00
Wednesday 09.00 – 17.00
Thursday 09.00 – 20.00
Friday 09.00 – 17.00
Saturday 09.00 – 17.00
Sunday closed

Tel: 0300 300 1188 –

Email: libraries@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Web: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk