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Internationally celebrated author and local resident Alexander McCall Smith joined Culture and Leisure Convener Councillor Deidre Brock this morning for a well-attended ceremony to mark the completion of the Library's modernisation and refurbishment.
The revamp, which began in March this year and was originally due to be finished in February 2012, was shaped by the views of more than 800 library users, who completed a questionnaire asking what new facilities they wanted to see in their local library.
The refurbished Morningside Library provides modern interior design and shelving, soft seating, a coffee area, study space, community rooms, computer learning centre, improved internal lighting, the long-awaited customer toilets and new and improved areas for children and teenagers. The building is also now accessible on two levels for the first time, creating much more space to be used by the community.
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Cllr Brock said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be able to declare Morningside Library officially open again after its superb refurbishment. The Library has been beautifully modernised and reconfigured so that it can now properly cater to all its customers' needs to the needs of all its customers. This Administration is committed to securing a robust future for the service by delivering the improvements people tell us they want to see in their local library. Thanks to its refurbishment - completed on budget and ahead of schedule - this excellent community facility will continue to play a central role in the Morningside area for many, many years to come."
Alexander McCall Smith said: "A library is the heart of a community. This library is much loved and is now in a position to appeal to even more readers. It is wonderful to see something like this happen in trying times - this is a real cause for celebration of the marvellous work that the library services do in this city. We are very fortunate in having them."
(GK)
