Libraries Improvement Plans 2019 - 2023
We know how important libraries are to Haringey’s communities – so we’re improving them to offer you more!
The big changes to Hornsey Library completed in 2020 and we have enhanced the historic fabric of the library through £3.7m of investment, making it bigger, better, more accessible and providing even more services for users and the local community.
The Grade II listed building in Crouch End has many internal improvements. These include new furniture and IT equipment, an improved children’s library section and a refurbished main entrance and main library, alongside essential internal and external maintenance work, roof repairs and a new heating system.
In addition, we have allocated funding to enhance 5 smaller libraries: Alexandra Park, Muswell Hill, Coombes Croft, Stroud Green and Harringay, and Highgate. We plan to develop only 1 library in each area of the borough at a time, to ensure that the improvement works cause as little disruption to library services as possible. Find out more below.
What has been done so far
We are pleased to announce that Coombes Croft Library reopened in October 2020, looking refreshed with new furniture, a wide range of new books and a great new children’s area.
Stroud Green and Harringay Library reopened in December 2021 with access to meeting rooms on the first floor via a newly installed lift, alongside essential internal and external maintenance work as well as new furniture.
Alexandra Park Library is reopening in February 2023, also with access to meeting rooms on the first floor via a newly installed lift, alongside essential maintenance works as well as looking refreshed
Highgate Library will be closed from 10 February 2023, and it is anticipated the works will be completed by October 2023.
We have invested £500,000 in new IT across all Haringey libraries to improve digital facilities for residents. The new facilities include interactive self-service terminals, card payment facilities and business intelligence tools for smarter stock buying.
All libraries now have new public computers and printers, and the bandwidth of the network has been increased to improve Internet speeds.