The Library
The all-new Beswick Library is one of the best in the city; it is a comfortable, purpose-built space which uses modern technology for better services. With longer opening hours and doors open to everyone, the library offers:
- New books (including digital & virtual), films, music, newspapers and magazines
- Bright and welcoming areas for children, teenagers and families
- Speedy self issue and return facilities
- New computers with super-fast broadband
- Free wireless internet for library members
- Community meeting rooms
As well as catering for Academy students with course-related materials, there will be an enclosed after-school homework club which welcomes local school children.
If you have a Manchester library ticket, then you’re already a member at Beswick: if not, joining is free. The library is open Monday - Thursday 9am - 8pm; Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 9am - 4.30pm and Sunday 12pm - 4pm.
From the 5th September the new opening times will be Monday - Thursday 11am - 2pm and 3pm - 7pm, Friday closed, Saturday 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm and Sunday closed. Contact the library direct on 0161 245 7241 for more information.
Our services include a self-issue terminal to make borrowing quicker, a homework club for the over 8s, story telling sessions for younger children and meeting rooms available for hire by community groups. Library members can also make use of the 'Overdrive' service where books can be downloaded straight to laptops, mps players and e-readers from the comfort of their own homes.
Councillor Rosa Battle, Manchester City Council's Assistant Executive Member for culture and leisure said: "Manchester is bucking the national trend when it comes to libraries, with membership as popular as ever. The brand new Beswick Library will be a tremendous asset to the local community and with a whole host of new services sitting alongside traditional book lending, it offers a library that is bang up-to-date and relevant to everyone."
Eddie Smith, Chief Executive of New East Manchester said: "Having this new library, which is one of the best in the city, on the same site as The East Manchester Academy is fantastic as it creates a place that can be a focus for the whole community, a place that can deliver a range of services for everyone in East Manchester. The state-of-the art building offers a much more pleasant environment for learning, reading or just relaxing and is a tremendous improvement on the former facility we had here in Beswick.This is another important step in our journey to regenerate East Manchester."