Boston Library to close for five weeks as work takes place to turn part of County Hall into a hotel

Boston Library's base in County Hall. Picture: Google Street View

During the closure, a click and collect service will operate.

Boston Library is based in County Hall, just off the Market Place. The private owner of the historic building is carrying out extensive works over the coming months to turn a large part of it into a hotel.

As part of the project, the area occupied by the library needs to be made stand-alone, to separate it internally from the hotel.

Boston Library's current entrance is to be sealed and a new one created on the other side of the building.

This work will include:

* Creating a new dedicated entrance for the library in Bank Street, near Tate’s Fish and Chips and Argos.

* Sealing up other entrances into the library from the building’s main entrance and foyer.

* Installing a new separate fire alarm system.

* Fitting double glazing to the library atrium to improve energy efficiency.

* Installing new energy efficient LED lighting.

* Inside, the layout of the library will be changed to improve the flow around the site from the new entrance.

Due to the scale of the works, Boston Library will need to close from Monday, April 17. It will re-open via its new entrance on Monday, May 22.

During the closure, a click and collect service from a cabin in the building’s car park during the usual opening hours. Readers will be able to reserve items for collection via the library services website as usual. It is also hoped that a basic printing service and a public access computer can be offered.

Louise Egan, library client lead at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Whilst readers in Boston will still be able to click and collect the books they want, they won’t be able to browse the shelves in the same way whilst work takes place on the library. With that in mind, in the run up to the building’s closure, we’re encouraging library members to stock-up, and allowing them to borrow more than the standard loan allowance to make sure they have plenty to keep them going during the closure period.

“Due dates for items loaned from Boston Library will be extended, so members also don’t need to worry about not being able to return their books.”

Readers can browse the library catalogue, reserve or renew books, and keep up to date with future events and activities at Boston Library by visiting www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/libraries-boston.

The provisional timeline for the works to the site are as follows:

* Early April – External works in preparation for the new entrance begin; cabin arrives in car park, ready to be set up by library staff.

* From April 17 – Library building closes to the public and building work for the new entrance begins.

* Early May – New ceiling, lighting and fire system installed.

* Mid-May – Staff begin moving back into the library, re-arranging the layout, and preparing for the re-opening.

* May 22 – Boston Library re-opens via the new entrance on Bank Street.

Boston Library to close for five weeks as hotel works take place around it - click and collect service to run in its place