Walsall libraries have secured a £170,000 funding boost to improve services and facilities for residents across the borough. The investment, announced on 20 April 2026, will be distributed among all seven community libraries, including Bloxwich Community Library on High Street.
The money comes from the government’s Libraries Improvement Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This funding is part of a larger national effort to support cultural venues, with 28 library services across England receiving a share of £6.3 million for building and technology upgrades.
Residents can expect a variety of improvements, including new multilingual customer satisfaction kiosks at all seven locations and portable devices for staff to gather feedback during community events. Additionally, Darlaston Library will undergo specific refurbishments to its first floor to create a more flexible space for community-led activities.
Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “Libraries are more than buildings with books in, libraries are about people, ideas and opportunity. The Libraries Improvement Fund helps libraries to flourish as safe, trusted spaces for their communities.”
Walsall Council is one of four library services in the West Midlands to receive support through this programme, which is a component of the broader national Arts Everywhere Fund.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
