Reading Central Library is preparing to move from its long‑standing building in Abbey Square (King’s Road) to a new facility in an extension to the Civic Offices on Bridge Street in Reading, Berkshire. The relocation is expected to take place in 2026 (the council has described timing as spring/late 2026) and will co‑locate library services and council customer services in a modern building.
Reading Borough Council is using £8.6 million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund to pay for the project. The existing Abbey Square building opened in 1985; the council says the 1980s building is energy‑inefficient and would require millions of pounds of repair work, which was a key reason for pursuing the relocation.
The new space at Bridge Street is designed to offer improved digital provision and better accessibility, with charging points, free Wi‑Fi, computers and accessible seating and lifts. Councillor Adele Barnett‑Ward, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said the designs reflected user feedback and described the proposed library as ‘big, bright, and beautiful’ when the council published initial CGI images.
Work on the Civic Centre project is already progressing: the council reopened the redesigned customer reception and service hub at the Civic Offices on 26 January 2026. Council leaders say co‑locating services will reduce the high maintenance and energy costs of the old building and make it easier for residents to access multiple services in one place.
The Abbey Square library building was put on the open market in 2024, and estate agents have promoted the site for potential residential or commercial redevelopment. The council hopes the more central, better‑connected Bridge Street location will encourage more residents to visit and use the library facilities.
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