Flagship Glan-yr-Afon Library set for major improvements next month

Since opening its doors in 2018, Glan-yr-Afon has been a vibrant hub for the local community. It draws together a public library, National standard gallery, visitor information and a coffee shop.

Since opening, Glan-yr-afon has delivered numerous events and activities to local people as well as an average of 5,000 book issues per month.

In partnership with the National Library of Wales, it has hosted numerous eye-catching exhibitions in the Gallery, including the inaugural Kyffin: Tir a Mor/Land and Sea exhibition in 2018; Trysorau/Treasures in 2019 and Trem/Gazein 2022, which was a three way partnership with the National Gallery in London as part of their Masterpiece Tour and featured Hélène Rouart in her Father’s Study by Edgar Degas.

Over the past seven years, the team have listened closely to visitors and learned what works well – and what could be improved – to create an even better experience for all.

Feedback from customers has highlighted a number of areas for improvement: the children’s library lacks space for larger group activities; customer requests for Wi-Fi printing have increased; and there is demand for more Visitor Information about the county. In addition, some users feel that the space could feel safer at times.

Thanks to funding from the Welsh Government, an exciting project is now set to address these needs.

Planned Improvements Include:

• An improved children’s library – more visible, with increased seating for adults and children to enjoy reading and learning together, plus additional space for author visits, class sessions, and children’s activities.

• Enhanced digital and Visitor Information services – public Wi-Fi printing for the first time, alongside a refreshed and expanded Visitor Information area.

• Improved building flow – A redesign of the access routes into the building will help to create a safer and more welcoming environment for all

This will be achieved through:

• A change to the rear entrance/exit. This will be modified to serve as a fire exit only door. Meaning that all access will be through the Coffee Shop or the side entrance near Skinners Lane.
• The installation of Access Gates to control access to the library’s main areas. This will help to create a safer environment for all and assist in managing some of the anti-social behaviour that the library has experienced since opening.
• The small Staff Pod will be relocated to tie in with the new gates. This will create a new staff welcome point with access controls, which will be more visible to customers on entering the library. This will ensure that customers and visitors are greeted and assisted upon entry, improving the overall user experience and providing a clear point of first contact.

These changes will improve the library flow and experience for customers and visitors in terms of staff visibility and clear orientation. They are also responding directly to customer feedback and will help to deliver:

• Improved learning and reading outcomes for children
• New IT and information services to meet growing demand
• A warmer welcome and more intuitive visitor experience

The library will need to be closed between Saturday 6^th and Saturday 20^th December allow the work to be completed.

During this time, all library books on loan from Haverfordwest Library will be automatically extended to prevent customers from incurring overdue fines. The Coffee Shop will remain open.

The Library will re-open on Monday December 22nd before closing for Christmas at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

The Library re-opens after Christmas on Friday January 2^nd.

This project builds on previous Welsh Government investment to unlock the full potential of Glan-yr-Afon Library, ensuring that the original vision is fully realised for the benefit of the entire community.