It's business as usual at Roseberry Square Library

The library in the middle of a multi-million pound redevelopment on a Redcar estate is stressing to borrowers that it is still open for business - and looking forward to a new home.

Redcar and Cleveland Council's staff in the Roseberry Square branch, which usually caters for over 1,100 borrowers, calculates that dozens have stopped visiting the library, sited in the middle of the massive rebuilding.

The redevelopment of The Courts and Roseberry Square shopping centre is being created through the Council's Development Agreement with a private consortium of developers - Bellway Homes, Persimmon Homes and Sterling Capitol - and the Tees Valley Housing Group.

It will provide a new library as well as 100 units of social housing, 300 private homes, a new shopping centre, a new youth and community centre and new open space areas.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "The staff has done a great job trying to maintain the normal services while watching the demolition going on around them. However, we're all looking forward to work on the new library starting very soon and it will be an exciting time watching it take shape.

"We believe that the libraries service is an integral part of the community so the old library will remain open until the new building is ready."

Community librarian Janis Bonner, who has worked at Roseberry Square for 17 years, said: "When I've been out and about, I'm always being asked: 'When are you open again?' I must admit if you look across the Square it does look as if we're closed, but it's business as usual.

"There won't be a break in service, either. We'll be here until the new library is completed around Christmas - and we're all really looking forward to that."