A COUNCILLOR has welcomed major improvements to a well-used library saying it was fantastic news money was being ploughed into the service.

An area for young people to study, research and relax, will be the highlight of improvements to Haslingden Library, in Higher Deardengate.

Haslingden councillor Gladys Sandiford said the improvements showed the county council was committed to maintaining the service for the future.

She said: "I am really pleased about the service being improved in Haslingden.

"There really are a lot of good initiatives at the library and I am very pleased that something is going to be done with the facilities.

"There have been closures of libraries in Waterfoot and in Burnley so surely to goodness if they are going to plough money into Haslingden it is one that they are going to keep."

Building work and refurbishment will begin next week and the library will remain open throughout the work, which is expected to last for five weeks, but the upstairs will be closed to the public.

This will mean there will be restricted access to local history material, but staff will be able to make arrangements to access this material with advanced notice.

Newspapers will be sited downstairs.

The improvements to the library will include removal of walls in the internal offices upstairs to make way for the study, research and relaxation area, due to open in June 2008.

This is being funded through a National Lottery grant.

A new fire escape will be put in place to replace the existing one, as well as new strengthened windows to the back of the building upstairs and downstairs and a new ventilation unit to improve the air circulation upstairs.

It has not been revealed how much the total cost of the works will be.