IT'S debatable whether Bill Gates, the Microsoft billionaire, even knows where Blackburn is.

But a little bit of the town's new-look library has been dedicated to him after his charitable foundation gave £28,000 for a computer suite.

The 12 computers installed courtesy of the world's richest man make up a small part of the building, which re-opened to the public yesterday after a £1million refit.

The work has been described as the most radical he has ever seen by library consultant Tom Forrest, who was employed by the council to help make the venue more user-friendly.

For visitors to a preview evening held at the library -- minutes after the last book had been placed on a new shelf and the final carpet tile stuck into place -- the initial reaction was one of shock.

"I am amazed just how much it has changed," said Bill Taylor, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, which has helped fund the project. "It's not like any library I have ever seen before."

The motive behind the refit was to make it more of a draw to local people, particularly young residents. If the council increases significantly the number of 16-24 year olds over the next year, it stands to get around £300,000 from the Government.

As a result, the library's DVD, video and music collection has been placed next to the front door, with a large plasma screen playing DVDs such as The Simpsons visible to passers-by on the street.

Susan Lord, head of the council's library service, said: "Everything we've designed has been done to improve the visitor experience and we've tried to make it feel like a shop so people who may not have used a library in the past feel comfortable."

The ground floor also includes a 'quick pick' section which, according to Norma Monks, assistant director of of leisure at the council, has been modelled on an airport shop.

It isn't the only transformation to the book stock.

Mr Forrest said: "We have new technology which allows people to issue books themselves, rather than queue up at a desk. Experience tells us people would rather do this than have to queue.

"In the main non-fiction section, we have recategorised the books. In libraries everywhere books are still filed under domestic science, geography and so on, words people wouldn't use. Here they are placed under easier to find categories such as food and drink and travel.

"We've also removed the main inquiry desk because people didn't use it. They didn't feel comfortable walking up to a desk and would much rather walk up to a librarian out on the floor stocking the shelves. Again, it is just like in a shop."

On the first floor, the children's library has been expanded to include a creche. It occupies the space where coffee shop used to be. That has moved to the ground floor and a new rule has been introduced -- feel free to take your drinks anywhere in the building.

Coun Kate Hollern, in charge of leisure and culture, said: "It's something we are letting people do so they feel more at ease and spend more time here.

"The creche will mean parents can use the library while children are entertained. The children's library had kids running all over it when we opened and that's the way I want it, because we want children to grow up feeling at ease using the library. 'Sssh, it's a library' isn't a phrase you will hear in the children's library.

"Libraries play a key role in improving people's lives, providing somewhere to go for information, entertainment and to meet."

Special study support courses will be run by the library using up-to-date computers to help children studying for exams.

On the third floor one of the library's most popular sections, the local history section, has also been expanded.

With 3,000 visits a day, Mrs Monks added: "It's important that we not only attract new visitors, but keep the existing ones happy too."