East Barnet library will be shrunk and moved to a new home as Barnet Council continues its upheaval of library services across the borough.

The policy and resources committee voted last week to spend £500,000 on turning the library into New Barnet library, which will be located at Victoria Recreation Ground.

East Barnet library is currently closed until February 25 as a series of design changes are made as the council moves to save money on library services.

It will reopen at the original site as a partnership library run by Inclusion Barnet from April 2017. 

From 2019, it will move to the Victoria grounds, sharing the site with leisure and café facilities.

Library services across the borough are being streamlined and reduced across the borough, sparking anger and protest from residents in areas including Chipping Barnet.

READ MORE: Barnet Society and residents stage 'read-in' at Chipping Barnet library to protest Barnet Council reducing services in 2017

By reducing staffed hours at libraries and renting out space once dedicated to library services, the council hopes to save £2.2 million from now to 2020 as part of a wider initiative.

Chair of the children, education, libraries and safeguarding committee Cllr Reuben Thompstone said: “Co-locating library services with well-used leisure facilities will mean our residents will have easier access to multiple services under one roof.

“These services support each other in aiming to improve both the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our residents.

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“We are keen to pursue opportunities to replace poor condition library facilities with brand new library premises when it is cost effective to do so.

Colindale library was recently ‘co-located’ with Barnet and Southgate College and rebuilt in new premises and a similar scheme is nearing completion for Church End Library.