The newly renovated Manor Park Library will open to the public in January 2013. The works have seen the library extended into the Army and Navy store on Romford Road.

The new library has been designed with residents in mind and will also be a key hub for the area where users can take advantage of the services on offer for them and their children and carry out self-service transactions with the council.

As well as all the traditional library services on offer in bright modern facilities, easy access from the main road and free PC and internet use, visitors to the library will find self-service kiosks that enable a range of quick and easy transactions including:

• paying council bills with a credit/debit card

• checking rent and council tax balances

• reporting abandoned vehicles, fly tipping, anti-social behaviour, missed bin collections, graffiti and many more problems that the council can help with

• booking services such as bulky and green waste collection

• searching for jobs

• giving feedback on services provided by the council

• checking library accounts to renew books.

The new services available at the library follows on from a major programme of refurbishment work to all libraries which began last year to not only provide better access to an increased number of computers and books but encourages residents to access more services from fewer buildings.

So far, the council has invested in and refurbished four other libraries – Canning Town, Beckton Globe, Stratford and Green Street.

To enable the enormous task of sorting and transporting thousands of books and other resources to the new location the current library will close in December 2012.

During the relocation, a full service can be found at any of Newham’s other libraries. Please visit www.newham.gov.uk/libraries for further information.

Cllr Andrew Baikie, executive member for customer services and housing said: “Newham Council is continuing to invest millions of pounds in these well loved and much used facilities whilst other councils are closing theirs. We’re looking forward to welcoming residents to the new library in January. It has been an exciting project and a brilliant achievement.”

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