Since opening earlier this month, the new Bishopston Library has already proved to be a great success with well over 500 local people signing up for membership.

Situated at 100a Gloucester Road and built on two floors, the new library is fully geared up for children and families.

As well as offering a great selection of fiction and non-fiction for adults, it includes a fantastic Children’s Library, baby-changing facilities and breastfeeding is also welcome.

The children’s library is comfortable and welcoming and has plenty of comfy chairs and a large colourful rug for children to sit on, plus offers a great selection of both fiction and non-fiction books and audio books also.

When I visited the library with my 8-year old, he especially enjoyed the section entitled “Picture Books for Older Readers” and was delighted to find several brand-new Where’s Wally books, a favourite of his!

There are also some Orchard Games for kids to play with, a few toys for babies and toddlers, plus two computers for children to use in addition to the other public computers in the adult section.

The library has an open-plan reception area with friendly staff who were very good with my 8-year old when he signed up to have his own library card; the man who helped him took time to show him how to borrow and return books using the library self-service facilities.

Bishopston Library offers regular free children’s activities: Children’s Storytime on Saturdays 11.30am – 12 noon for children of all ages and Baby Bounce and Rhyme on Wednesdays 11.30am – 12 noon which offers nursery rhymes and songs for little ones.

Both of these free sessions are run on a drop-in basis – no booking is needed.

As well as the children’s and adults’ sections, there are lots of workstations upstairs for laptops, a scanner and colour printer, an area for visitors to sit and work and newspapers at the front.

There is also an outdoor area which overlooks Gloucester Road which you can wander out on, a bookable meeting room and accessible public toilets.

Tracey Wintle, Library Supervisor of Bishopston Library, told me that the new library has been well-received by the local community:

“The comments that staff are receiving about the new library are really positive and we hope that the community continue to use us frequently. Staff would be pleased to hear any ideas of activities people would like to see organised in the future. There will soon be a Friends of Bishopston Library group also being formed.”

Opening hours for the new library are as follows:

Monday: 1 – 7pm
Tuesday: closed
Wednesday: 11am – 5pm
Thursday: 11am – 5pm
Friday: 11am – 5pm
Saturday: 11am – 5pm
Sunday: closed

To contact Bishopston Library, please email bishopston.library@bristol.gov.uk or phone 0117 357 6220.

The new Bishopston Library is a great addition to the local community and a wonderful resource for local families.