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Good news for local bookworms: Irby Library is set to reopen next spring after it was closed by the council in 2022 in an effort to cut costs.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, local charity Pioneer People has now taken control of the building following a successful Community Asset Transfer. The charity is run by former councillor Mark Johnston, and they bought Pensby Library back in 2024.
Nine libraries closed during the cost-cutting measures, including Bromborough, Higher Bebington, New Ferry, and Pensby.
The Irby site will be more than a library; it will have a community meeting area for local groups, and a second-hand shop will be on-site to help fund the library, ensuring there is no competition with local villages.
Mr Johnston said there is significant work ahead but added: "It'll be open by the spring, if not earlier."
Local councillor Mark Skillicorn described securing the library's future as the "proudest moment" of his time as a councillor. He said the closure had left a huge hole in the community, with residents losing not just access to books but also internet facilities and a vital warm space during colder months.
Trevor Ainslie, chair of the Irby, Thurstaston and Pensby Amenity Society, joined Mr Johnston and Councillor Skillicorn for the official handover of the keys.
Residents in Irby welcomed the news. Julie Forshaw told the Echo: "It's definitely exciting to see it come back. Just to see the building in use again will be amazing. It's just a shame it's been closed for so long."
Council leader Councillor Paula Basnett last year committed to not proposing further library closures during her leadership.
