A NEW library in Berkeley was almost ready for the visit of the first members of the public.

The library was set to be the county’s first pre-fabricated library building when it opened on February 14.

The opening of the library in School Lane marked the end of a five-year struggle to have the town’s mobile library replaced with a more permanent facility.

Running the new service would be a 24-year-old librarian who had been given the opportunity work at the centre after graduating from a university course in library studies.

She was one of several people enlisted to help unpack more than 11,000 books which were set to fill the shelves of the new building.

Despite not even being open, ambitious plans were in place to offer a number of day and evening classes to people in the town and surrounding villages.

Work to erect the pre-fabricated building started in October 1976 and all the work except for landscaping and the car park had been completed by the end of January. The whole project had been completed with a budget of £27,000 whereas a similar-sized brick structure would have cost about twice as much.

Helping to stack the shelves was Stroud divisional librarian Alan Morley who was preparing to take an eighth library under his wing. “We are all very excited about the project and hope to serve as many new readers as well as those already using the mobile van,” he said.

Councillor Peter Robins, chairman of the county council’s recreation and leisure committee, was due to conduct the official opening of the facility, the day before the first residents would be able to register at the centre.

The mobile library was due to continue visiting the town and nearby villages until the end of February so that books could be returned.

Two part-time library assistants would also work at the library having received their training at Dursley’s facility.

Four decades down the line and plans and fundraising is already in place to fund a new permanent structure to replace the pre-fabricated building.

Community group Berkeley Books, which now runs the facility, is in the process of raising the £400,000 needed for the replacement.