MEMBERS of the public now have the chance to take advantage of the 21st Century facilities on offer at the first new library to open in Swindon for 20 years.

The North Swindon Library at the Orbital Shopping Park is the only one to open on Sundays.

It also has a read and relax area, and hot drinks on offer for library users.

It was officially opened by Mayor-elect Coun Derek Benfield (Lab, Covingham & Nythe) who said the lessons learnt from running the North Swindon Library could be implemented in the proposed new Central Library.

He said: "This could be the centre of excellence for north Swindon. Some of the new ideas may be the forerunner for the new central library.

"It is a bonus being in the middle of the shopping centre. The customers from the shops will come here and the library users will go to the shops."

The library cost £2.2 million to build and was paid for under an agreement when planning permission was granted for the Asda Wal-Mart store.

The centre of the room has a seating area and the collection, which has a total of 32, 000 items including music CDs, videos and DVDs, is arranged around it.

Free internet access is available on 24 computers and there is also an exhibition space and a children's play area.

Shaun Smith, manager of the north Swindon group of libraries, said: "We are very much looking forward to having members of the public coming in.

"It has taken a long time to get it from being a shell to the state it is in now.

"It took months of planning but to fit it out and fill it only took six weeks and the staff have been working extremely hard.

"We particularly wanted to open on Sundays because that is a very busy day in the Orbital Shopping Park.

"People expect things to be open on Sundays and we wanted to provide that service.

"We are aware the catchment area has a young population and we made sure we provided well for the children."

Aiden Godfrey, 9, of Abbey Meads, was one of the first people through doors.

He said: "I am looking forward to reading the books, especially Lord of the Rings, that is my favourite. It looks really good, better than some of the other libraries we go to."

The library, open Tuesday to Sunday, will have 20 members of staff, all except two of which will work part-time.

It serves Haydon Wick, Abbey Meads and other communities in north Swindon

Funds in the latest council budget have been allocated for a new Central Library although no plans about the £12 million facility have yet been unveiled.