Queenborough Library in Swale, and Cliftonville Library in Thanet, are the latest to benefit from investment so they can accommodate more KCC services. They will also be getting new facilities and new furniture to make the buildings a more comfortable and flexible space for reading, studying, registering a birth or death, and community activities.
Queenborough Library will close at the end of the day on Saturday 31 January so the upgrades, costing £219,900, can start. Work to the site includes making space for Family Hub services to complement those already offered in the area. The library is expected to reopen at the end of April.
Queenborough Library will close for upgrades
In Cliftonville, the library will also close at the end of the day on Saturday 31 January so the works, costing £181,700, can start. This includes creating a new shared space with Adult Social Care and Health services, and integrating the KCC Good Day programme. The library is expected to reopen by the end of May.
Exact opening dates will be confirmed as work progresses.
“By creating brighter, more flexible and more welcoming spaces, we’re supporting everything from family activities and learning to essential registration services.”
Paul Webb, KCC's Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, said: “These refurbishments are about making sure our libraries continue to meet the needs of residents today and for many years to come. By creating brighter, more flexible and more welcoming spaces, we’re supporting everything from family activities and learning to essential registration services.
“Cliftonville and Queenborough are valued community hubs, and these improvements will help ensure they remain at the heart of local life across Kent.”
Upgrades to Cliftonville Library include creating a new shared space with Adult Social Care and Health services
“Bringing key services together in one place makes it easier for families to access the help, guidance and activities they need, and ensures support is delivered in a more joined‑up and consistent way across the community.”
Chris Palmer, KCC's Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, said: “The introduction of Family Hub services at Queenborough will strengthen the support available to families in the area.
"Bringing key services together in one place makes it easier for families to access the help, guidance and activities they need, and ensures support is delivered in a more joined‑up and consistent way across the community.”
All loans will be automatically extended during the closure period, and customers can still access services at Sheerness Library in Swale, and Margate Library in Thanet while work continues.
The closures mark the second phase of plans to upgrade libraries across the county. Phase one saw Cranbrook Library, Temple Hill Library, and Sittingbourne Library close for renovations.
Cranbrook Library reopened on Thursday 22 January, while Temple Hill Library will reopen shortly. An opening date is yet to be confirmed for Sittingbourne, with works ongoing until Spring 2026.
