STAFF and volunteers at an Ipswich library are today preparing to offer more services to people in the community after they were awarded �6,000 in funding and sponsorship.

The Friends of Westbourne Library were awarded the funds last week by Ipswich councillors and the East of England Co-op also contributed to the final total.

The money means the library will be able to offer more services in the area which will include a new outreach scheme in schools and community centres to teach children and adults, numeracy and literacy.

Andrew Cann, Ipswich Borough councillor for St Margaret’s, believes the new services will be a boost to everyone in the area.

He added: “We are very pleased that Westbourne Library is proving to be the leading library in the county in terms of people turning it around and running it on a low-cost model.

“It’s very good for the community, the library, readers and the county council tax payers.”

The funding was contributed by the Co-op and from Cllrs Cann, Inga Lockington, Mary Young and Robin Vickery from locality budgets. As well as the new outreach scheme, the funds will also be used to buy new furniture and a projector so the library can be used as a place for groups to meet.

Garath Jones, chairman of the Friends of Westbourne Library, added: “It’s good for Westbourne Library and it’s great now that it can be used as a community facility. It is a nice positive place that people want to come and use.”