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Long Swamp Library moving to Major Bay in East End

- Library to reopen @ new location September 4
July 31st, 2023 | Tags: Suzanne Greenaway Major Bay library Relocation
The library at Long Swamp is officially closed and the new location in Major Bay will be re-opened to the public on September 4, 2023. Photo: GIS
MAJOR BAY, Tortola, VI- Librarian Ms Suzanne Greenaway has said the new location of the public library at Major Bay in East End will allow for improved space and an expansion of the services offered to the public.

Ms. Greenaway said the Long Swamp location is officially closed and the new location in Major Bay will be re-opened to the public on September 4.

Ms Greenaway in a Government Information Services (GIS) press release on July 31, 2023, said, “Some of the benefits of this new location includes, improved user space for seating and bookshelves; Interactive computers; improved display spacing; improved operational space; access for printing and digital resources; online access and e-books.”

The Chief Librarian added that the library would continue to offer regular services including access to fiction and non-fiction books, the EBSCO database and the reading programme offered at schools.

The Mission

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Marcia Potter said the move of the East End Public Library is in keeping with the ministry’s mission of “providing information and other resources, to meet the educational; historical; recreational and cultural needs of the public across the Territory.”

The community libraries in Virgin Gorda and Anegada are still open and available to the public during service hours for their library needs.

The Public Library Service may be contacted by email at libraryservices@gov.vg or by telephone 468-9750.

15 Responses to “Long Swamp Library moving to Major Bay in East End”

  • smh (31/07/2023, 11:06) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    This is wonderful ! But Government needs to get a Main Public Library in Town up and running. If not, then there is need for a Branch in every District.
  • Manjack (31/07/2023, 14:59) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    A growing and progressing community is an informed, educated, and literate community. Libraries or learning resource centers meet and provide a critical role in informing, educating, etc the community. A library is part of a community’s identity like people, architecture, buildings, culture, heritage, land, etc. It is shameful and benign neglect that there is no central library in Road Town, the Capital of Tortola and BVI, and the seat of government, the financial and business centre, the sports and entertainment centre, etc. The lack of a central library may show the focus and priority of the territory. Hon de Castro, Minister of Education and Culture lets geh ah dun. The VI has limited land space and should be maximizing the use of the limited space. The site of Elmo Stout High School is not effectively used. The territory had the opportunity after the Hurricane Irma devastation to reimagine and maximize its use. A public library could have been an integral part of the reimagining process. Our thinking sometimes is too myopic. If the VI, a resource poor community wants to become First World, it must prudently borrow to do so. Virgin Islanders are adopting the same attitude as others elsewhere, ie, increasingly they want more services but show a disdain for paying more to get more and better services. We can’t and will not get there from here. Politicians seems to be more interested in getting elected and re-elected than making the tough calls, taking sensible risks, etc. Self-interests seems to trump public interest. What is better for the territory making some tough calls with sensible and get things done for the country and people or hanging around doing nothing just blowing “hot air” waiting to personally feather one’s nest/retirement? It is all the electorate fault, our fault, though. We barely vote and then go in hibernation until the next election. In the meanwhile though, we got our hands stretch out for freebs, special privileges, etc..
  • nonsense (31/07/2023, 17:24) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    This location is a former apartment building. This is ridiculous. The people who visit it will confirm....
  • wellsa (01/08/2023, 14:29) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    We tthe public would like to view that place because as far as i know upstairs was an apartment and downstairs ain have much space.... who approved this....this is nonsense...this the worst library i ever seen ....
  • resident (02/08/2023, 04:09) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    How many BV Islanders use a library? The upstairs of the building was Apts not being occupied for quite a while. Downstairs was Island Depr Store.
  • Embarassed (02/08/2023, 08:38) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    This the best they cud do.... for a library???... this shud never be posted....what in the world?...as a chief librarian this is wa u cud do for so many years? Well i sorry for the staffs
  • Ridic (02/08/2023, 09:45) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This the best they cuda dooo.... the staff been suffering so long with that working condition and environment....time for a change...yall kill da library
  • Ridic (02/08/2023, 09:45) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    This the best they cuda dooo.... the staff been suffering so long with that working condition and environment....time for a change...yall kill da library
  • Funny (02/08/2023, 11:46) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is funny ....jus like da ppl dem wa chose da buildin n da ones behind it....yall ok wit da?
  • bvi ppl (02/08/2023, 15:01) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are we acceptin this as our library? No way....
  • Use to (02/08/2023, 18:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    My son use to go to the library....the library gone down the drain...its not useful like b4
  • sorry (03/08/2023, 08:08) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sorry for them poor staffs
  • Shameful (03/08/2023, 09:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    haha , them need to do better . Them need to close and go back to drawing board. This such shame.
  • Linda (03/08/2023, 10:55) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This has gone from bad to worse than before. Why isn't the public ever informed of upcoming projects so we can agree or disagree? This building is not what we expected to see being used as a library for our children to enter. It is dark and dank, ugly, with no windows for ventilation or escape in case of emergencies, plus where will parking be? This selection without the public being informed is just as bad as where they located the Water Department at the Quomar building, which is the worst location and inconvenient for everyone around. The government needs to stop choosing to use friends' properties instead of decent able-to-access buildings for the public to feel safe and not a health hazard. I'm still VERY PISSED OFF about the horrible location of the WATER DEPARTMENT where you have to walk up a steep incline to enter the building, then climb stairs to get to the small ridiculous office that cannot even hold a small group of customers! What STUPID people are in charge of finding these locations? This place has gone down the drain very quickly!
  • PLEASEEE (04/08/2023, 06:35) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Jus close da library for good it is no use


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