A MID Powys library has relocated to a newly established community hub.

Knighton Library will now be based at the town's community centre after moving to its new home on December 1.

Members of Knighton and District Community Centre's Management Committee, town councillors, guests and members of the public gathered at the centre to welcome the arrival of the newly located library.

The event is the culmination of a community working closely with its residents and local services to create a place for the town's library within its community hub – a reaction to the ever present threat of closure for libraries across Wales.

Cllr Rachel Powell, cabinet member for Library Services, said: "This is an exciting time for Knighton Library. This has indeed been a very successful project and demonstrates a superb asset that the town can be proud of and places the library at the heart of the community."

The library has benefitted from a Welsh Government grant to fit out the new library. Premises running costs will be met in future by the community centre, with support from Knighton Town Council, creating a strong partnership to ensure a secure future.

The library will continue with its core offer to its members, with free use of computers, free wifi, quiet study space and access to books in different genres. There will also be 'online' access to its digital offer, which includes e-books, talking books, e-magazines/e-comics - all through the library catalogue.

Books can be ordered through the catalogue and collected at the library. The library will continue to be a point of contact for council services and payments by card for the public.

Karen Plant, chairperson of Knighton and District Community Centre's Management, said: "We were very keen to keep this service running in the town and could see that its resources and the service it provides benefits residents in the long term. It made sense to include the library in our Community hub.

"We are particularly pleased to be welcoming the library into our newly refurbished community centre. We plan to provide a useful community space where healthy living, creative and learning activities and social groups can come together for the benefit of all ages in our community.

"The library will continue to add to this by promoting the joy of reading to everyone and through its unique role in social inclusion and addressing poverty, as well as providing access to good learning and research resources."

The library will be run by Community Hub and library officer, Hannah Isaacson, with a growing team of volunteers, who help support its smooth running.