WORK on Winchester's new £7m super-library is due to get under way later this month.

The development will involve temporarily closing and moving the local studies section of the existing library in Jewry Street to enable preparatory work to begin.

The section, which is currently located on the first floor of the old Corn Exchange building, provides people with a wealth of information on local topics including books, illustrations, maps, postcards, photographs, magazines and census records.

It will be closed from June 27 to July 25 and then reopen in temporary accommodation at the Reference Library in North Walls, where it will remain for a year.

The temporary premises will be slightly smaller than the current location, so there will be some limitations to the service, though library staff will continue to be on hand to advise and support research.

Visitors are being advised to contact the library before visiting to check whether the service they want is available and that any material they need is to hand. Staff can be contacted on 01962 841408.

Meanwhile the search is still on for suitable temporary accommodation in which to house the main lending library once building work really gets under way on the new cultural centre.

Once completed, bosses say the new library will offer people a state-of-the-art cultural centre complete with an art gallery, lecture hall, museum and educational facilities.

There will also be a new public plaza at the back of the Corn Exchange site, which is being dubbed 'Theatre Square', a new cafe and redesigned public toilets.

In April initial plans for the centre were approved by planning chiefs at Winchester City Council, however a final decision now rests with Hampshire County Council.

If all goes to plan, it is hoped the new library/cultural centre could be open by the end of 2007.