The final days are approaching as library users and staff prepare to say goodbye to the beloved Carnegie building in Lynn.

However, it is not all doom and gloom, as many are excited to move into the new purpose-built library in the former Argos building.

The Carnegie building, opened on May 18 1905, by Andrew Carnegie, who gave a £5,000 grant to bring the reading facilities to Lynn.

The Scottish-American philanthropist helped fund roughly 660 Carnegie libraries across the UK and Ireland. The Lynn library is the oldest in Norfolk.

Now, some regular library users are preparing to say goodbye to the much-loved building on February 14, where it will close its doors for the final time at 4pm.

However, the building has been taken over by The Garage Trust, who plan to use the iconic building to support young people through performing arts.

Staff at Lynn’s library are excited to be able to offer more support and services in the bigger space, which spans across two floors.

Kerry Murray, head of library operations in Lynn, started her career at the Carnegie as a library manager.

“For me, it has been a real journey. It is a special place for me, as a user and a manager,” she said.

“It is spectacular to see the library move. We will be able to work with so many more partners to benefit residents.”

Extra librarians have been recruited to help with the predicted increase in library users.

They will be working across both floors to help those with the array of different services the library offers.

Ms Murray added: “I am so looking forward to what we will be able to offer. The new building is so amazing, and the services will be so much better.

“It (the Carnegie) is an iconic building. It will still be looked after and here for the community.”

Some Lynn residents plan to spend their Valentine’s Day paying one final visit to the Carnegie building.

One of them is Ann Smith, who moved to Lynn at the end of September from Stevenage and fell in love with both the town and the Carnegie building.

After she paid her first visit to the library, she has visited every day since. It inspired her to pick up a book she started writing years ago, but never finished.

“I bring everybody here who visits to look at it,” Ann said.

“At first, I could not find the library in the town. Then I walked down London Road one day and thought, ‘I have not visited this castle, I wonder who lived there’.

“It is a wonderful building, and I walked in and said I would like to join.”

Since then, Ann has visited every day, using one of the library’s computers to finish her neuroscience and religion-themed book. She has even put an acknowledgement to the Carnegie and its staff in her acknowledgements.

“They (library staff) work together so well and are so great and kind to everybody,” Ann added.

Ann is excited to see the new library and has already booked a tour of the new facilities. She believes tourists visiting Lynn will be able to find it better in the town centre.

“The accessibility could be better here (at the Carnegie), and there will be more people who can use it,” she said.

“I have never known a library with so much going on in the community, and it will get so much more footfall in the town centre.”

Two of the Carnegie library’s oldest visitors, Edith Reeves and Keith Trigg, have been coming to the Carnegie for decades.

“I am almost 90 and have been coming here for 84 years. We were so pleased when we got our library cards,” Edith said.

Edith enjoys coming to her weekly Scrabble club at the library, while Keith has used the facilities to discover a lengthy family history.

Before the Carnegie, Lynn’s library was located in the former Post Office building, located across from the new library building.

“I am so glad the new library is going near the orignial one,” Edith added.

Keith added: “I am coming in on Saturday to say goodbye. I come here everyday. I did my family history here and found thousands of people on my mother’s side.

“The library is a very big part of my life.”

Both loyal library users are excited that more of Lynn’s historic books will be available for display in the new building.

“The library is a place of quietness and engagement. Anything you want to know is here.

“The new digital component will be more helpful to people as well. You get used to the staff as well, they are very kind and lovely always,” Edith added.

“I am looking forward to the new one opening. I am pleased I have lasted this long to see it.”

The new library, located on the corner of Tower Street and New Conduit Street, will open on March 16.

While library staff prepare the move over to the new building, an array of library facilities will still be available during the moving period.

A space has been designated for regular library activities in Lynn’s Alive Corn Exchange, which will be in place for two weeks.

A mobile library will also be visiting the Tuesday Market Place, with dates and times yet to be confirmed.

“We are really keen to keep library services going while we are closed because it is so important to people,” Ms Murray said.