Felixstowe Library is set to open on Mondays for the first time when its hours will be extended as part of the creation of a one-stop-shop for council services.

The changes will mean the loss of Friday evening opening from next month, but overall the library in Crescent Road will be open for an extra four hours a week following consultation with customers.

A new partnership has been agreed between Suffolk Coastal and Suffolk Libraries to move the council’s Tourist Information Centre’s services and customer services from the seafront to be alongside library services under one roof in the town centre to improve access to a wide range of council services.

The library has been refurbished, creating a new meeting room as well as bringing in new desks for the Suffolk Coastal and library staff.

TJ Haworth-Culf, Suffolk Coastal’s cabinet member for customers, communities and leisure, said: “The key to this partnership project is our desire to bring improved services into the heart of Felixstowe, while also making best use of our limited resources and providing local tax payers with value for money.

“We are committed to making our services more accessible to our residents.

“While we continue to work to improve our online service delivery, at the same time we recognise that having face-to-face contact remains important.

“Previously, people from Felixstowe would have to travel to Woodbridge to access some of these services. Now they are available in the heart of their local community.”

Tony Brown, chairman of Suffolk Libraries Board, said: “A similar arrangement in Beccles Library was launched a year ago and has been working very well with increased visits to the library and positive feedback from both library and council customers.”

From February 16 the library will open every Monday from 10am to 4pm.

In future the library will close earlier on a Friday at 5.30pm.

However the current late openings on a Friday – until 7.30pm – will continue until the start of March.

The library has also recently refurbished its children’s library area as a result of fundraising efforts, ready for the library’s new launch.