VILLAGERS campaigning for nearly a decade to keep their local library open were celebrating today as building work began on a new one.

Talke Library, on Chester Road, Talke Pits, was earmarked for closure in 2000 when Staffordshire County Council said it was not used often enough to justify costs.

But residents fought to keep a library in their community and have been rewarded with a new £428,000 building on the site of Springhead Primary School.

John Hadley, chairman of Friends of Talke Library, said the new building was good news for the whole village.

"This is the end of 10 years of work from us, our supporters and members of the public," he said.

"It's very important for the village. We don't have a lot of facilities so we had to keep our library going. The new location will encourage children's involvement and make the library a central place for the whole area."

The new library will be built on Kingsley Road, allowing school pupils to use it without leaving the site.

Hilary Jackson, from Library Services, said the new library would be at the heart of the community.

"More people will come to use the library now because it's going to be centrally placed, right next to the village and the high street," she said. "It has been a long time coming, but we are definitely looking forward to it."

The new building will include a meeting room and computer suite, allowing the library to offer adult learning sessions for local people.

Springhead Primary School headteacher Brian Anderson said the new building was a big opportunity for local children.

"We are absolutely over the moon that the new library will be at the school. We will be able to have the library for ourselves at certain times, but we are also hoping that parents will get involved and the children will do homework there."

Talke Pits has had a library since 1961 and the closure plans prompted a petition by 1,000 angry residents.

Friends of Talke Library have worked to involve the community in the plans.

Staffordshire county councillor Veronica Downes, cabinet member for schools, said: "What is really pleasing is the efforts of the local people. They have shown that if people persevere and work together they can really achieve things."

The first site meeting took place yesterday, coinciding with the ceremonial sod-digging. Building work is expected to be completed in March 2010.