First teen library targets computer gamers

London is to get its first teenagers' library.

The facility in Church Street, off Edgware Road, will include an area where computer games can be played on giant flat-screen TVs. There will be a chillout zone with sofas, a quiet area for homework, a storytelling amphitheatre and an adult section.

The £2.5 million library, funded by Westminster council and the Big Lottery Fund, opens in August. It is hoped that 260,000 people will use the library every year.

David Ruse, the council's libraries and culture chief, said: "We are dedicated to bringing libraries into the 21st century and ensuring that we continue to provide library services that go beyond the traditional lending of books.

"The revamp of the Church Street site is a perfect example of how we are adapting to meet the changing needs of our library users and working with the local community to continue to provide first class services."