THERE was a time when you could hear a pin drop in our libraries as every reader seemed to have taken a vow of silence.

But in the future you are more likely to hear the chink of coffee cups and the chatter of younger readers.

The dust is being shaken off the covers of the traditional library scene and replaced with one more appropriate to 21st century tastes.

Book lending has been going into decline as the Internet has dramatically changed the way we access information. Fiction is being knocked off the shelves as most people choose to buy books.

So county council chiefs have had to take a brave step in breathing new life into its libraries.

The result is a number of new-look libraries will not be called libraries at all. 'Discovery Centres' is the new branding and the first opened in Gosport two years ago. And this could be just the start.

The plan is to open a network of them across Hampshire including one in Winchester in November and possibly others in Andover, Basingstoke, Fareham and Eastleigh.

These new centres will remain part of the library network and will work closely with other libraries to ensure services are integrated.

State-of-the-art The bright new image at Gosport is clear to see. As soon as you step through the doors of the £2m state-of-the-art centre you are immediately hit by the bright pink and orange decor. There is also modern art and flatscreen TVs.

The children's area is packed with fun to excite young literary tastebuds.

Instead of those traditionally hard library seats visitors can snuggle into Big Brother-style sofas as they skip through a book or catch up with the daily papers.

When I visited, which was half an hour after the Discovery Centre opened, the place was buzzing and the cafe was doing a roaring trade.

Every screen was taken in the Internet express and the Lifelong Learning suite.

It is an experiment that seems to have worked in Gosport. The number of visitors has increased by 59 per cent since the days of the old library in 2003.

But it seems it is the younger generation who have boosted the figures. Older people have been slow to adjust to the new surroundings. The largest increase in the number of users has been the 18 to 34 age group. Library chiefs have been trying to reverse the trend by finding ways of drawing older people back into the library fold.

During my visit I could see a number of senior citizens making use of the facilities.

But Gosport's new-look library is obviously not everyone's cup of tea. As the Daily Echo tried to gauge public opinion from those walking through the precinct, one elderly passer-by wagged a finger towards the building and said: "It's too noisy and there are too many kids in there."

There were less scathing comments from another pensioner, 68 year-old Margaret Hack, from Gosport, who said: "I use it once or twice a week and my husband uses the computers. I think it is alright, although it can be noisy sometimes. I think it is a good idea to have a coffee bar in there."

Leah Hulse, 29, from Gosport, said that the Discovery Centre "worked for her".

She added: "I'm studying for a diploma in child minding so I come in here to do my assignments. The facilities are good and the money has been well spent."

There was also reams of praise from another resident, Paul Hunt, 40, who said: "I think it's a brilliant facility and very user-friendly. I'm an ex-sailor and there are some good naval reference books there. My two children regularly use the discovery centre."

David Costello, 62, of Lee-on-the-Solent, said: "I'm impressed with how bright and modern it is. It gets away from those stifling old libraries of the past."

Paula and Ron Winter, from Stubbington are also big fans.

And Paula, 54, said: "It's got a nice atmosphere. It's nice to have a browse and then a coffee."

But she misses the hush that used to fall over old libraries.

Ron, 56, said: "I think it's a really good place for those people who don't have Internet access."

Others felt the bright new image should be reflected throughout the High Street to give Gosport a much needed 'feelgood' boost.

When the then Minister for Media and Heritage Lord McIntosh opened the centre, he said it was very much what the Government had in mind for the future of libraries.

And at the time a leading county councillor said: "We've developed this approach in response to the decline in visitor numbers.

"By combining library, learning and cultural services in a welcoming centre we aim to attract people of all ages."

The latest survey by Hampshire County Council shows 86 per cent are either very satisfied or satisfied with the county's libraries.

And satisfaction with the centre has risen by 13 per cent in the last year.