PLANS to turn Basingstoke town centre library into a trail-blazing Discovery Centre, complete with a caf and ground-breaking employment and education service, are coming closer to reality.

Key figures steering the project say they are well on the way to raising an estimated £2.5million for the scheme - and if all goes according to plan, building work could start next autumn.

As the project is moving forward, The Gazette has been given a preview of the features that visitors might expect to see in the centre.

The plans include:

a redesigned entrance on the ground floor in Festival Place

a high-quality caf

remodelled shelves for books

a community room for meetings and seminars

an exhibition area

much-improved facilities for the Citizens Advice Bureau

a learning suite, business and careers area including a Basingstoke and Deane Employment Initiative one-stop shop

a welcome area

comfortable seating

graphic novels

a mini viewing theatre for DVDs

50 free-access computers

public toilets

refurbishment of branch libraries around Basingstoke

three new mobile libraries with computer facilities.

The Discovery Centre idea has been proposed as part of a radical programme of change for libraries across Hampshire, designed to reverse a decline in use.

Cash for the scheme will come from a mixture of sponsorship and public money from the county and borough councils. It is also hoped the revised National Lottery will approve a bid for cash next year.

So far, £300,000 has been pledged in sponsorship, but library and museums officers are planning to raise another £500,000.

Ian Smith, director of development at Hampshire Museums Trust, who is leading the effort to bring in sponsorship, said he is optimistic.

He told The Gazette: "We have indications of support but the rest of the package is coming together. We would not be talking about it if we were not confident the scheme would go ahead at some time in the future."

Support for the project has already come from the Linbury Trust (the family trust of Lord Sainsbury) and from Basingstoke companies Eli Lilly, Sony, Focus 21 and Gazette Newspapers.

Mr Smith said financial support from Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council would come in if the right sponsorship was raised. He said the overall target was likely to be £2.5million.

Basingstoke council leader Cllr Brian Gurden told The Gazette the scheme has his backing and will soon be in the running for a cash grant.

He said: "The borough council's Cabinet will shortly be considering its future budget allocations and we are examining how best to work in partnership with the county council on this project.

"We are keen to improve the services of the Citizens Advice Bureau, boost educational and employment support for young people and adults, in association with Basingstoke College of Technology, and provide good-quality community facilities for town centre residents - all of which fit well with our priorities and those of the Discovery Centre concept."

Frances Candler, reader development officer at the library, who has been a leading figure in the project, said the opening of the Discovery Centre was likely to double the 450,000 visits already made to the library each year.

She said: "What's exciting is that we are going to have these services easily accessible in the centre of town. We have tons of space - more than anyone else in Hampshire - and our 20 internet terminals have the highest use in the county. We have 36 different nationalities using them."

Mrs Candler said books would remain important to the Discovery Centre, although the reference side might be slimmed down to reduce duplication. She said a survey had proved books remained important.

"The people we spoke to don't want to do without books, but young people wanted to make the place more interactive," she said.

Alan Gwyer, strategy and partnerships director for BCOT, said the Discovery Centre will have an important role to play in providing potential staff with the right training to work in local shops and warehouses. He said the Basingstoke and Deane Employment Initiative, which he is involved with, plans to have a training centre with up to 20 computers, a Jobcentre Plus facility and to run courses in the seminar room.

He said: "It's more than just a training centre. It's also bringing employers together to get a good service. I don't really think anyone else is doing this in Britain."

When the Discovery Centre was first proposed for Basingstoke, serious concerns were expressed that the collections at The Willis Museum in Market Place would be broken up. But members of the steering group said there is no reason for such fears.

Chris Edwards, Discovery Centres project manager for Hampshire County Council, said The Willis will become a centre for local studies, featuring materials such as maps and photographs.

He said: "We want to integrate the local studies side and provide it from one venue and bring in material from Hampshire records office. This will be alongside the current museum displays."

He said previous promises to keep The Willis collection together "will be honoured".