Welcoming staff
4
4
Date of visit: October 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Good
This library serves the town of Duns and functions as a library, community hub and advice centre, hosting public events and reading groups throughout the year. I visited solely for this review and found the staff to be a real highlight of my trip. When I raised some access concerns, they were quick to listen and genuinely interested in how they could make the venue suitable for more visitors.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
There are two sets of manual inward-opening doors at the entrance. These are heavy, but this has been considered, as a call button is installed on the wall outside the library. This alerts staff, who will open the doors and assist with entry. They are outward-opening double doors, with the smaller door to the left pinned closed. If required, these can be opened too. The venue hosts events for young children, so they’re no strangers to buggies and wheelchairs. Be aware of the lip at the entrance, though it isn’t especially high. There is level access throughout the venue, with plenty of soft seating among the bookshelves and computers available to hire, offering good under-desk space for most wheelchair users. A hearing loop is also available.
Accessible facilities: Single-level venue, Seating at regular intervals, Step-free entrance
Parking & Transport
Average
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
There are two accessible parking spaces at the entrance with hatched markings between the two. There is a dropped kerb between the spaces, but it's a little overgrown with moss. If these are in use, there are a further two accessible parking spaces outside of the Jim Clark museum, just accross the street. About 160 metres away, downhill from the library, there is a bus stop on Langtongate where the 34 and 60 services operate.
Accessible facilities: Dedicated on-site parking
Accessible Toilets
Poor
I've rated the loos as poor as they didn't suit my needs. A particular point of note is that there is a set of plastic drawers just beyond the door when it’s opened fully. The drawers contain free period products, which is definitely a good thing, but they reduce the space in the room, making the toilet unsuitable for powerchair users and some manual chair users. I couldn’t shut the door behind me. In addition, the drawers and a bin completely remove the left-side transfer space, rendering it unusable. The toilet pan has contrasting grab rails on either side, and the red cord card hangs free of obstruction to the left when seated. The toilet also has a small sink with a contrasting grab rail on the left and a lever-style tap. A small shelf is on the wall to the right when you enter, which could function as a colostomy shelf. The door opens inwards and does not require a RADAR key.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
