THE Morrab Library, situated in the heart of the Morrab Gardens in Penzance, has taken a giant step into the 21st century by launching its public online book catalogue.

The first stage of the Library's Online Public Access Catalogue via the library management system, KOHA, allows readers to search online for more than 12,000 of its more than 75,000 library books via its website.

These are all of the books that have been digitally catalogued so far by a team of just seven library volunteers and cover all of its fiction collections, as well as titles covering art, science, architecture, biography and natural history.

Members and the public are now able to search the catalogue from home, or use a computer at the library’s reception desk. The library, which was established in 1818, will continue to add more titles to the catalogue in the coming months and years until all of its books become searchable online.

In the meantime, the digital catalogue will function alongside the historic index card catalogue, and library staff and volunteers will be able to guide members through the search process to find the book they are looking for.

Librarian, Lisa Di Tommaso, said: “This is a truly significant day in the history of our library. For the first time, the records of our extensive collection of books will be available to view beyond the walls of the library.

“And while there is much more work to do to complete the project, it is thanks to the efforts of staff and volunteers who have allowed us to reach this point of introducing our unique collections to the world.”

A link to The Morrab Library’s Online Public Access Catalogue can be found at: morrablibrary.org.uk/morrab-opac/