Funding has been secured to create 3D walkthrough tours of all 22 Manchester library venues.
The £20,250 grant from the Library On programme and funded by Arts Council England, will allow the creation of virtual tours for the first time.
It will give viewers an immense experience, enabling them to explore broad and diverse sections of the libraries, including historical nuances and architecture, from a screen before making a visit.
This project will make the sites easier to discover and access, physically and online.
It addresses national research, and library feedback that some neurodivergent people, particularly those with autism, are not comfortable visiting locations unless they know exactly what to expect.
Councillor John Hacking said: “This is wonderful news. These virtual tours make the most of the opportunities that technology offers and will make a real difference to many of our visitors by making it easier for existing and new customers to find, access, and engage with our libraries online.
“As well as increasing the number of online and physical visits to Manchester libraries, we hope the virtual tours will create more accessibility for neuro divergent people – particularly those with autism.”
Work on creating the virtual tours commences shortly and they will be available to view on numerous Manchester libraries web pages and social media platforms from next spring.
