Citing decreasing demand, an "increasingly easier" wide access to English books and materials, and a changing role of the organisation across Europe, the British Council Bulgaria announced its library service in Sofia would be closed as of November 2009.

"In recent years we have moved away from being a traditional "bilateral cultural institute" to building more flexible and dynamic cultural relations. We have launched a new portfolio of work focusing on project work on a larger regional and global scale and introducing new programmes to support the development of strong relations and links between Bulgaria, other European countries and the UK," British Council Bulgaria director Tony Buckby said in a statement published on the organisation's website.

Buckby said the British Council would "continue its work with Bulgarian partners, including ministries, educational and cultural institutions, teachers, arts agents, the media, NGOs as well as international agencies and institutions."

"Our areas of work will focus above all on young audiences in Bulgaria and offer programmes for strengthening intercultural dialogue, promoting tolerance to differences, developing skills for economic competitiveness and innovation," Buckby said.

The library collection has been part of the British Council operation since it opened its office in Sofia.
"During the 1990s this collection was a valuable resource for audiences who have long identified the United Kingdom as a source of knowledge and ideas," Buckby said.

The library stock was to be donated to a host library to allow continued access. Details on who the host library would be were to be announced later in the year.

The British Council Bulgaria announced it would provide a new dedicated self-access centre to provide teaching centre customers and parents resources to help with the learning of English.