A team of 31 is being trained by Durham County Council to run the Durham Clayport Library, which is due to open in February as part of the Millennium City development.
According to one of its principles of providing new opportunities for local people, 12 of those taken on were previously unemployed.
The library, which is currently being fitted out, occupies three floors, which house 22 computers, digital media equipment and a sound and vision department.
There are more than 18,000 books for loan, with an online catalogue giving details of the county's 800,000 stock of books.
The library will be open between 9.30am and 7pm, Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 5pm on Saturdays.
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