Derbyshire County Council are asking community groups looking for a new challenge for 2022 to consider running one of our libraries.
They are using the new year to re-launch the drive to find local groups across the county who are interested in taking over the reins at one of 14 county council-run libraries earmarked for community management. These are: Borrowash, Brimington, Clowne, Creswell, Duffield, Gamesley, Hadfield, Hayfield, Holmewood, Killamarsh, Pinxton, Somercotes, Whaley Bridge and Whitwell.
Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture, Tourism and Climate Change Councillor Barry Lewis is encouraging community groups to take the first steps now and register their interest following a pause in the programme due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Councillor Lewis said:
“Our libraries are strong community assets with a wide range of uses and benefits and are highly valued by the council and the people who use them.
“We’re working hard to ensure the library service thrives and grows and to do this we need local communities, groups and volunteers from across the county to work with us.
“We’re hoping established groups, organisations or individuals wanting to form a group will seize the opportunity in 2022 to take over their local library and help to shape its future to suit the needs of their community.”
The Community Managed Library programme is part of our ‘Libraries for Derbyshire’ strategy which includes a plan to transfer 20 council-run libraries out of 45 over to community management over the coming years.
The first milestone has already been reached with the handing over of Woodville Library, now called Woodville Community Managed Library, near Swadlincote, to Circularity.org.
Five other groups are currently working with us with a view to taking charge of their local libraries in the future. These libraries are Etwall, Melbourne, Old Whittington, Tideswell and Wingerworth.
Find out more about Libraries for Derbyshire and get more information about running a community library. You can find more detailed information on how to get involved and information packs about each of the libraries.
Financial support for successful groups will be provided with grant funding for 5 years. Groups wanting to express their interest or ask questions can email community.libraries@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 533444.
