New Leases for Scalby and Eastfield Libraries

Wednesday, 26 October 2022 06:00

By Matthew Pells

The community run libraries in Scalby and Eastfield are to get new ten-year leases from the county council.

The library's became community concerns in 2015 as part of a project to keep them running as the council cut costs.

31 libraries became community run providing a saving of £1.4m. The council says that working in partnership with communities alongside volunteers in all libraries allowed the service to remain local to meet local needs, rather than being only available in the district centres.

The library service continues to be managed county-wide by the authority who provide the infrastructure and professional support to community libraries as agreed in a Service Level Agreement

County Councillor Greg White says the community model has been a big success.

Across North Yorkshire the community libraries account for just under 40% of active library users and deliver on average 50% of the total business for both the more traditional book lending service and the provision of supported digital access via the public computers. This includes support for Bus Passes, Blue Badges and other council services and benefits as well as job applications. Over 1,000 individuals visited them to claim their Household Support Fund vouchers this summer; 3,500 children to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge

Scalby and Eastfield Libraries were taken over by community groups when the council cut its library funding in 2015.

They are now run by volunteers and pay the council a peppercorn rent for the building.

County Councillor Derek Bastiman says the libraries are flourishing.