Topsham Library will temporarily relocate to the Nelson Close Community Centre in Topsham to make way for a brand new community hub.
The new ‘Community Hub’ is being built by Estuary League of Friends following a successful funding bid to the Big Lottery Fund and fundraising efforts by the charity, reaching a total of £1.95million. On completion, the hub will comprise of a day centre room, community café, exercise and fitness space, two treatment rooms, a laundry, meeting/training room, serviced offices and improved library facilities.
With libraries across the county being subjected to funding cuts, RGB Building Supplies is inviting them to apply for £1,000 worth of materials as part of its Well Built Community Fund.
The fund will enable the selected library or learning centre to make improvements they perhaps would not otherwise be able to do. RGB is calling for deserving organisations to get in touch, whatever the need.
Through the Well Built Community Fund, the builders merchant has been giving away £1,000 worth of building materials every other month to different groups, including a school that...
This summer holiday Libraries across Devon are challenging children of all ages to take part in their Summer Reading Challenge – part of a national programme coordinated by The Reading Agency.
Inspired by the works of Roald Dahl, and to celebrate his 100th birthday, this year’s theme is “The Big Friendly Read” and is aimed at children aged from 4 to 11. “The Big Friendly Read” is running in libraries across the Devon and it is completely free. Children are challenged to visit their local library and read 6 books through the holidays to earn rewards and on completion they receive a...
Devon Libraries in association with British Library Live are pleased to invite you to a live screening of this exclusive event with John Lydon on Friday 24th June from 7.00 to 8.30pm.
John will be interviewed by BBC 6 Music’s host Stuart Maconie which will be broadcast live from the British Library in London. Exeter Library will be hosting the event and tickets are available free of charge, in advance, from the Library or via Eventbrite http://bit.ly/22Y0g1F . John Lydon has secured prime position among the most recognisable icons in music history. As Johnny Rotten, he was the lead...
At a time when 1 in 10 young people have a diagnosable mental health issue, Devon Libraries are today launching a scheme to support them with expert endorsed books available to borrow for free.
Reading Well for young people is a national scheme, part of the hugely successful Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme, which will provide 13-18 year-olds with high-quality information, support and advice on a wide-range of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm, and difficult life pressures, like bullying and exams.
Today (1 April) marks the start of a bright future for Devon’s libraries as a new and independent organisation operating outside of the County Council. Libraries Unlimited, a staff and community-owned social enterprise, was established with the support of the council following extensive public consultation on the future of the library service. They will now run the library service on behalf of the County Council in a move to secure the future of all 50 of the County’s libraries and save a further £1.5 million in addition to the £3 million already saved from the library service budget over...
A Magistrate from East Devon, an Exeter based Artistic Director, an expert Business Growth Coach and a former BBC World Service Journalist are among those who have been appointed to help run Devon’s libraries.
Libraries Unlimited, the new independent public service mutual set up by the County Council and tasked with delivering Devon’s library service from April, has recruited four independent trustees to join its board. Two staff trustees and two community trustees will also join the board, after being elected as representatives by their peers.
Devon is continuing to lead the way nationally when it comes to library services.
Recent figures from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) annual library survey showed that the number of libraries across Britain has fallen and visits to libraries are down by 3.9%. In the South West there has been a 1.4% fall in usage in the past year.
However, Devon is bucking the trend. Not only has it kept all 50 of the county’s libraries open, but over three million visits to Devon libraries in 2014/15 ensured a 10% increase across the county. PC and WiFi...
Devon’s libraries are to be run by a new organisation owned by staff and the community.
Council chiefs today agreed that Libraries Unlimited, the new ‘public service mutual’ set up by the Council, will take over the library service in April 2016.
The move is set to secure the future of all 50 of the County’s libraries and save the authority a further £1.5 million in addition to the £3 million it has already saved from its library service budget over the past three years.
The County Council will remain responsible for the library service, but will commission the...
Libraries across Devon are taking part in a national initiative to help people learn new digital skills in order to support economic growth and improve wellbeing.
According to a recent report by the House of Lords, the UK is in danger of falling behind in its digital skills capabilities, which could cost the economy around £2 billion.
In response The Society of Chief Libraries (SCL) and the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians have joined forces to launch ‘The Universal Learning Offer’.
Bringing together hundreds of unique self-directed learning...
