To ask you how to encourage more people to use the library?

Sorry for jumping in. At my local library, every Saturday morning a member of staff would read a couple of books to a group of about 20 toddlers sitting on the carpet. That 20 minutes felt like a real break for me and afterwards we would browse the books together to choose some for the week. There are also little tables with colouring equipment and a cafe for tea and cake. We were in there for a couple of hours most Saturday mornings. The attraction was that its a nice, calm, cheap way to foster a love of books.

He's 11 now and still loves that place. Squeezes into one of the reading nooks with his nose in a book.

OP, you have been given loads of good ideas here but it would be helpful to know if your library already runs any events/activities and if so, what they are? Otherwise people are just repeating things you already know about. It would also be good to know if your library has actual staff or is just run by volunteers. Our county has a mixture of Council/volunteer-run libraries and the difficulties with the community libraries all revolve around not having enough volunteers to implement all the good idea which other people (who are unable/unwilling to commit time!) suggest!

Some kind of cafe that sells decent coffee and buns.
Afterschool snacks that teens would like.

Quiet space for study and good wifi speed.
Inter library loans.
Knowledgeable library staff.
Our local library has an excellent local history section.
It's an old building and there are separate rooms upstairs that most of the time are used for community activities (NCT etc) but can also be booked for small wedding ceremonies.

It's not enough to have a group of like-minded volunteers; if you genuinely want to serve the community, you need to make an effort to find out what your community wants. For example:

• easy access to the library itself and moving around within it (do stairs present a problem outside of within the building, are spaces big enough to fit a walker or wheelchair etc)
• accessible toilets with baby change facilities
• buggy parking inside
• computer and printer access
• training opportunities e.g. sewing machines, 3D printers, musical instruments etc
• bookable meeting rooms
• acitivities that kids can do together e.g. rooms they can book to play computer games together
• a cafe
• parent and baby groups/activities
• toddler play areas
• story time
• study areas
• free newspapers
• board games / chess

Have a look at free resources on how other libraries have rebuilt services so they remain relevant to society. e.g:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877916624000456

My library has mum and baby stuff in mornings. Older retired people meet ups in the afternoon, all different themes. (Knit & matter or train enthusiasts for example). Free cups of tea.

4-5.30 is clubs aimed at high school kids. Again all different themes.

Online books and opening hours until 7pm most nights.

Rent rooms to groups like Slimming World if big enough. Also do special talks once a month in the evening, local historian type things.

As for closing, not sure you would.

Our libraries are part of a city wide group, dotted around the centre and suburbs, they are always busy, here's what they do well;

• A well run, reasonably priced cafe in each one.
• You order a book online and can choose where to collect from. You can drop the book off at any library.
• No late fees.
• Half term activities for kids.
• Weekend Lego club, free by you have to book.
• Clean, warm, inviting spaces.
• Regular groups meeting. Spare rooms are rented out.
• Toy library where parents can borrow toys and return when the kids are bored of them.
• Audio books and downloads.
• School groups are invited in to learn about the library, what it offers, how you take out a book etc.

Basically, it has to be a community hub. Depending on how much space they have, they could run toddler groups, a food bank, craft club, book club. The kids area has to be bright and be somewhere to play. A lot of parents with toddlers use the library as a free activity.

Some kind of book / fine amnesty! Over Covid I struggled to return books on time, when I did I was told I had a £80 fine to pay. I couldn’t pay it at that time and have never dared go back, as still can’t afford it. I would love to go back however and miss it.

Ours runs a chess clubs (adults and kids), it is brilliant and brings many people in.

Otherwise what has already been posted: open at the weekend and evenings, easy to return books via a letterbox, after school storytime, adult reading groups.

I recently re-joined my library for one reason. I can read the papers online without paying a subscription. Not many people know about this, maybe publicise it?

I came on to say similar.

OP - you’ve had a lot of advice/ideas but my hunch (I’m tangentially involved with our local community library) is that you need a clear schedule of events/activities, which are sustainable to run, publicised widely. I’d get leaflets printed with a schedule or get publicity out via local schools.

Ours is brilliant but is effectively a social welfare facility. It’s on the very rough high street and most of the clientele are local homeless people who need IT access, form filling help, a loo and a warm space during winter. Which is hugely useful, but it means that the young families from up the hill don’t want to use it - the facilities are grubby and you have a high chance of encountering someone slurring drunk. So their rhyme time etc offering has shrunk to nothing. It’s sad but fine imo - likewise, your service needs to understand its demographic.

Our community library runs loads and loads of activities for babies / toddlers / OAPs / school holidays / home Ed groups but then it is attached to a big community centre. They offer free fruit for kids. Jigsaw library and a large communal jigsaw always in the go is nice. Free dog treats.

I would do the 2 week shutdown in early July when the kids haven't broken up from school yet and the weather is nice enough that people with toddlers can go to the park when rhyme time isn't on

A library near me let's you borrow boardgames, the modern sorts like Catan rather than just snakes and ladders types.

My local one organises SEN Dungeons & Dragons sessions, which helped teens & young adults make new friends

If you have the space, some places also do a library of things, such as drills and lawnmowers which helps those who needs something rarely and don't have the money/space to have it at home.

Apply for 'warm space' status and organise relaxed reading clubs for people who may live alone.

Look at local Home Ed groups and put together a group to work on research skills etc.

Run book review competitions and go into local schools to promote them.

Look at issues that are facing your local community and consider setting up a community it hub to signpost to charities and services that are available.

Organise book clubs on a theme and promote them to library users e.g. "you're borrowing a thriller, it'd be great to see you at our crime night on Thursdays".

Alot of what our library does is already mentioned, but to add if missed.

Free computer use for 1 hour
Paper printing for 25p/40p per sheet
A 'community' jigsaw where you just do an odd piece or stay for the afternoon
Huge drive in the Summer Reading challenge
Newspaper table
Mah jong club
Scrabble club
A place for school work experience (safe place for the socially awkward)

It's a real part of the village and gets lots of retired volunteers so runs Mon to Sat 9am to 4pm and 2pm Sat

Don't forget to set up an activley run a facebook page!

Have a vibrant social media presence highlighting current and really popular books. Say for instance there’s an autobiography by someone really popular been published, really big this up to encourage people to borrow a copy instead of buying it from Amazon.

The main challenge for me is opening hours. DH who is retired can go regularly but I work full time so my options are limited.

My local library (as opposed to the one in town) is, for want of a better way of putting it, really simplified - both the signage and the choice of books. There are a large number of non-native English speakers in the area, and I think it's to cater to that community - which I fully support - but the selection of books doesn't include much in-depth non-fiction, and only very popular fiction.

I tend to rely on charity shops for my popular fiction, and redonate afterwards as a way of supporting a good cause, and I look to the library when I want something more unusual/literary/niche. If the local library could expand its selection to cater for a wider range of readers, I would use it more.

Get them while they're young so lots of groups for kids, including at weekends. Cafe to generate some funds. Working person friendly opening hours. 2 week shutdown over Xmas.