To ask you for your money-raising ideas for libraries?

Very simple competitions for kids that have a small prize (like a £10 book token) might work. Things like a colouring in competition, treasure hunt round the library (find the hidden frogs or something like that), crosswords, word searches, it could cost £1 per entry and it might get some more kids going to the library.

Do you have local primary schools going in?

Our library has a film night once a month. People can bring wine, nibbles and quiet dogs. It's a cosy, sociable event and people pay what they can afford.

Do you ask for book donations or is that not permitted due to royalty rules? I never understand why libraries don't ask for books to be donated? Why do they spend money buying them new?

Creative Writing classes of various types: short story, novel, poetry.
How about themed story nights for adults. You get someone to read a couple of stories aloud: spooky ones at Halloween, Christmassy ones at Christmas, romance at valentines, maybe some funny ones to shake off winter blues in late Jan, some ones set in far flung places for summer etc. You offer wine or a themed drink (free, but actually factored into the price of a ticket, to avoid needing a liquor licence) and a snack, again related to the story theme.

You could invite authors to come and read - sometimes a panel of authors discussing a theme or genre does well: cosy crime or psych thriller, gothic, historical, memoir or non fiction special interest: ecology, travel, sport etc. Please do pay them a little though. I know some authors and they get so upset at being expected to schlep to libraries, and see the libraries are charging a fee for the talk but they get nothing, even though they earn next to nothing from the books. A token fee and a bottle of cheap wine shows appreciation to them. And do plug their books and leave time for signings afterwards.

A book club run by a member of the library. Once a month everyone meets up to discuss a book you've all read. Borrow from other local libraries enough copies of the book for the members. Take turns to bake cake or bring a light supper.

Frustratingly I think we are used to libraries being the go-to place for free, or nearly free, things.

The busiest I have ever seen our library was when where was a community theatre puppet show. Parents are more likely to buy tickets for their children for something than spend the same money on themselves sometimes. It was a tiny travelling company, like 3 people, pitched at young primary age I would guess but inclusive of different ages. It was so oversubscribed I think they could have sold the tickets for more.

It's a shame you can't rent out a room or two as this is such a valuable resource. We have a child who's been out of school and these "third" spaces - not home, not school - are so important.

Preschool classes or homeschool group during the school day. Things like baby sensory, baby massage, baby signing command a decent fee and the organisers are expecting to pay for premises.

It may be too much set up cost but do up one of your office spaces as a sensory room with bubble towers, pretty lights, mats, a projector that projects an interactive picture onto the floor, and hire out by the hour. Our local community centre does this a few hours a week and everything is packed away in between.

I worked in a large local library in a London borough most of my career and any money we raised (extra to the usual) never made its way back to us specifically. It was swallowed up in a general Arts and Leisure moneypit pot. My local library now made space for the town's post office a few years back and not only do they pay to use the space, but it keeps the medium-sized library busy - attendees for events etc. They may think about closing other branches but ours will be ok.

This is one of the most depressing posts I’ve ever read on Mumsnet. Yes I’m sure your children like seeing familiar faces but libraries in some areas can involve having to manage antisocial behaviours, children that are left for a long time and all sorts of different things. They should not be a hobby for middle class people in nice areas. They should be a community service in every community.

@LibraryLibrary

Id suggest you contact existing libraries who have found themselves in the same position.
This is my local library
https://earlsdonlibrary.org.uk/
Its been turned into much more than a library , its become a thriving place at the heart of the community.
As well as the usual library services which remain free, its used for paid for events inc film nights, music events, comedy nights, yoga classes, craft fairs.

It does have a scheme where people can give a regular donation, as little as £5. As Im not in a position to volunteer I think its a small price to pay to keep a community resource going.

Its hard work, you have to be imaginative, look at local businesses for sponsorship

Good luck

I assume you already ask for, and sell, old books?
I have two huge bags to go to the charity shop which I'd prefer to take to a library. But I don't think ours takes them.

I tend to use charity shops as libraries, I buy a book there, then donate it back. So, a library with a £1 charge per book. But they can sell it again.
And they may be books the library doesn't have in.

I would pay to borrow board games from a library. I appreciate this would require some initial expense (although you could ask people to donate any unwanted board games). But I would love to be able to rent board games rather than the expense of buying any I’m interested in.

The local post office have relocated into our library (city suburb)with a counter and queuing area at one side and there is also a sectioned off room for midwife appts (but I guess you may not have that sort of space). If U3A are active locally small groups might be willing to.pay for meeting space by the hour.

Our little library has a kind of "Repair Shop" going on .just a few retired guys, who can have a look at pieces no longer working. No family heirlooms! Just a chance to get something fixed for a donation. ⁸

It's a group that gets together to read together. You generally meet and chat for 30 minutes or so, read for an hour and then chat again afterwards. You get the socialisation without the pressure of reading a certain book by a certain time. It's very popular! If you google their website, you can see if there's already one set up near you.

My kids are key stage 2 age

When we go to the library, the selection of books on the shelves seems a bit poor - none of the popular authors you'd expect for their age like abi elphinstone or Katherine rundell. I hear from other parents that all the best titles get "booked" by people who search the catalogue and request something put aside - they never hit the shelves. But this is shit for kids like mine, who love to browse the shelves and pick what appeals on the day. I'd love it if it some of those popular titles actually went on the library shelves.

There's another popular series where we've searched and searched and our library only has book 3 & 4 of a 5 book series. The books go in order 3 & 4 are no good without 1 & 2! There are loads of series like this on the shelves where the first one or two are missing.

There's also been some sort of push on what are supposed to "age appropriate" books basically covering trans gender issues. Some of these frankly horrified me, compounding gender stereotypes and some very confusing stuff etc.

There used to be a library van that came to our village from the local town but it was cut due to funding issues despite being well used.

I agree with others, are there rooms which could be rented out? A friend teaches CPR/first aid and rents a hall.

What facilities have you got? Eg if spare function room could hire out to community groups.

My library charges £1 for their sessions and run a fair few. They do Harry Potter night, games club, Lego, dancing and baby / toddler groups for defo.

Not sure if anyone else has already suggested it, but a Silent Book Club could be a great option. We held ours at a bar, but I'd definitely be willing to go along to a library if there was a way to purchase drinks and snacks and things. Advertise it with a "help the library" kind of wording too and you might get quite a few book lovers willing to support.