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

[LibraryLibrary]

My local library wants and needs to attract more users. It's set up a group of volunteers to brainstorm ideas. Predictably, the volunteers are mostly drawn from the people who already use and value the library, which I think is limiting our ideas. Can you help with any suggestions, based on what the library you go to does well? Or based on what you'd like your local library to do? And what do you think puts people off from using the library?
A bit of info on our library: It's in a small to medium-sized town which is socially quite mixed. It's close to several schools (primary and secondary) and to a supermarket. It has parking, but the car park is sometimes full. It has a large open space, plus a couple of meeting rooms.
Among other things, it would be good to hear what you think about opening hours. When would you like your local library to be open? And if the library has to have an annual 2 week shut-down period, to save on costs, when would you prefer that period to be?
Thanks!

I used to use libraries when they were places that had books and places to read/write/study in peace. Now they are more like community centres and are too noisy, so I don't use them.

I think they've lost their way, and feel sorry for people who have no quiet space in their homes and want to prepare for an exam or interview, or just go somewhere to read quietly.

To be open by outside of working hours . Ours never is and many people are struggling to access it.

This sounds like a really great library

Our library is popular and once had the title of being the most popular. You've reminded me how much I used to like going to the library, I never go anymore.
Good things about our library is that it opens until 7pm every day and it's also open on both Saturdays and Sundays. It has a lot of events for children, and it also has a lot of study spaces so it's popular with students, especially near exam times.
The main thing I want out of a library though is just to be able to find the book I want to read, so I guess all I want is a good selection and availability. I tend to go with certain titles in mind but I'm open to something new if it catches my eye.
The bad thing is that I kept incurring fines by forgetting to take the books back..

My DD uses our library. But for what? To check books out, which seems secondary to the coffee shop, computer room, kids reading corner… the books they had were old and not a very good selection. As it happened she was looking for some classics but found few of those even. My suggestion? Get more quality books! Stop trying to diversify so much and concentrate on the core reading for being.

Make them quiet again and I may go there to sit and read. I did an hour's work (writing) in one 18 months ago, but it was too noisy, so I went to a cafe instead 😂
I haven't borrowed a book from one since 2003.. I read books on screens, have done for as long as it's been possible.

I use my local library but it is not a peaceful place. Always kids running about and being noisy.
I also hate that I have to go there to renew a book everyso often. I have paid a fortune in fines as I have not been able to get to the library to renew a book.

I like libraries where you can genuinely work all day - which means WiFi, access to power sockets, clean toilets, somewhere to buy a cup of tea and - ideally - a way to secure your stuff while you go to the loo or cafe.

My local library is well used. They have a really good range of children's books and a few toys and jigsaw puzzles. They have comfy chairs and a really inviting environment. There are a few computers that are often being used
The library do reading challenges which are advertised in local primary schools. Lots of activities going on, story and song time for preschoolers, knitting group, chess club, board games club, getting online workshops.
Advertising groups to organisations that work with people who may be socially isolated could boost numbers eg Adult Social Care, GP/PCN. Advertising on social media would help too, maybe put out a survey to get ideas from local people.

Ours has a homework club 3 evenings a week 4-6 where kids can go to do there homework but there's a member of staff on hand if they need help.
It's now an official warm space and provides free tea and coffee for people keeping warm.
Has a few groups like knit and natter or weekday afternoons.
Has rhyme time twice a week for preschoolers.
Also you can borrow board games and jigsaws and kids 'park packs' which have things like bats and balls.
There's space to sit and read, a quiet area with tables for study etc.
Genealogy group for help using things like ancestry.com.
In the school holidays they have unmanned activities for kids where you have to for example find pictures around the children's library with letters on, the letters then make a word or phrase, you take it to the counter and get a sticker.
Summer reading challenge is promoted by local schools and is popular, I think last year there was an incentive where the school with the most completers won some free books for their school library.

DD's library is used as a community space but it also has lots of quiet areas where you can go to read or study. I needed somewhere to work for a day recently that was neither home nor office, and was able to use her library no worries.

The best library near me is one where the library is now part of a theatre, cinema and cafe centre - it has really long opening hours, loads of clubs and is always busy. It’s more of a cultural centre rather than just a library. Have a look at what good, independent bookshops do- author visits, events, bookclubs, usually a cafe attached. For cheaper ideas - a kids corner, board games to play and enticing and creative book displays might help.

I adore ours. The main one in town and our village one. They have loads on for the kids, a coffee machine, a lot of local groups use it on an evening for meeting space which gets people familiar with it and reminds them it is there! There a couple of themed book clubs they run too. I'd love it to be open later as ours shuts at 4 so is a rush after school.

Depends on the space available - offer a "library of things'? Ours loans: party decorations, garden tools, cake tins, sewing machines, all sorts.

I saw that Orkney library has created winter kits for people to borrow that include a daylight lamp. So, maybe think about what the local equivalent need would be?

Agree with others though, that there needs to be a quiet, comfy welcoming space to actually read, and at least 1 day a week where it's open after 5pm.

Designated quiet time. Or a totally separate area for children's activities e.g. Rhyme Time, crafts etc . I know this sounds really grumpy on a parenting site but some adults use our local library as an equivalent of soft play.

I've previously had to remove a row of chairs because one parent decided to build a barricade so their toddler couldn't escape the area. All the while other children were looking baffled at the chairs and wouldn't enter the area to choose books.
Yesterday a parent was running around the library shrieking 'chase me Milo' whilst their small child ran after them. This was great for them, not for the rest of us.

Before everyone comes after me saying free activities are difficult to come by, the weather is bad etc. I know but this is a town well served by free parent and child groups and has a number of good playgrounds etc. I would like to be able to quietly share a book with my children, not be mown down by Milo who has commandeered the library trolley to use it as a bus.

Rant over!

The reason I never go to my local library is that it is not open in the mornings (when I am likely to be free with small children) or immediately after school - it is only open from 4-7pm. (I live abroad and school finishes earlier). I can see that gets the after work crowd but it might work better if they had certain days they opened at different times. There is absolutely no way I could take my 7yo to a library at this time because he has ADHD and at this time of day he is totally loud and hyperactive because any restraint he did have has been used up. (Which is a shame because I am struggling to find books he has interest in, and I think he would benefit from listening to stories).

Also I have ADHD myself, and I have been put off going to libraries in the past because due to time blindness and/or general disorganisation, I have managed to run up late fees to the amount of several times the cost of the book. Not only this, but the judgemental and shaming comments I have received when I finally did take the book back made me feel so awful I simply didn't go back for several years. I realise that there needs to be some system to prevent people just keeping the books but perhaps it could be capped? Or there could simply be something like a ban on borrowing further books until the current books are returned or replaced. At the library where I experienced this it was also quite difficult to bring books back, because they were always closed with no book drop box within school holidays and didn't accept books back from other branches. So making it easy to return books is helpful - drop boxes (I understand the issue with this is that rubbish etc gets dropped in there, which is a shame) and inter-library lending as well as some reminder scheme when books are due back such as text reminders, emails, etc and the ability to renew online are all helpful.

I liked being able to borrow things like DVDs (though I don't have a DVD player any more!) and console games, board games, tonie boxes and the figurines from our local libraries at various times.

I realise location is not always something that is easy to change, but location near other things where I might be is helpful and good public transport links also helpful.

Get in touch with the literacy leads at both the primary and KS3 at secondary schools. Offer to have every class in the school for a session. In this time, you could provide an orientation, or as someone said earlier, reading to the children or something based on their class book. But the most straightforward would be to lay out a selection of books based on whatever they are studying in Science/Geography/History/RS. Or a session in local history if you have those resources.

While the class are there, sign each child up for a library card.

Exactly my point. I've nothing against children (or adults) doing noisy things, but a library is not the place for them. Ours has knitting groups, story time for toddlers, meetings for older people and goodness knows what else, and there is nowhere quiet. It's not even background noise - the knitters are laughing loudly, children run around, there are songs at the end of the story times - all good things in themselves, but not conducive to giving people space to read or study.

A PP has said that she can find quiet space in her library, which is great for her, but my point is that there is none in mine.

Not in the UK, but my local library is successful and the model of Aussie libraries is, unsurprisingly the same as in the UK.

Good things
Open to 8.00. two days a week. I see they're down to six days a week, a new and unwelcome event
Well-lit, attractive building
Offers re-cycling for batteries, light bulbs, etc.
Will order in books from other libraries, indeed I've just discovered they can be oirdered from any library in Victoria
Lots of library and community events - reading competitions, visiting authors, art exhibitions
Children's reading groups during the day
Has clean toilets
Free wi-fi
Excellent DVD library
The study space is well-used in the run-up to exams
It has a Library of Things, where you can book out a leaf blower, a fancy cake mold or a shredder. That sort of stuff.
24/7 book return chute
Good location for U3A, art group, cafes and shops.

Not so good things
Can be noisy, especially the staff - I live alone and am not short of quiet, but everyone is not the same
Bizarre categories for books, e,g. biography and autobiography are not organised by the subject's surname, but by some tangential detail. I wanted the memoir of Oliver Sacks written by his lover, Bill Hayes. It was put together with bios of those involved in health, though whether because Sacks was a doctor or what I could not determine. I pointed out to the librarians how they had made it very difficult to find books when a perfectly rational and effective system already existed. The response was, well, you can always ask us. FFS.
Public transport is not good, though now I think of it, it's walkable from every part of the suburb for the able-bodied.

About 1/3 of our library is a study area with desks and sockets for laptops. It’s always popular and busy as there’s actually nowhere else in town that anyone can go to work in peace and quiet for free.

The desks are at the far end of the library so you have to pass the books to get to it. Ours also has a small separate room that’s full of Lego for kids which keeps them out the way and quiet. I’m not a fan of noisy rhyme times or other activities in the main library space.

Book clubs based on GCSE texts

Dont close in June - could be promoted as revision/ study space during exam season.

more tables/ chairs/ nooks

I quite liked magazine subscriptions to read.

The local library offers unstaffed hours. It’s always quiet and well used. Later opening would be useful. it’s a warm space too.

kids area is well used.
Maybe board games

Info on how to borrow digital books

Community information.

Quiet times and noisy times.

Our library is quiet all of the time, even the staff talk quietly. That in itself means it’s a quiet refuge that people can rely on. The last town library I used to go to I ended up ditching as the staff just gossiped loudly all the time and it really pissed me off.

Don’t underestimate the attraction of a quiet space to read and study, life is busy and hectic and a break from that is lovely.

Our library has started having craft hours and chess matches for teens. I think they’re doing decently. They’ve also introduced more kids’ story hours and workshops, and they’ve more author talks. They recently won a prize for their endeavours!

We used our library a lot. Kids currently go to knitting club every other week (age 8 up). Also Lego club, and arts and crafts. The library does bus stops at the school every 3 weeks. It does summer reading challenges. The computers are always in constant use, they also offer IT courses. They are knit and chats during the day for older generations. Book club, mindful colouring. Junior book club. Rythm and rhyme classes twice a week, autism friendly slots. And jigsaw get togethers. They supply the local newspapers, will often see older people in to read the papers. They do also offer an out of hours service for local trusted known members. The local speecha nd drama club, often come in on a Saturday to say poems. Hope this is of some help.