How to start a community-led public library

Over the last 14 years, hundreds of council-led public libraries facing closure have been taken over by local communities.

But doing so requires a long-term sustainable approach, so that the library can deliver a high-quality user experience for years to come.

Here’s our guide to the main steps involved, so you can learn how to start a public library that is community managed.

 

What is a community-led public library?

Public libraries are funded and then either run or commissioned by local governments in the UK.

But when a closure is proposed, usually due to financial challenges, communities have the option of approaching their local authority to become involved with the library’s management.

There are three types of community library:

• community supported—council-led and funded with significant volunteer support
• community managed (CML)—community led and delivered, but with support from the local council
• independent—not part of the public library network as the community has full management (usually due to a previous threat of closure)

There are benefits of each, which you can read more about in the good practice toolkit from GOV.UK.

Overall, the benefits of community groups having more of a say in their library service include:

• keeping the library accessible to the public
• a regeneration of the library services
• the programmes better reflecting the community they serve

However, community-led public libraries also face a set of unique challenges, such as lack of income streams or volunteer availability.

So, they could benefit from receiving guidance from their local authority to ensure the needs of the community are being met, and that their endeavour is sustainable.

 

Setting up a community-led public library

 

1. Read up on government advice

If you’re seriously considering starting a public library, GOV.UK is a great resource.

There’s an official good practice toolkit for those interested in learning how to start a public library that is community managed.

It discusses the process in-depth, from the benefits that these libraries can bring to the potential drawbacks, so that you can get a better understanding of whether this is the right transition for your community.

Since library users are your priority when learning how to start a public library, it’s a good idea to learn from government case studies and experiences, so you are prepared for the unique challenges this process presents.

We cover the main points to consider in this article, but if you want a visual representation of what it takes to get a community managed library over the line, you can also view this diagram.

 

2. Encourage council and community discussion

Learning how to run a public library from scratch can seem like an impossible task.

However, having a positive working relationship with the local council, who likely have decades of experience in managing library services, can help shape your strategy.

We get it—relationships can be sour if the council had an active decision in arranging the closure of the library.

But research by the Libraries Taskforce found that the majority of community libraries benefitted from strong links with their local council, particularly when it came to receiving ongoing support with things like sourcing volunteers or raising funds.

Not only does this benefit the service that your community library will provide, but it also makes running it easier for everyone involved.

When you’re armed with tried and tested knowledge, you can avoid pitfalls that you would otherwise run into, posing less risk to the library’s longevity.

Aside from this, it’s a good idea to involve the wider community in the early planning stages and get their input on which model will best serve them, after you’ve presented them with the pros and cons of each.

That way, you’re making the change a positive one from the get-go and keeping the community at the heart of the project.

 

3. Establish strong leadership & goals

A crucial part of proposing a viable strategy for starting a community library is establishing a strong leadership group.

This could include a representative of the council, significant members of local interest groups, or the head of the existing library service, depending on the situation.

There should be clear roles and responsibilities for everyone involved to facilitate effective communication, and a distinct project plan with a firm timeline for objectives to be met.

Setting these goals for the library service to hit during the planning stages is fundamental to its success—it streamlines the efforts of everyone involved and helps to uncover any problem areas that require attention.

Since the process can be long and complicated, support from council teams such as legal and property services is hugely beneficial, especially if your group wouldn’t otherwise have access to this.

 

4. Develop a strong business plan

The key words here are long-term and sustainable. It’s no different to creating a typical business plan—it needs to be airtight, and every base needs to be covered.

After initial discussions about the library’s vision and purpose, the business plan needs to define clear goals for areas such as:

• the logistics of the library building
• financial planning
• community asset transfers
• legal considerations
• stock and equipment

You can read more about developing a full project business plan in the section ‘4.4 - Developing the business case’ within the good practice toolkit.

 

5. Use evidence to support your strategy

Evidence isn’t something you want to overlook when starting a community-led public library.

While it can sometimes unearth things that stand in the way of the project, it’s better to find these things out early on and adapt the strategy rather than ignore them and run into a roadblock later.

Say you perform research on the area you plan to start the library and find that there are many teenagers and young adults struggling with skills development or employment.

You may be able to secure funding or support from charities like The Prince’s Trust, and therefore add this to your strategy.

It’s no secret that libraries face limited budgets and difficulties meeting community needs as a result. But by using evidence gathered from research, you can find solutions you may not have discovered otherwise.

Here are the potential funding sources for libraries to give you a head start with gathering evidence to support your strategy.

 

6. Be forward-thinking

When learning how to start a public library that is community-led, it’s important to remember that the future needs of the community are just as important as those in the present.

Libraries today aren’t the same as they were ten years ago. In fact, many thriving libraries have had to adapt in light of Covid-19, and continue to do so for the good of their communities.

Being forward-thinking and adaptive is crucial to running a successful community library, including things as simple as keeping an eye on local developments.

For example, there could be plans to construct multiple new housing estates, which means the library services could be stretched and therefore require more support from the council.

In this case, the library could apply for section 106 money from the developers to help fund a new library building.

Remember that starting a community library is one thing, but sustaining one is an everlasting operation.

Keeping up to date with a range of areas like technology, local plans, and any shifts in the community is the best way to ensure the committee is fulfilling their responsibility to library users.

 

Specialist library insurance coming soon to Ripe

Once you’ve established a community-led public library, you may want to consider specialist insurance to ensure your library service is covered in the worst-case scenarios.

Through Ripe, you’ll soon be able to build a policy to suit your needs and ensure that you have an all-encompassing insurance policy to cover any insured risk you may face.

Keep our sporting club, leisure, and community insurance on your radar.