Funding awarded to upgrade technology in Devon’s Libraries

The investment comes from the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund, delivered by Arts Council England. Devon secured £200,000 from the Libraries Improvement Fund, one of three streams supporting 28 library services to upgrade buildings and technology.

Devon County Council and Libraries Unlimited have welcomed a £200,000 funding award for Devon’s libraries announced by the UK Government today (Tuesday 14 April).

The investment is part of the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund which is administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

This programme is made of three funds, with Devon securing a £200,000 share of Libraries Improvement Funding (LIF) allocated to 28 library services across the country to help upgrade buildings and technology.

Devon’s successful bid will be invested in the “Open Plus” system which will enable library users to access their local library outside of regular staffed hours.

The technology is currently being piloted in Cullompton, where Open Plus allows people to use the library an hour before opening times from Monday to Saturday, as well as an extra 2 hours 45 minutes on weeknights and a further 3 hours 45 minutes on Saturday afternoon after staffed hours. It also enables use on Sundays from 10am-2pm.

To access these extended opening times, library members aged over 18 need to register as an Open Plus user and be given a brief induction on how to use the system.

The funding announced today will enable the expansion of the scheme, but details of how many libraries and which locations is still to be decided.

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, said:

“I am really pleased that our funding bid has been successful. This is a fantastic opportunity to make our libraries even more accessible for the communities they serve. This technology has been used successfully for many years, both across the UK and internationally, and it will allow people to use their local library beyond traditional staffed hours – whether that’s to read, study, meet, or take part in community activities. By extending opening times, we are giving residents and community groups greater choice and flexibility to visit at times that suit them. The trial already under way in Cullompton will help us refine the system, and just as importantly, we will use feedback from our recent library consultation to ensure it is introduced first in those libraries where local communities have told us they would value it most.”

 

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive Officer, Libraries Unlimited, added: “We are constantly striving to increase usage of the libraries, to make them accessible to everyone, and Open Plus allows us to do that. It offers an extra, on top of staffed hours allowing more people to access the library. Sunday opening for example could allow working parents to come along with their children and borrow books. Our goal is to get the county reading and the more people who have access to free books, the better. We are pleased that the Government has recognised this need and is funding investment in our libraries.”

The three funds which make up the Arts Everywhere Fund are The Creative Foundations Fund, The Museum Estate and Development Fund, and the Libraries Improvement Fund.

The Libraries Improvement Funding (LIF) awarded to Devon is a share of £6.3 million announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.