8 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR HOME
What could be better than supporting your valued and much-loved local library?
Supporting your valued and much-loved local library without having to move from the comfort of your home.
Around 50% of people in the UK have a library card, but with busy lifestyles and shorter opening hours (thanks to budget cuts), it’s hard to know how you can support your local library. Well, fear not, after reading this short post you are going to know exactly how you can help your local library and make a tangible difference to it without moving from your seat.
Yes, that’s right, libraries have gangs. Well, your library might call it a ‘friends of…’ library group, but I prefer gang. Get in touch with your local library and offer your services- you could stick to supporting them remotely, by designing posters, emailing local businesses for raffle prizes, and organising tickets for events. Of course, if you do want to leave your seat, they would be delighted to have you help with event planning, book sales, and general gang related activities.
Most library services offer online registration for library cards now, meaning you can become a library user from your own home. You might be wondering what is the point in a library card if you’re not leaving your seat anytime soon- well, the good thing is libraries have a tonne of online content you can access.
Once you have access to you libraries online services you can explore and sign up for services for free, such as digital books, audio books, e magazines, newspapers, business set up advice, driving theory tests, citizenship test practice, family history websites, craft tutorial websites, discounts on local services, free online courses… I could go on.
Most libraries are grateful for donations of books and DVDs which they can then sell in book sales to raise money for them. If you’ve got a stack of old books somewhere, give them a call- most libraries are happy to collect too!
There are well-established organisations and campaigns set up to support public libraries in the UK, such as Libraries Deliver, CILIP, I Love Libraries, and The Reading Agency. Sign up to newsletters, follow them on social media, and find out more about libraries and what you can do for them.
A librarian’s work is never done, and now and again it would be nice to get some recognition. Think about sending the library service or your local council an email stating your gratitude for your library. It will help illuminate the library’s value to your local council and give some exhausted librarians some warm fuzzy feelings.
Yep, by backing our Kickstarter campaign you will be supporting your local library, as 20% of each month’s profits will be donated to a library service in the UK. Think your local library deserves a funding boost? (they do, trust me) just complete our library nomination form.
