Volunteers write new chapter for library

A group of 16 dedicated volunteers have taken over the running of Livesey Library.

The Library Service has had committed volunteers for many years in a number of different areas – customers using the Home Delivery Service are visited fortnightly by volunteers with a selection of books and talking books and for many this service is a life line.

Volunteer contribution also maintains Cotton Town, the Council’s popular digital archive of local history, and the development of the site would have been much slower without their input.

The latest cut in government funding means further savings are needed across the Council, and like many library services across the country, Blackburn with Darwen Library and Information Service is looking at new ways to deliver services, not least by involving local communities as part of the ‘Your Call’ campaign..

In January this year public consultation meetings were held at each of the boroughs community libraries to explore resident’s interest in supporting library services. Since then in the Livesey area a team of 16 volunteers have committed to providing the day to day delivery of the library services at Livesey Community Library in Cherry Tree Lane.

Livesey Parish Council helped the transition to a volunteer run service by providing funding for on the job experience and shadowing sessions.  The volunteers have also undertaken a structured programme of training to equip them to help in the library, ranging from health and safety sessions to specific library work, which includes assisting customers to choose and borrow books.

Library opening times:

• Mondays between 2pm and 7pm
• Wednesdays 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 5pm
• Fridays between 2pm and 5pm
• Saturdays from 10am to 12.30pm

Volunteers will continue to support most of the existing sessions and activities such as the weekly coffee mornings.  Volunteers will also be helped by the back office library team based at Blackburn Central Library.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Young People, said:

The commitment and enthusiasm of the volunteers at Livesey Library is inspirational. Libraries play a key role in our community and the work of these fantastic volunteers helps to keep them open.

We have had to find significant savings and we will do everything we can to avoid library closures, so the community coming together like this is really amazing, and we want to work with them as much as we can.”

Councillor Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

This team really care about the library and I can see they are dedicated to making the new model of working a success. I hope library users give them their support as they start their new roles.”

Planning is ongoing to extend the volunteer run community library model to both Mill Hill and Roman Road libraries.  If any local groups or residents are interested in getting involved please contact Isabel Ormerod on (01254) 587662.