News / Bristol Libraries
New funding pot to help innovate and future-proof Bristol’s libraries
A £108,000 funding pot is available to enable community groups and residents to develop new ideas for their local library.
Announced by Bristol City Council at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the innovation fund will be split across the city’s 27 libraries as part of a bid to modernise and rejuvenate the facilities to secure their long-term future.
The news follows a U-turn last year on plans to cut £1.4m from the service that would have seen 17 libraries close.
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Funding is now guaranteed up until 2020, but the council’s Labour administration has consistently said new, innovative ways of operating are needed amid biting local government cuts.
Campaigners rallied against proposed closures in 2018. Photo in Redland Library
The innovation fund, taken from council reserves in addition to the normal libraries budget, is intended to help support ‘friends’ groups’ and residents put their ideas into practise.
Deputy mayor Asher Craig said: “As part of our continued commitment to the library service, we are giving local people the chance to improve their local libraries and implement the ideas they would like to see.
“This is a new funding opportunity for friends’ groups and community organisations to work in partnership to make improvements to their local library.
“The fund will enable communities to take the lead on putting their ideas into action.
“We are delighted there are now 16 friends’ groups across the city, but we want all communities to benefit from this fund so it will be open to community organisations and partner organisations who are keen to work with residents to bring ideas to life.”
Each friends’ group will automatically receive £1,000 with a further £3,000 available for each library. Groups, local businesses and individuals are invited to bid for the additional funds.
The council says that at sites where there is no friends’ group, the library service is working with residents to support them to bring ideas forward.
Projects could range from buying furniture or equipment to funding activities such as creative writing workshops. It could also be used as match funding for a larger project.
Applications for funding will open later this month and run until October 2020, with all the projects completed by December 2020.
Projects and ideas will be assessed monthly by a cross-council panel. Final approval is to be granted by the library ideas project board.
To find out more go to www.bristol.gov.uk/libraries-archives/apply-for-funding-for-ideas-for-your-library
Read more: ‘Libraries aren’t a luxury, they’re a right’
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