Suffolk Libraries - the extraordinary everyday
Suffolk Libraries, the charity which runs the library service in Suffolk, will be marking its ten-year anniversary this year with a summer of celebration.
Monday 1 August will mark ten years since Suffolk Libraries was launched. Over this period all libraries have remained open, with many improving or increasing their opening hours, and several moving to new premises. Dozens of new services and innovative projects have been launched - all with the ultimate aim of working at the heart of Suffolk’s communities to support and improve people’s wellbeing.
This has all been achieved at the same time as saving taxpayers money with the service costing over 30% less than it did before 2012.
With so many highlights to reflect on from the past ten years and plenty coming up this summer, the organisation will be marking a summer of celebration over the next ten weeks.
There is already a packed summer of activity planned with the Summer Reading Challenge and children’s author events taking place during the holidays and the Suffolk Libraries People’s Champions volunteer awards coming up next week. Suffolk Libraries is also returning to the Suffolk Show, the First Light Festival and Latitude.
There is a serious message behind the celebrations too. Suffolk Libraries continues to help and support people, whether through access to free resources, bringing the community together at regular activities, nurturing wellbeing through specialist sessions or enabling job seekers to find that next opportunity. With many people struggling with the increasing cost of living, Suffolk Libraries want to remind everyone that getting a library card is the gateway to a world of free resources, help and support.
Recent examples like the expansion of Suffolk Libraries’ Pride and Periods scheme and the success of Chantry Library’s Men’s Group show the breadth of services and activities Suffolk Libraries provides and the real difference they make to people’s lives. Suffolk Libraries recently launched a special video to mark its ten-year anniversary and highlight some of the different wellbeing benefits it provides to communities.
Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries, said:
“We want to use our ten-year anniversary to remind everyone of everything which Suffolk Libraries does to make Suffolk a better place to live. I hear heart-warming stories of what we mean to people almost every day and we hope to share as many of these stories as we can over the next few months.
"I’m very proud of what Suffolk Libraries has achieved over the past ten years. It’s important to celebrate and I think the best present we can give to mark the occasion is the gift of a library card for every Suffolk resident!”