Library opens new chapter as community hub

Ruskington library was one of the many affected as Lincolnshire County Council seeks to reduce overheads and wrestle with decreasing budgets. But, after campaigning by a team of trustees in the village, it has re-opened as a community library staffed completely by volunteers and supported by Lincoln Central Library.

While it has been open for ‘business’ since September it had its official re-opening this month. Three school children from Winchelsea Primary School cut the ribbon, emphasising the library’s commitment to grow its local information resource within the whole community.

It has also exceeded its initial target of about 1,500 customer visits per year. Thanks to the support of the local community, this figure was passed before Christmas with the library attracting nearly 500 ‘customers’ each month.

At the opening ceremony Chairman of Trustees Coun Peter Cunningham welcomed all the volunteers, parish councillors, county council members and many more, without whose help and advice the project could not have gone ahead. Chairman of the library management committee Coun Graham Conway said: “Getting to this stage had meant three years of hard work and organisation, but to see such a rewarding response from the local community makes it all worthwhile.”.

It is expected that the library will grow and be of use to the local community from children with homework to mums with toddlers and ‘silver’ surfers who want to pop in for a chat and see what’s new.

The library facilities are being used for local book club groups and for pre-school reading groups once a week.

Opening times are Tuesday 10am-2pm, Thursday 1pm-6pm and Saturday 10am – 1pm.