Acomb Explore library will receive a £390,000 boost to improve facilities for local residents.
The plans, which were approved by City of York Council’s Executive yesterday (15 July), include creating a larger children’s library; increasing the capacity and accessibility of the indoor café area; new quiet spaces for work and study; improved toilet facilities; a larger area for books and improved meeting rooms and IT suite.
The plans have been developed in response to direct feedback from local residents and have been funded in part by £100,000 from the council’s Future Libraries Investment Fund (£100k). The £7.7m fund was originally set up in 2022 to deliver three key library projects in order: creating a new library for Haxby & Wigginton, providing a new library learning centre in Clifton, and improving Acomb Explore.
Additional funding for Acomb Explore – the first Library Learning Centre to open in the city, in 2007 – has been secured from the Arts Council, Libraries’ Investment Fund (£250,000); and a total grant of £40,000 from the Mayoral Renewables Fund for renewable energy generation projects (match funded with £14,000 from the council’s Climate Change budget).
Local residents shared their views on what improvements were needed to the library space in 2023, citing bigger children’s space, more indoor café space and quiet space for work or study as their top three priorities, requests which have been matched by the plans.
Jenny Layfield, Chief Executive, Explore York Libraries and Archives said:
Acomb was our first Explore centre and a blueprint for our vision of libraries shaped by and for their communities, so it is great news that, with this investment from the Arts Council, the Mayoral Renewables Fund and the Council we will be able to make the improvements to Acomb Explore in line with the priorities identified by local people.
“Acomb Explore is already a vibrant place, well loved by its community, and supported by a committed team of staff and volunteers. These improvements will make a brilliant library even better!”
Cllr Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of City of York Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture, said:
The plans for Acomb form the third and final part of our Future Library Investment Programme, which has already delivered new libraries in Haxby & Wigginton and Clifton, bringing benefits for local communities and library users across the city.
“Securing significant external grant funding for the Acomb project has made it possible to put forward plans which will enable us to meet the need and priorities set out by local residents.”
Luke Burton, Director Libraries, Arts Council England said:
The Libraries Investment Fund enables library services to invest in the upgrade of buildings and technology, so they are better able to respond to the changing ways people are using them.
“I’m delighted that investment of £250,000 will contribute to the redevelopment of Acomb Library resulting in the creation of a bigger children’s library and improved facilities so that everyone in the community can enjoy and benefit from what the library has to offer.”
The delivery timetable will be finalised when plans have been approved and a construction partner appointed. It’s likely that the library will need to close for a 12-week period over the next 6-9 months for work to be completed, with options that minimise disruption to the public, prioritised.