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A number of East Midlands library services are winners in the latest Big Lottery Fund grant awards. Grants of between £250,000 and £2million were recently awarded and East Midlands libraries fared well. Derby City Council gained £2million, Leicester City Council was awarded £1,492,100, Leicestershire County Council has received £781,402 and Nottingham City Council was granted £1,381,413.
These were among 58 library authorities given funding to renovate, extend or build new libraries so that they can offer a broader range of activities to their communities and attract groups or individuals who may not have used libraries before.
The funding for Derby will help to build two new libraries and renovate another. New learning centres will be developed at Chellaston and Mackworth and Allenton library will be extended.
The new libraries will be at the centre of community learning for local people and act as a catalyst for community involvement. They are also working in partnership with Derby Museum and Art Gallery and will feature displays of artefacts from the museum.
Derby Councillor Alan Graves, cabinet member for leisure and direct services, said: "We’re delighted that the bid has been successful. Libraries in Derby are going from strength to strength – you only have to look at what a valuable community resource the new library in Mickleover has become since it opened in July to see what a great asset these libraries will be to their local areas."
"We hope to open all three libraries by spring 2010 and we’ll form library panels in each community to give local people the chance to get involved."
Nottingham’s grant will fund the expansion of the Meadows Library into a major learning centre offering more IT courses, homework clubs and children’s learning activities. In Leicester and Leicestershire new learning centres in New Parks and Newbold Verdon will be developed. The New Parks project will be located in the heart of the community providing a focal point for residents and will provide access to advisory agencies and educational groups giving local people the chance to gain new and transferable skills.
Pat Flynn, Leicester City Council's head of library services, said: "It will be a great boost to local people to have such an exciting development happening at the heart of their community. We know that this lottery funding will make a real difference to lives of children and adults of all ages in New Parks."
Sanjay Dighe, chair of the Big Lottery Fund England Committee, said: "An increasing number of people are using library services and it is clear that our local libraries are at their best when they act as focal points for community life, providing a range of reading, learning and information activities. These awards are providing the capital funds needed so libraries can transform or modify their buildings to provide a wide range of community uses."
Museums, Libraries and Archives Partnership chief executive, Roy Clare, added: "This investment will help bring about new and improved library buildings and act as a catalyst to increase community engagement in those localities. We are very pleased that the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the central role libraries can play in the lives of our towns and cities."
A full list of the 58 library projects to receive funding can be found on the Big Lottery Fund website.
