County Council proudly supports Libraries Week

This year’s campaign is around the theme of #ChangingLives.

The theme focuses on how a local library has made a significant difference to customers lives or how the library has enabled them to make a positive impact on their community.

Here in Worcestershire, our libraries have continued to support local communities during periods of lockdown and throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

The county’s libraries remained open throughout all but the first period of coronavirus lockdown, adapting many library services to an online platform and offering a replacement Reserve & Collect service when browsing and borrowing was not permitted.

Pre-bookable computer sessions and desk spaces, online events and activities for all age groups, an improved e-book library, adapted provision of the mobile library and Library Service at Home, all helped to combat social isolation within our communities.

Keeping libraries open for essential computer use ensured people could still access online information, complete application forms, conduct job searches, check emails and keep in touch with family and friends.

Councillor Matt Dormer, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Our libraries have provided a real lifeline to many of our local communities over the last 18 months or so and it is great to be able to look back with real pride at what they helped our residents to achieve.”

Library Digital Champion volunteers provided valuable digital support through a telephone call back service and free 'introduction to zoom' sessions.

These enabled people to build digital skills and confidence, learning how to use Zoom for the first time so they could take part in online courses, join a library connect bubble or simply keep in touch with family and friends through video-calling.

Libraries across Worcestershire continue to reintroduce face to face services with children’s activities, digital champion one to ones and social connecting groups now safely up and running.

For more information about your local library or how to access a wide range of services, please visit the Libraries pages on the County Council website.