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← Thirsk Community Library

2025-03-31-accounts

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THIRSK TH | Rc K
DIGITAL COMMUNITY
HUB PLIBRARY
Annual Report
2024-25
Thirsk Community Library
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Email: library@thirskcommunitylibrary.org.uk

Phone: 01609 534589

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Introduction

This is the 8th annual report of Thirsk Community Library Charity. We have been run and managed by volunteers for over 8 years and during that time we have sought to stay true to our vision of being an inclusive community hub where people can read, learn, use IT, socialise and have fun together. Our volunteers and our partnership with North Yorkshire Council are at the heart of all we do. We exist to serve the local community by delivering the Universal Library Offer, supporting other organisations to use our space and offering activities and events which add to the well-being of local people.

“One of the most beautiful, bustling, brilliant libraries I’ve ever visited! Hope to come back soon.” Elena, Star Bright Arts

Thirsk Community Library Trustees

1[st] December 2025

The Trustees are responsible for the charity’s overall sustainability, setting priorities and direction, ensuring that we meet the requirements of the agreement with North Yorkshire Council and of the Charity Commission, and overseeing financial and service governance.

At March 31[st] 2025 the trustees were:

Sally Burton (Chair)

Shirley Ward (Secretary)

Bronwen Cohen (Treasurer)

Anna Naughton (Trustee)

Nigel Lewen (Trustee)

Irene Marwood (Trustee)

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Background and Context

In the current climate of uncertainty, economic strain and mistrust of public institutions it is important to note that research shows that libraries are among the top three most trusted public services.

Libraries can support many national priorities such as the growing recognition of the importance of literacy, a focus on the early years, support for the local economy and businesses, digital skills and inclusion and improving mental health. Also critical is helping people to understand safe sources of information. Libraries provide human connection, a safe free space to come together and a space to unwind and take stock.

In Thirsk Library we always have hot drinks, a friendly face and time for a chat for those seeking company, advice or a good book.

The ‘Universal Offer’ for libraries provides a platform for all we do.

The 4 key offers are:

‘’My children love doing crafts on Saturday morning. It’s so lovely to have somewhere free and warm to go with no pressure to spend money,”

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This can range from regular craft and Lego sessions, hosting a Home Educators Art Class, to hosting quality performances and supporting the local cultural economy. We have great opportunities in Thirsk to work with Rural Arts, the Ritz Cinema, Museums, the U3A and local ‘Creatives’ to do this.

Volunteers in the driving seat

Day to day operations are driven and delivered by volunteers. We aim to have three Library Assistant Volunteers on duty for all shifts so that we can offer a good level of service and have capacity for dealing with the unexpected. The Charity continues to provide work placements to young people undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Work Experience.

Some volunteers hold key responsibilities such as rota management, and coordinating activities such as Story Times, School Visits and Pop up Libraries. Others look after our Book Clubs, run activities such as Knit and Natter and Lego Club and take on administrative tasks.

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We are working to strengthen these arrangements supporting volunteers to work in small teams with specific projects so that they share skills and spread the workload. We are very grateful to the volunteers who do some of the unseen tasks, managing the cash, cleaning, keeping an eye on stock and keeping the office in order.

A team of volunteers manage the Home Library Service for people who are not able to get to the library, selecting books and delivering them to people at home.

There are now 15 Digital Buddy Volunteers (and rising) who support people with a range of IT related needs, meeting them in the library and in other settings.

We hold regular social events and ‘thank you’s for volunteers and many attend our regular fundraising quizzes.

Opportunities for Volunteers

We welcome volunteers with a wide range of background and experience. Training is provided and experienced volunteers support new people to learn the ropes and operate the computer system. If anyone wishes to volunteer in a leadership capacity to support delivery of our priorities, and has time to commit to this, we welcome a discussion.

Our Performance in 2024-2025

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In common with libraries across the country, the number of loans has reduced slightly. The good news is that North Yorkshire performs very well compared with other similar areas. There is a big increase in people using Borrow Box to

download e-books and audio books but these borrowers do not get attributed to . individual libraries in the way that paper books do

Our Activities

We directly deliver or organise a wide range of activities including:

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‘’I’m so grateful to the people who bring books to my house. It’s the highlight of my week and you do so well finding books I love’

Partnerships

We work with a number of partners to support other groups to use our space and benefit from our facilities and skills.

This includes:

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North Yorkshire Council

NYC c ontinues to support the library, paying a percentage of the lease cost, buying all the books, providing a range of online resources and providing all the computers and systems. The Council also funds a part time Community Library Support Officer who works with volunteers to train them, advise on new systems and support day to day delivery.

Bookmarked - Mini Festival with Rural Arts and White Rose Bookshop

This Mini Festival at the end of March

aimed to celebrate books included book binding and calligraphy workshops, theatre, music and film. We are in discussion with Rural Arts about future events linked to 2026 Year of Reading. We were grateful for funds from NYC –Inspire Fund and Thirsk Infant School Charity which enabled us to organise and fund 12 interactive, story based workshops, reaching over 200 pupils in local primary schools delivered by the fantastic Elena Joy Miller from Starbright Arts. We also hosted a Bronte and Hardy

themed music night in the library and had an exciting theatre group visit with music, acrobatics and antics.

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Summer Reading Challenge

Summer 2024 saw us working with 12 local primary schools to invite children to sign up to read 6 books during the summer holidays. We ran a full

programme of activities to support the challenge and repeated the whole thing again in 2025. The library really buzzes during the summer holidays and we have been lucky to have small grants and some funds from Tesco which have enabled us to offer a lot of free or very low cost activities

Thirsk Digital Hub

In 2024 we launched Thirsk Digital Hub with the aim of making a step change from a library that offered some digital support to a Digital Hub for Thirsk based in the library but working on other sites and with other partners. We are very proud of our performance in 2024-5 as we helped 642 people with a range of digital needs. This project has received new funding and we are now outreaching with new partners as well as delivering 3 sessions a week in the library. Our Library Assistant Volunteers also support many people with printing, Bus Passes, Blue Badges and numerous ad-hoc digital requests.

Financial Position

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Our finances remain healthy but we are never complacent and continue to raise funds by selling books, holding quizzes, raffles and events and applying for grants.

Our income and expenditure for day to day running and back office costs are roughly in balance but we need to raise additional funds for activities and events. We have experienced a drop in income from room bookings over the last few months and will be working to achieve new bookings.

We are also experiencing a drop in income from Overdue Fines because NYC has introduced an email or text reminder to people to return their books. This is welcomed by the public and is a good thing in that it removed a perceived barrier to borrowing. However, we have noticed a reduction in such payments.

We are very grateful for support from: NYC - Inspire Fund , Thirsk Infant School Charity , The Coop, Tesco and Thirsk Ladies Group .

Priorities for 2026 and Beyond

2026 is a big year for libraries as the Government has declared this to be a Year of Reading . This initiative is aimed at all age groups with a national strapline ‘Go All In’ the campaign aims to encourage reading to enhance interests by reading about them, be that sport, gardening, films or music. It also promotes the importance of reading for relaxation, mental health.

The campaign recognises that one of the strongest indicators of future academic success is that parents and carers regularly read to children. It also recognises that across all age groups people are reading less- in any format.

We are currently building up an exciting programme to drive our own initiative, Thirsk Reads ! (name to be finalised), making Thirsk a place where people celebrate and share reading.

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We are seeking to use the Year of Reading as a platform to build on existing relationships, grow new partnerships and promote library membership and borrowing across all age groups. We are developing a project plan, aimed at building on the Year of Reading to steadily increase library membership and during 2026 and then for 2 years after that.

Our plans fall into the following areas:

More people knowing about us and the value of libraries

Marketing and Publicity

Developing a Marketing Plan to enhance local knowledge of what we offer, make improved use of Social Media and other communications and identify how volunteers and partners can promote library services.

Partnership

Enhance our partnerships to help develop and deliver this project across agencies. We will work with childcare providers, schools, adult learning, businesses, partner charities and communities to share the benefits of reading

Increasing borrowing

Last year borrowing across North Yorkshire was down by approximately 2%. This is part of a national trend. Our goal over 3 years is to buck that

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trend and increase borrowing by X% on last year’s baseline. (% to be agreed)

Improved information about the benefits and value of reading and the range of available on-line resources

Reading related events and activities

We will produce a programme with monthly themes and events and evaluate the impact and will use the Year of Reading as a catalyst to grow and strengthen our team.

Other Priorities for 2026

Deliver our Digital Hub commitments

Talking Newspapers for the Blind (NTN)

We are continuing to work with Hambleton Community Action and now seeking to increase circulation of USBs and develop the Newspaper as a

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podcast so it can reach more people across the area and to incorporate a wider range of news media and local interest stories into it. We also plan to start to share it with Care Settings and Support Groups.

Establish new activities groups

Chess, Board Games and Jigsaws and expand the new Tea and Tech Adult Coding Club.

Support the Cod Beck Discovery Project

Space for meetings and presentations and with volunteer Project Librarians to ensure information is retained in an accessible format for local people , drawing in NYC support from library colleagues with Local Studies and Archive expertise.

Review how we use our space

To make it welcoming and accessible to key groups of users.

Continue to recruit, train and support a wide range of volunteers to

lead and run the library

‘’We love the Library. It’s always warm and welcoming and the volunteers are all so helpful’

Thirsk Community Library

Statement of Accounts 2024-25

Our finances remain healthy but we are never complacent and continue to raise funds by selling books, holding quizzes, raffles and events and applying for grants.

Our income and expenditure for day to day running and back office costs are roughly in balance but we need to raise additional funds for activities and events. We have experienced a drop in income from room bookings over the last few months and will be working to achieve new bookings.

We are also experiencing a drop in income from Overdue Fines because NYC has introduced an email or text reminder to people to return their books. This is welcomed by the public and is a good thing in that it removed a perceived barrier to borrowing. However, we have noticed a reduction in such payments.

We are very grateful for support from: NYC - Inspire Fund, Thirsk Infant School Charity, The Coop, Tesco and Thirsk Ladies Group.

Thirsk Community Library Trustees

1[st] December 2025

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SKtion 8 Statement of assets and liabilities at Ihe end of the period Unresti•ct•d R•8tsictod Endowment funds to n•west £ to nearost £ to nearest £ 31.750 26m5 326 sa￿11 ategorb•5 D•tal Bl Cash fund8 NaticThMd8 Buildry Cash funds D•tails Fund to Cunen¢ value Dptijl- bek (optional) Fund to whkh asset bek Current value ional 289 Dc-ails Gal (optknnall Tablet Starnjs Unreststffll harity'¥ own uv• 20,402 Trolleys & Library Boxe5 Filing G•inets Bhnds Camwa Gazebo T & Chaws Unrestrthl Unrestrried Unrestrthd unr8slrt1￿I 1,976 270 140 808 23 Fund to which bility Amount du• Whon du• Detal 85 Llabllltlos Signed by (Th or t*f+ trust88S (XI Dale of al

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) 1169SS Set out on page5 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust.) for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the ACY,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Com mission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I conf irm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statament I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date: 7/1.S Name: t4rf.2pY i/ya J kn)/7￿J Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directÉons and guidance for examiners). IER October 2018

Give here brief detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. ,*//LJ L. IER October 2018