‘Chair’s’ Annual Report to Trustees January 12th, 2026
The library has now been running for over two years under local management. Currently, we have twenty volunteers. These volunteers have made an outstanding contribution in commitment and fortitude in order that the library can run from month to month and year to year.
The online Library Management System has been replaced during 2025. The new system, Axiell Spark, seems to provide a marginal improvement in performance although still not offering perfect alignment with Community Managed Library procedures. Fortunately, the volunteers have generally been able to address these issues to ensure that pragmatic solutions can be found. The hardware and software changes have meant that the volunteers have needed to undergo retraining and have also had to adapt to changes in running the system(s).
In addition, the library operating system computers have been replaced along with those for public use although the latter have been reduced from four to two. The broadband connectivity has been overhauled and upgraded.
The library lease negotiations rumble on but I gather, at the time of writing this report, that a resolution may be near. I understand that the key documents may now have been signed.
Our volunteers ensure that the library environment is clean and attractive and that we have had inventive displays from volunteers and the wider community, many detailed below. We also have a wide range of informational material available. The range of this has been expanded during 2025 (our rules preclude the promotion of commercial ventures). The space has been used by the ‘Rhyme Time’ group, by Tideswell PreSchool, by Tideswell School, by Tideswell Community Players, by the local Environment Group, by Tideswell Living History Group and as a venue for regular drop-in sessions with PCSO Anthony Boswell. Library visitor numbers remain healthy, and we have had a steady uptake of library facilities by new users.
At the latest Annual Review Meeting our DCC library managers expressed their satisfaction with the running of our library and with the outcomes in terms of service to the library users and the local community in general.
Our finances remain in a healthy state although we have not always managed to spend our grant funding exactly as planned or within a precise time window due to circumstances beyond our control. To date, we have received no direct monetary funding from D.C.C. although the various upgrades and training mentioned above have come at no cost to the library despite being the subject(s) of expenditure in our Business Plan approved by the County Council.
Our engagement with NatWest through the use of a business account for charities is, at times, challenging. However, the software is comprehensive and, to date, has provided a secure picture of the financial position of the CML. Attached is the financial information pertaining to the most recent financial year (01/01/2025 – 31/12/2025).
I would like to thank the volunteers and trustees for their input and commitment without which the library would not continue functioning beyond the coming month at most.
Activities and initiatives:
1 Rhyme Time – this has continued since September 2025. This has been due to the efforts of a small group of volunteers.
- 2 Jigsaw(s)
3 Art displays – various sources
- 4 Wall displays
5 Home book deliveries(organizer Len Venables)
6 Mentoring of a D. of E. Student
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7 Visits by PCSO Boswell
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8 Visits by the ‘Pre School’ group
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9 Social media posts
10 Community Library Newsletter posts
11 Summer Reading Challenge including activities to underpin visits by children from Bishop Pursglove School
12 History Group display
13 Library promotion initiatives (via The Peak Advertiser)
14 Articles in The Village Voice
15 Some promotional input via the Coop.
16 Upgrade of decoration and signage
- 17 World Book Day March 2025
18 Tideswell and District Environment Group Meetings
19 Fund Raising Raffle
11 mm ni Carried forward from 2024 £10627.65 Anonymous Donation £1000.00 Coop Grant £500.CM) Coop Grant £1679.95 Petty cash £376.03 Total Income £14183.63 Paul Black expenses (Christmastree and diary) £25.59 Paul Black expenses (printer paperx2 £10.00, bookends £14.88. poster£29.00) É53.88 Paul Black expenses Itrayt8ble, jigsaws, leaflet carousel, photocopier paperl £113.62 Publicityexpenses £249.92 J8cqeline Teeneyexpenses (headplK)ne81 £14.99 Paul Black expenses (disptsy item£13.00. sundries IMorri8ons) £3.00. Rymans (stationery£5.78). Blu Tac £1.25) £23.03 Public Liability Insurdnce £149.37 £23.03 Total Expenditure £630.40 Balance £13553.23