Burley's Community Managed Library

Following Bradford Council's decision to reduce their expenditure across their library network the Parish Council agreed to take over the running of the library service from April 2017. Although Bradford will not pay staffing costs, subject to review, they have offered to provide:

• The lease of the building
• The transfer of the existing stock of books and computers
• New books on a regular basis
• Payment of energy/business rates/etc.
• Access to a repairs and improvement fund for the building, although no firm commitment was given on the size of the fund or likelihood of obtaining grants.
• Training for volunteers

The Parish Council have been fortunate to secure the services of over 60 volunteers to help run library services and activities. In addition, the Parish Council have appointed a Senior Libary Assistant to over see existing book lending ad help develop a range of new activities
Should anyone have any comments about existing services or ideas for new services, please contact the Parish Clerk.

Refurbishment

The refurbishment of the Library will partially overlap with work on the Queens Hall and will commence on Monday 15th April, completing on Friday 17th May. It will also be necessary to close the library to the public for 25 days from Monday 8^th April in order to clear stock and protect equipment that cannot be moved easily.

The library committee is currently in the process of agreeing colour schemes for walls and carpets, scheduling the moving of library stock and furniture, as well as organising the disposal of existing library shelving. New shelving is being installed throughout at a cost £20,000, funded in part by a donation from Burley Community Trust. If any resident feels that they can make use of old library shelving, please contact the Parish Clerk before 8^th April.

Inevitably the budget does not quite stretch to include one or two items we would really like to include. If any local businesses or individuals would like to contribute towards specific items, for which they would receive appropriate recognition, the library team would be really pleased to hear from you.

A full schedule of works for the Library can be found here

 

Library contact details

Address: Burley Library, Grange Road, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ilkley, LS29 7HD

Phone: 01943 863714

Email: Parish Clerk

Opening Hours

Monday: 10am - 5pm

Tuesday: 10am - 5pm

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 1pm - 6pm

Friday: 10am - 5pm

Saturday: 10am - 1pm

Facilities

• Disabled access
• Audio books
• Children's activities
• Free Internet access and word processing, with print capabilities from the library computers
• Knitting Group every Thursday at 4pm.
• Fiction Reading Group for Adults - 2.30pm four weekly on Friday
  
  

Burley Library Website

On Monday 19th August. The Annual Teddy Bears' Picnic will be held from 11 am to 1 pm in Grange Park just outside the library. If it is raining the event will still go ahead inside the library:  it will be a tight squeeze and a chance to make lots of new friends. Please bring a bear, a picnic, and a waterproof rug/mat to sit on outside. There will be activities from Story Bees and the Family Learning Team, face painting and balloon modeling, and a special guest appearance from Bookstart Bear. The event is completely free and is best suited to children up to about Key Stage 1 including babies - along with their families!! Older children are welcome but just be aware it may be a little young for them.

The Burley Gardeners' Association Annual Show takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 26 August between 2.15 pm and 4.45 pm in the Queens Hall. The library will be having a stall at the show (the library itself will be closed) where you can find out about the services and activities on offer, and even join the library. 

 

 

The time has come for the refurbishment of Burley Library.  It's last day open to the public will be Saturday 6^th April between 10 am and 1 pm.  It will be closed from Monday 8^th April to Saturday 1^st June inclusive and, if all goes to plan, will reopen to the public on Monday 3^rd June at 10 am.  This closure period includes one week for packing up the library, five weeks for the contractors and two weeks for the new shelving to be installed and unpacking of the library books and equipment.

In the last month the library has had two very successful events. Firstly, a visit from local best-selling author Imogen Clark on 15^th February which had 28 attendees. Then on 7^th March a World Book Day Extravaganza, which started with a visit by author Cathy Oakley Calvert and illustrator Margaret Swift plus Ned the sheepdog and 24 children attended this. This was swiftly followed by Maddie's "massive cake sale". Almost 300 people visited the library that day.

In the coming month there is the final pre-refurbishment meeting of the Burley Reading Group on Friday 22^nd March at 2.30 pm. They intend to meet at the Coffee Station monthly while the library is closed. There are also a couple of police drop-in surgeries on Monday 18^th March and Tuesday 26^th March - both from 11 am to 12 noon.

While the library is closed customers can manage their accounts online at www.burleylibrary.org or use other Bradford Council libraries in person. See the Burley Library website for details about the location and opening times of Ilkley and Menston Libraries.

All the staff and volunteers (60+) at Burley Library look forward to welcoming customers back to the newly refurbished library in June. It may even look as good as in this original artist's impression!

Thursday 7^th March is World Book Day and Burley Library will be celebrating in style. Instead of Tiny Rhymers that afternoon, there will be a special children's author and illustrator visit which has been organised by Bradford Libraries. The event starts at 1.45 pm and all under 5s or home-schooled over 5s are welcome. Author of "Ned go to Bed", Cathy Oakley Calvert will be visiting along with Ned the sheepdog and illustrator Margaret Swift. They will be telling Ned's adventures and then children will have the opportunity to create their own Ned storyboard.

Following straight on from this event at 2.45 pm Maddie is running a cake and refreshment sale, share a book with your kids and design a bookmark. This will continue for the after-school children. Last year's World Book (Snow) Day had a magnificent attendance of 325.

There will be no Tuneful Tuesdays or Tiny Rhymers the week commencing 18^th February as it is half term.

The next date for the Burley Reading Group is Friday 22^nd February at 2.30 pm and new members are always welcome. They meet once a month in the library for chat and refreshments.

Finally, the next Volunteer Meeting is on Friday 15^th March at 1 pm in the library. It would be great if as many volunteers as possible could attend as there will be an update on the library refurbishment. There will also be discussions on the logistics involved since as many strong hands as possible will be needed to help with "packing" and "unpacking" the library in April and May.

Burley Library launched a new rhymetime for babies and their carers on Thursday 10th January.  Tiny Rhymers will run every Thursday term-time from 2.15 pm and will last about 30 minutes.  Thanks go to our new volunteer Vanessa for being willing to lead this weekly event.  Maddie continues to run Tuneful Tuesdays for under 5’s on Tuesdays term-time only from 1.45 pm.

There is a display of new books in the foyer for those seeking something different in 2019.  The displays inside the library are racing through the alphabet and were last seen at the letter "F".

Over 75 people attended the Christmas Day opening and it was deemed a great success. There have been many words of thanks and even a few cards.  Thanks to Niccola Swan and her willing "army" of volunteers for organising and running this event.

Finally there will be a bestselling local author visit and talk on Friday 15^th  February at 2 pm.  Imogen Clark - author of "The Thing About Clare" and "Postcards From a Stranger" - will be giving a free talk and taking questions. This will be followed by refreshments.  All library members and non-members are welcome to attend. 

The Knitting Group has made a wonderful Dickensian scene based on A Christmas Carol and welcome new members or just those seeking their expert advice.  The scene is on display now and the group meets on Thursdays in the library from 4 pm.

This year the library will again be open on Christmas Day between 2 pm and 4 pm for good company, refreshments, games and live music plus the opportunity to borrow and return books.  This follows last year's very successful event when over 100 people took the time to drop in.  If anyone knows anyone who lives alone or may appreciate some company and/or needs help in getting to the library please get in touch in advance on 01943 863714.

The Burley Painting is now complete and there is a display in the library showing its progress from commission to completion.

Tuneful Tuesdays for under 5’s will be participating in the Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge as in previous years.  It starts on Tuesday 8th January at 1.45 pm and runs for 4 weeks ending on Tuesday 29 January at 1.45 pm with a special visit from Bookstart Bear to give out certificates to the children who attend.  There is no need to attend every week but each week a new rhyme or two will be learnt along with the usual fun of Tuneful Tuesdays.  On Tuesday 15th January an outside organisation will be leading - Tiny Signers.

All these events are free to attend and it is free to join and borrow books from anywhere within the Bradford network of libraries.  The library also has free wi-fi and free access to a number of subscription sites including Ancestry and FindMyPast.  Bradford libraries also have a service for downloading e-books and e-audiobooks which are also free of charge.