Burley's Community Managed Library

The library welcomed back customers for browsing and essential computer use on Monday 26 April. Additionally, order and collect and local home delivery will continue for the foreseeable future. Numbers are limited so we may ask you to wait or cut short your visit. We suggest time limits of 20 minutes for browsing and 45 minutes for computer use but you are welcome to stay longer if we are quiet. Computers must be booked in advance. Please leave your returned books in the boxes in the foyer as they still need to be quarantined for 72 hours.

We are still offering an order and collect and also a home delivery service. We have also introduced a staff operated photocopying service. Copies can be paid for on a contactless cash donation basis. The book sale returned from 12 April 2021 - also on a donation basis.

Face coverings must be worn by all persons over the age of 11 unless medically exempt. This applies to both the main library building and the foyer. Please do not come to the library if you are showing any symptoms of Coronavirus including a persistent cough, fever or change/loss of smell/taste. All browsers and computer users must either scan the Track and Trace QR code if they have the app, or complete a paper slip.

You can order online, by email, by post or by telephoning the library. Also, many other services including storytime continue virtually. Go to Burley Library for more information. 

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 has 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 oversee 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

Burley Library has recently undergone a schedule of internal and external works to improve facilities and preserve the library as a community asset. Funded by the Parish Council with grants for new furniture and shelving from village partners, the library is now a fresh, modern and inviting space that can also be hired outside of opening hours.

 

Library contact details

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

Phone: 01943 863714

Email: Parish Clerk

Present Opening Times 

Monday: 10am - 1pm and 2pm to 5pm

Tuesday: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 3pm - 6pm

Friday: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm

Saturday: 10am - 1pm

Sunday: Closed

Normal Facilities 

• Disabled access and toilet facilities plus baby changing
• Large Print and Talking Books
• Children's activities on Tuesdays (term time only)
• Free wi-fi
• Free Internet access and word processing, with print capabilities from the library computers. Free access to Ancestry and Find My Past from within the library building.
• Colour and black and white photocopier A3/A4
• Fiction Reading Group for Adults - 3.30 pm four weekly on Friday
• Access to the Burley Local History Group/Archives by prior appointment
  
  

Burley Library Website

From Tuesday 1 June the library resumed opening on Tuesday mornings from 10 am to 1 pm in addition to the existing opening times. 

 

Maddie has resumed Tuneful Tuesdays outside in Grange Park at 9.30 am term time only. Booking is essential and limited, and opens every Thursday morning via her Story Bees Facebook page. 

 

Green Shoots Community Garden at the library has a Launch Party on Saturday 26 June between 10 am and 1 pm. Maddie will be running an outdoor session of fun for families with children aged 2 to 11. Booking is essential and limited and can be made through the Love Burley Library! Facebook page. There will be outside activities, tastings and displays for our older members which will be delivered by our volunteers and those of the Burley Community Herb Garden. No booking is required for adult activities.

 

The Green Shoots project is progressing well. Another Working Group gardening day was held on 29 May in which lots of donated plants were transplanted and weeding done. There is usually someone from the group around every Wednesday at about 10 am, so if you fancy joining in, just come along. There is always watering or weeding needed. The library has delivered 20 Grow from Home kits to Burley Hall Care Home so that the residents can participate. Plant growth was somewhat hampered by a very cold spring but we do have the first signs of tomatoes on our plants inside the library.

 

Lastly, Bradford is introducing a new computer library management system from 21 June onwards. From this date customers and volunteers will not have access to their accounts or computer records for a number of days, so you won’t be able to renew or reserve books. It may take a while for full service to be resumed so please bear with us during this time. The last day of normal service will be Saturday 19 June so it may be a good idea to visit the library or renew before this date.

 

The library welcomed back customers for browsing this week. Measures have been taken to make the space as safe as possible for all. A one way system for entry and exit is in operation. Numbers are limited so you may be asked to wait or cut short your visit. The library is now open Mondays 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, Tuesdays 2 pm to 5 pm, Thursdays 3 pm to 6 pm, Fridays 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, and Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm. All visitors over the age of 11 are asked to wear a face covering unless medically exempt, sanitise hands on entry, and either scan the Track and Trace QR code if they have the app, or complete a slip if not. Hand sanitiser is also available at various points around the library should you wish to use it during your visit. Please visit alone or with your household/support bubble and avoid planning to meet up with friends for the time being. Public computers and printing are also available for essential use by prior arrangement. We suggest time limits of 20 minutes for browsing and 45 minutes for computer use but you are welcome to stay longer if we are quiet.

 

Do please have a look at our new displays, including the new notice board for all things green locally, and the library’s resident “Tumbling Tom” tomato plant which is now in full bloom; who will be the first to spot a tomato?? Also have a look at what is going on outside with our Green Shoots project.

 

We are still offering order and collect and a local home delivery service if you do not feel ready to return to browsing, and will be doing so for the foreseeable future. Recycling of writing instruments and donations of books and jigsaws are still suspended due to space constraints but batteries and stamps can once again be recycled at the library.

 

The Green Shoots Community Garden project is progressing well. We had our second volunteer day recently in which seed potatoes were planted, radish and rainbow chard were potted on and a Koralik bush tomato came to stay. We still have some Grow from Home kits if you would like to join in, and this project will continue through the summer with appropriate seasonal seeds. Bradford Libraries have also donated £200 worth of children’s gardening tools and equipment so we hope to have some activities for families to get involved with soon.

 

Meanwhile Maddie continues with Story Bees’ Tuneful Tuesdays on Zoom at 9.30 am for the under 5s (term time only). She has exciting plans to take her session outdoors very soon, so keep checking our Facebook page Love Burley Library! for the latest news.

 

If you are interested in getting involved in Green Shoots or Grow from Home, please contact Abi at the library. Contact details can be found at https://www.burleylibrary.org/contact-us.html.

 

 

 

There’s been a lot going on at the library in the last couple of months even though we are still just offering a limited order and collect plus returns service. This service will continue for the time-being after 12 April. Even though libraries are legally allowed to reopen for browsing from this date, Bradford will be reopening its libraries in a phased and careful manner and will be piloting some of the largest libraries first. We will be working on making the library as safe a place as possible for everyone to return to, so there will be some restrictions such as limited numbers and browsing time in the “new normal”. Watch this space for further news.

 

New kitchen wall units and alcove cupboards (pictured) have been built and fitted. Many thanks go to Burley Interiors on Station Road for their donation of labour and skills. Sun blinds have been fitted on three of the large windows, and black-out blinds in the adult non-fiction area will make it possible to have slide and film presentations when circumstances allow. Thanks go to the villagers for their generous donations which have made this possible.

 

World Book Day on 4 March may have been low key but the library does still have a selection of free books to give away. The details can be found at https://www.worldbookday.com/books/ and the limit is one per child. Please email the library at burleylibrary@gmail.com with your requests and we will reserve them for you. No tokens are required.

 

Last, but not least, the library has launched its exciting new “Green Shoots” project. Over the next couple of years we plan to create an Accessible Community Garden inside and outside the library, and want as many as possible to be involved.

 

So far, a small working group of volunteers have tidied up the border by the car park and transplanted a variety of donated herbs and plants for pollinators. We will be growing edible plants of many kinds in big pots this year and would love the community to help us out by “Growing from Home”, sowing seed and growing on plants that we can then transfer to the library garden in a couple of months.

 

We have a supply of “Grow from Home” kits available, with everything you need to get started. We would especially welcome those over 65, or ones who have been shielding, to contact us if they would like one of these kits. We would be happy to deliver a kit to your home free of charge. Please pass this message on to anyone you think may be interested. We need your help! If you would like to participate please either email the library, or fill in the contact form on the website at https://www.burleylibrary.org/contact-us.html, or telephone on 01943 863714 and leave a message, or speak to one of the volunteers in the foyer. You can also keep up to date with progress on the library website at https://www.burleylibrary.org/green-shoots.html or the Facebook page Love Burley Library!