The UK government has slashed local Council funding during the last few years. This means many people are left without libraries in their local towns and villages. Nobody wants to travel miles to access books, so literacy levels could decrease. Starting a new private library in your hometown is not as complicated as it might sound. A few people and organisations have managed to achieve that goal in recent times. Best of all? Launching the new services doesn’t have to cost much. There are some excellent techniques you could use to reduce the expenses involved.
Contact your councils and ask about vacant buildings. If your local government can’t afford to fund a library, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for one in your town. Regional authorities tend to own a lot of vacant buildings, so you just need to inquire. In most instances, you will find at least one person working for the local area willing to help. Try to find somewhere that’s accessible for residents if you want the best results. You might be blessed and strike a deal that allows you to use the premises for free. At the end of the day, you can perform maintenance work and keep it to a good standard.
Call bookshops, publishers, and other libraries. The hardest part of starting your new library relates to finding books. Thankfully, there are many options on the table that you could try. For instance, bookshops and other libraries tend to throw a lot of titles away each year. Contacting them now could mean they send you the excess stock rather than placing it in the bin. Also, publishers are always on the lookout for people who can promote their books. So, create a mailing list and get in touch with as many publishers as possible; even UK-based publishing houses are able to help, especially because some of the best authors are based in the UK. They will send you many different titles for free every month; all you have to do is highlight them to your customers and hope they hire them out.
Buy shelving and other furniture. You’ll want to provide space for people who visit your library to read. You might also consider investing in computers to facilitate eLearning. It’s sensible to check second-hand furniture shops in your area. You could also ask the Council if they have any tables and chairs they’re willing to donate. When it comes to purchasing shelving, you need to spend money. The quality of the library shelving you select is paramount because it will serve to keep your books in good condition for as long as possible. Search online to find specialist suppliers who focus on your industry. With a bit of work, they’ll offer lucrative deals for bulk purchases.
Once you have everything in place, it’s just a matter of working out how you will make a profit. The most sensible suggestion we can give relates to charging rental fees for the titles you keep in stock. It’s not the traditional library business model, but you need to make a living. Perhaps you could ask members to pay $1 for each of the books they borrow? It won’t break the bank for them, but it means you can gain some financial reward for your efforts.
Photo by Dmitrij Paskevic
Mia Guerra
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