There are now seven membership organisations of Suffolk’s Libraries Industrial and Provident Society (IPS), which is the independent and charitable body set up to manage all of Suffolk’s libraries.
Each of Suffolk’s 44 libraries is looking to develop its own community group who can support their local library. Community Groups will become official members of Suffolk’s Libraries IPS so they can have a voice in running their library.
The Friends of Glemsford Library have been members since January and six new Community Groups have now officially joined the IPS; Friends of Thurston Library, Friends of Long Melford Library, the Wickham Market Partnership, Needham Market Town Council, Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council and Bungay Community Library.
There are another 20 local groups in the process of being set up and joining the IPS and in time all libraries will have their own group. Suffolk’s Libraries IPS have now been running all of Suffolk’s libraries, mobile libraries, prison libraries and the school library service for just over six months.
Shona Bendix, Chair of Suffolk’s Libraries IPS, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome on board these new groups as official members. All of Suffolk’s libraries have received great support from their communities over the past two years and we’ve been working with local people to help them through the process of forming Community Groups and joining the IPS. We look forward to more groups joining us in the future and getting involved with the vital and varied services our libraries provide.”
Sprake and Tyrrell Builders, Bungay
