Search for new premises for St Thomas Library
Posted on 02 Oct 2023
The search is on for new premises for St Thomas Library in Exeter after it was announced the lease on the building where it’s currently located would not be renewed.
The library will close this month (Saturday 21st October) and the process will start for relocating to new premises. Libraries Unlimited, the charity that runs libraries in Devon, along with Devon County Council which has overall responsibility for library services, is looking for locations in the community to sustain the service.
The landlord of the current building in Church Road offered a lease at a significantly increased rent after the current lease expires on 4th November, which the Council considered unaffordable.
Now Libraries Unlimited and Devon County Council are searching for two types of premises in the local community: a short-term location for a pop-up library, and premises to re-house the library in the long term.
Alex Kittow, Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited, said: “St Thomas Library is a very vital and vibrant part of the local community, serving a range of people including those most in need. We do hope the community will get behind us at this time and help us find a new home in St Thomas.”
“We’d like to reassure people that they haven’t lost their library. The plan is very much to find a new location as soon as possible, and, until that happens, to keep library provision within the community in a smaller, pop-up form. We know from our data that St Thomas Library is well used by the local community, and it is important for us to find an alternative location as soon as we can.”
The team of staff at St Thomas have been reassured their roles are safe and not at risk, although they may be redeployed in the short term. The first priority for the team, alongside premises colleagues, will be to pack up the current library and prepare for a move to new premises.
Councillor Roger Croad, the Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for library the library service, said: “We’re committed to ensuring that St Thomas will keep its library service. We are proactively looking for a new site and are already investigating some options. But we would also like to hear from community groups landlords and residents for their suggestions on a new location at St Thomas Library.”
Councillor Rob Hannaford, County Councillor for Exwick and St Thomas, and a City Councillor for St Thomas, said: “St Thomas Library is a hugely successful and popular community hub for the whole West Exe area, around the quay basin and also neighbouring rural parishes on the west side of the city. In addition to core library services, it does a huge amount of work to support local families, increase child literacy and actively supports the work of the county council and public health such as baby weigh-ins and summer holiday activities. It also has a strong focus on training, employment, and development, provides a work hub initiative, and facilitates many cultural and community events that align well with the City Council’s corporate plan.”
“It is very regrettable that we have been put into this situation, but I know that both councils and Libraries Unlimited have already been having discussions about possible alternative options, including some vacant City Council owned properties and shared spaces.”
The library in St Thomas has been in its current premises since 2013. Book loans will be extended to cover the closure period, and books can be returned or borrowed at Exeter Library.