Somerset Libraries are a dynamic, evolving and integral part of the community that open up a world of opportunities for reading, understanding and discovery.
Somerset Libraries offer much valued support to people seeking employment, looking to start a business, coping with a long- term health condition; the Library Service also plays a crucial role in developing confidence and improving well-being for young people and adults of all ages. By focusing on a range of outcomes and continuing to develop a more targeted and richer level of engagement with our customers, the Library Service has a significant role to play in improving the lives of Somerset residents, and the resilience and strength of Somerset communities.
As at June 2015, an estimated 545,390 people lived in Somerset. Around 12% of the population regularly borrow items through the library service, and on average each person in Somerset visits a Somerset library four times per year. The way people use Library Services is changing. In Somerset, physical visits to libraries have been reducing in line with a national trend. However, a richer level of engagement with the Library Service is occurring; levels of participation in a diverse programme of events and activities that make use of library space and resources have increased significantly in recent years.
Follow the links on the right to learn more about what libraries are doing, and how people can use Library services today and in the future.