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There are lots of ways to support your local library and the library service across Somerset. Donations of stock or funds, Friends groups, support for events, campaigns, and volunteering all help us deliver the best possible range of services.

Volunteer

Volunteers are a vital part of the Somerset Libraries team. They bring their experience, knowledge and skills to help us deliver a wider range of opportunities and activities to Somerset communities. We are grateful for their time, energy and all they contribute to the service.

There are many ways to get involved and help at your local library.

Team Support Volunteer

Working alongside our library teams to support with the day-to-day library tasks. Activities could range from shelving, processing and displaying stock, to helping the library staff make the library an exciting, vibrant and welcoming environment.

Activities Volunteer

Support with existing activities such as children’s rhyme times and Lego club, or even help to introduce a new activity to your local library.

Digital Volunteer

Could you offer IT support?  You could help to run clubs, classes, seminars, and one-to-one training, offering support with a range of digital technology, websites and programs.

Home Library Service Volunteers

Select books and audio books, then deliver them to housebound library customers. The Home Library Service helps to provide essential support to housebound individuals who can’t make it to the library.

Contact Lauren Davis – Home Library Service Manager. Email lauren.davis@somerset.gov.uk or phone 07814 079831 for more information.

Summer Reading Challenge Volunteer

Encourage children to love reading by helping with the national scheme that takes place each summer across all Somerset Libraries. Volunteers help to sign children up, choose books, or run activities during the school summer holidays. To support this event, apply online from 19 May on the Council’s volunteering opportunities page. Applications close in the last week of June.

Find out more

For current volunteering opportunities, please visit our volunteering opportunities page or talk to staff in your local library.

You can also find more information about volunteering and volunteering opportunities by visiting our volunteering pages.

Financial Donations

Money specifically raised to purchase stock at a library will always be used to buy materials for that local library. This won’t replace any central funding we allocate, and will be in addition to the normal budget.

We get an excellent discount for all books, so donations will normally go further than purchasing books to donate. We aim for books purchased by Friends group funding to stay with their library for at least 12 months, although they may be borrowed by users from other locations as part of the LibrariesWest catalogue.

If you would like to make a contribution, speak to your local library staff about how to make a donation directly to us or through a friends group and find out if we have any current campaigns you would like to support.

Join a Friends group

Friends groups work in partnership with local library teams. They provide support and boost awareness of a library and its services in the local community. Friends groups can be involved in a wide range of activities.

  • Fundraising for events, activities, services or new stock
  • Supporting events, activities and promotions at the library
  • Hosting reading groups
  • Supporting volunteer recruitment
  • Delivering additional events and activities to complement those provided by the library service

We welcome suggestions and comments on stock from friends groups, especially if they have liaised with local interest groups and clubs. We cannot guarantee that we will purchase items if we feel they don’t represent good value for money.

Contact staff at your local library to see if there is a local friends group you can join.

Set up a Friends group

If your local library doesn’t already have a friends group, we can advise and support you in setting one up. It is important that all friends groups are constituted, have elected members and formal processes in place.

We also recommend that any friends groups take out insurance cover for any activities they provide outside of library opening times.

If you would like more information about joining or setting up a friends group, please speak to staff at your local library.

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Friends Groups Constitution

PDF, 95.2KB
Document preview
Friends Group Framework

PDF, 96.1KB

Last updated: March 18, 2024

Next review due: September 18, 2024

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