Help us inspire a new generation of library users
Our libraries are looking for your help in shaping their services as a part of the new Community Connect project.
The Community Connect project is all about shaping the future of our libraries to better serve our diverse community.
We want to know what works, what needs improvement, and what you'd love to see in our libraries. Your thoughts and ideas can help us make our libraries even more accessible and enriching for all.
To share your thoughts and ideas, please complete our quick Community Connects online questionnaire.
We're particularly eager to hear from young people between 12-19 and people who are interested in arts and culture who may not have considered using our libraries before. Every piece of feedback is valuable!
The survey is open until Saturday 30 September.
If you’d like to get further involved, you can join a focussed workshop to feed into the development of a marketing campaign to raise awareness of the city’s local libraries and all they offer the community.
Getting secondary schools involved
We’re also on the lookout for local secondary schools and colleges willing to work with us and develop their ideas at the inception of the project.
To join the workshop or get your secondary school involved, get in touch with our Libraries Services Manager by e-mailing jake.smith@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Growing our library community
The aim of the Community Connect project is to inspire new audiences, which might be hard to reach otherwise, to join our library community and educate them about the wonderful services Brighton & Hove libraries have on offer.
Through the feedback of users and residents, our libraries seek to develop services for the future tailored to the needs of members and reinvigorate their online presence.
The project will also take our libraries towards a launch event featuring an interactive digital installation at Jubilee Library, which we can look forward to in the new year.
We’re working with the city-based design studio Boyle & Perks, who specialise in creative communications for the arts, education and research. The project is financed through the LibraryOn grant funding.
LibraryOn
LibraryOn is a not-for-profit initiative developed by The British Library and funded by Arts Council England to connect libraries and people and celebrate libraries as cornerstones of local communities.
Their goal is to increase the number of people who use libraries, both in person and online by improving the online presence of libraries.
They want to help more people understand what their library offers – from reading for pleasure and purpose to social activities that unite communities, combat loneliness, and increase wellbeing.
A space where everyone is welcomed and valued
Councillor Maureen Winder, deputy chair of the Equalities, Community Safety & Human Rights Committee, said: “I am pleased to hear our libraries have been awarded funding for such an important project.
“It’s vital that we make sure our residents know about the amazing services our libraries offer and are aware that the support they might need can be found just around the corner, in their local library.
“I am very proud of the work our libraries do, providing safe environment where everyone is welcomed and valued, whether they’re looking for knowledge, entertainment, support or just a warm space without spending any money.
“I encourage everyone to get involved and share their thoughts, but also spread the word of our services and keep an eye out for the abundance of exciting events our libraries have planned.”
