Trafford's libraries continue to be a big hit across borough

The paper details how Trafford’s 10 libraries - Altrincham, Coppice, Hale, Old Trafford (Limelight), Partington, Sale, Stretford, Timperley, Urmston and Woodsend - are ‘supporting and inspiring communities’ with the service they offer.

The libraries aim to help promote culture and creativity, health and wellbeing, reading and information and digital skills. They are also focusing on greater community engagement via partnership working and volunteering and ensuring that space and resources are maximised.

And figures from late 2023-24 show how well the borough’s libraries are performing:

• Users borrowed a huge 558,779 books (441,422 physical and 117,357 digital)
• More than 96,000 digital newspapers and magazines were borrowed
• Around 28,230 people attended 1,330 events and activities in our libraries
• Library PCs were used for more than 23,000 hours.

They are also succeeding in providing an excellent ‘core offer’, expanding partnership working, creating volunteering opportunities, delivering a green manifesto, supporting Trafford’s Cultural Strategy and maximising space and commercial opportunities.

This is not the first time Trafford’s libraries have led the way – in February 2018, they became the first libraries in the UK to abolish book fines, leading to a huge increase in use.    

Cllr Cath Hynes, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, Arts, Culture and Heritage, said:

“Here in Trafford we are very proud of our libraries and will continue to support them in any way possible. I am delighted that our libraries are continuing to be as popular as ever and are helping promote positivity throughout the borough.

"Thousands of residents are borrowing books and newspapers from our libraries, using our PCs and attending events and that can only be a good thing.”