The Friends of Lechlade Community Library are key to the survival of our library in the centre of Lechlade.
Our grant from Gloucestershire County Council is £12,000 per annum, just £1,000 per month. But our running costs are around £15,000 – £16,000 annually, and these will probably increase over the coming years due to inflation.
The running costs, such as lighting, heating, insurance, equipment and maintenance have to be covered, but we also fund the purchase of books for both adults and children, support activities in the library, provide computer access, printing/copying and an Information Centre for both visitors and community.
We have to cover the shortfall on running costs, and then there can also be unexpected costs, especially because we use an old building. That means that our finances are stretched, and additional funding is essential.
This is a community library run by volunteers, who give of their time free, and want the library to continue to serve Lechlade and the surrounding area.
Those who become Friends of the Library do exactly that, by supporting the library with a Standing Order of £10, or more, each year. The more Friends who join us, the better we can continue all of our activities.
If you feel that you could become a Friend, and help keep your community library open, then you can do this in one of two ways.
(a) Pop into the library with your bank details, and complete a Friends form with your annual donation amount, so that we can set up an order on your bank. We can also claim Gift Aid if you are a tax payer.
OR
(b) Set up a Standing Order to Lechlade Library Ltd, please contact us for the bank account details.
Thank you from all of us at Lechlade Community Library.