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This will replace the current mobile library, which runs on diesel, and will be one of the first electric mobile vehicles in the country.
North Somerset’s mobile library service is deeply valued by residents, as it provides a valuable library outreach service to rural areas and small towns without libraries. One customer said: “It’s a great community asset for the more rural villages in North Somerset and really important for keeping villages alive.”
As well as the £309k of funding, North Somerset Council will contribute additional in-kind support and match funding of £40,000 from section 106 funds for library services.
The library team aims to tender for a vehicle in the summer. It’s hoped that the new mobile library will be ready to go on the road in autumn 2025.
Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “I'm delighted that North Somerset Libraries have secured a significant pot of funding so we can upgrade our mobile library - well done to our officers for all their hard work in making this happen.
“This outreach service is a vital asset for our rural residents who don’t have local libraries. We’ve also used the current vehicle for council consultations outside of the larger towns, helping us speak to as many residents as possible.
“By upgrading our vehicle, we’re hoping to reach more groups and communities who do not currently use libraries, and help connect as many people to this fantastic service as possible.
“And by switching to an electric vehicle, we’ll also be reducing the mobile library’s emissions and fuel costs. This will help us in our mission to protect the environment and build a green North Somerset.”
North Somerset Library Service was awarded a grant of £309,748 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which funds the Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) administered by Arts Council England. This fund supports existing library services across England by upgrading buildings and technology, so they are better placed to adapt to the changing ways people use libraries.
Phil Gibby, Area Director at Arts Council England South West, said: “We’re thrilled to announce a further £777,000 investment in library initiatives across the South West. Thanks to our Libraries Investment Fund and the hard work of staff and volunteers, we can help libraries engage more audiences than ever with the lifelong joy of reading.
“Books are just the start – in Dorset, we're backing digital technology; on the Isle of Wight, we're renovating spaces for children and young people; and in North Somerset, we're funding a bespoke vehicle designed to engage the area’s most isolated communities.
“This work brings us significantly closer to achieving our strategic vision, Let’s Create. By 2030, our goal is to ensure that high-quality culture is easily accessible to everyone in England. Thanks to library teams and their loyal visitors, that vision is becoming a reality.”
To find out more information about the mobile library, visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/mobilelibrary.
