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We are delighted to celebrate the success of the two‑year Library of Things pilot at Charlton Kings Library. Thanks to the commitment of everyone involved, the project has delivered meaningful community impact and growing demand. Last year 482 items were borrowed avoiding around 16.74 tonnes of CO2e and saving £53,490 compared to buying the same items new. This impact is huge and has lead to an exciting new chapter for the project!
Charlton Kings Parish Council’s (CKPC) early support, funding and enthusiasm were fundamental to establishing the initial collection and proving the concept locally. Alongside them, volunteers from local charity Vision 21 Gloucestershire have been central to the project’s success. Their time, energy and commitment enabled the service to not only run smoothly but truly flourish, helping us engage borrowers, build awareness, and create a model ready to grow. The Library of Things would not be where it is today without their contribution, and we extend our sincere thanks to everyone involved.
Gloucestershire Libraries now plan to expand The Library of Things beyond Charlton Kings. This will help us to evolve the project from a hyper local pilot scheme into an ongoing countywide service. This spring, brand new collections will launch at Up Hatherley and Quedgeley libraries, alongside an expanded catalogue of items.
As Charlton Kings Parish Council can only support initiatives that directly benefit residents of Charlton Kings, their role will now be changing. The Library of Things will transition to being fully library run, with contracted technical support from Vision 21. Although CKPC’s formal involvement naturally concludes as the service expands, we are pleased they are keen to continue our positive relationship informally by promoting volunteering opportunities and encouraging local residents to make use of the Library of Things. Quedgeley Town Council will also be supporting in this way.
