Kessingland Library

Aims and objectives

Kessingland is a large coastal village in Suffolk with a mixed population of young families and the elderly/retired.

It was clear that the existing library provision in the village – a small classroom at the local primary school – was inadequate. The limitations of the premises meant there was little scope for providing the range of services that the library had the potential to offer.

Project Start Date and End Date

The new library was begun in June 2008 after more than a year of planning and negotiation and completed in October 2009. 

Services offered

In addition to the usual lending of books, DVDs, CDs, and free internet access,     Kessingland library offers a wide range of community activities, often linked with the wider scheme. 

For example the library runs ‘Top Time’ sessions.  This is an offer made in Suffolk Libraries providing social, informal learning and cultural activities for older people with the aim of keeping them active, decreasing isolation, vulnerability and reducing reliance on other support services.  With the library’s new location within the Very Sheltered Housing scheme, membership of the scheme in Kessingland has increased.

The library also has a Youth Panel set up in July 2004 which meets monthly. They have developed initiatives such as a Quick Choice collection, written reviews, selected sound and vision items and helped with displays and posters to promote reading and other activities in the library.

The library is part of the wider Marram Green development – which includes sheltered housing, community meeting space, activity rooms and a cafe.

Success factors

The new library has had very positive feedback from its users and the wider community.  Statistics show a marked increase in the number of visitors to the library and observations indicated new and wider sections of the community are making use of the services on offer.

The visitor survey in January 2010 recorded 449 visitors to the library in the survey week, compared to 269 in January 2009 – an increase of 67%, despite the bad weather.

All parties involved were keen that the development as a whole was more than just a collection of functions – and instead wanted to ensure it was a well integrated community resource that would benefit residents of the village and the housing scheme.

Risk factors

The location of the development was always a potential risk for the library and indeed the wider scheme if it was to successfully achieve its community based objectives.  Targeted outreach within the community has reduced this risk and must continue in order to maintain awareness of the library and indeed of the scheme more generally.

Although central in the village the site is not highly visible, so offering a level of seclusion and privacy to residents but posing a challenge to the library and other public elements of the scheme in making their presence known. 

With so many different organizations involved in the project the need for a clear communication structure was paramount.  Regular project meetings provided a forum for information sharing and for negotiation around any difference in the various partners’ objectives.

Business/operational model

The project was initiated by Suffolk County Council who sought a registered social landlord partner to develop the scheme. Once Flagship had been chosen, a project team was set up to include all partner organisations including Suffolk Libraries.

On an operational level the library is managed by Suffolk Libraries.  Joint activities and partnership working are developed and delivered by staff from the various organisations with the lead being defined by the nature of the individual activity. Regular management meetings are held providing the opportunity for the various parties to share information, problem solve and identify opportunities for development.  

Financing and delivery/procurement

Suffolk County Council negotiated the sale of 0.48 hectare site (1.18 acres) to Flagship Housing Group. The sale at a peppercorn was conditional upon Flagship funding the building construction, granting a 99 year lease of the library and community space to Suffolk County Council at a peppercorn rent, and the grant of nomination rights to SCC for 7 of the 32 Very Sheltered Housing units. Homes and Community Association grant was achieved with the support from Waveney District Council Housing Office.

The project was delivered by ISG Jackson who had been selected through Flagship’s procurement process.

Suffolk County Council provided a further £65,000 of capital funding to cover IT costs and internal fittings for the library. Kessingland Parish Council secured funding to fit out the community space. The Parish Council have relocated their own office to the community space and manage the community lettings.

A small area of additional land was purchased from Waveney District Council, and a contribution made towards improving the play equipment on the adjoining district council land.

Measurement and Monitoring

Measurement of the project’s success from the library perspective occurs through the recording of statistics such as issue figures, visitor numbers and numbers of people attending specific activities and events, using comparable figures from the previous library as a baseline.  Evidence of the impact of the project is collected by recording comments and anecdotal evidence from community members and service users and through routine surveys such as PLUS.

Future developments

The library in Kessingland inevitably had very strong links with the local primary school. We have been very keen to ensure these links remain and grow through the relocation of the library. As well as the regular class visits from the school and nursery, there are plans to build on the huge potential for community cohesion work that our unique situation provides, with the library facilitating intergenerational activities between children from the school and residents of the very sheltered scheme.

The housing is not yet fully occupied and there have been delays in opening the cafe.  However, as the new service expands and the café is better known there will be even more potential for the library to grow and become a key element of the development.