Swanage library in Dorset has been given a boost with new local community investment, fresh paintwork and a change of layout, following a difficult period when a Dorset Council review of library services resulted in mass redundancies and the closure of the library on Saturday afternoons.
An open evening was held at Swanage library on the High Street on Wednesday 21st May 2025, to show off the improvements, funded by a grant of £1,100 from Swanage Town Council.
The open evening at the library was well attended by staff, Friends of Swanage Library, Swanage town mayor Mike Bonfield, Swanage town crier Andrew Fleming, and library users
New library strategy
In July 2024, Dorset Council’s new library strategy was rolled out across the county but it caused a large number of experienced library staff to leave their jobs, unable or unwilling to sign the new employment contracts which required them to be able to drive and cover shifts in other towns, among other new demands.
At Swanage library, five members of staff felt they had no choice but to take redundancy, and across all Dorset Council libraries at least 41 jobs had to be advertised to compensate for the exodus.
At the time, Dorset Council said its new library strategy brought in by the former Conservative administration, was cost neutral, so despite the employment changes it wasn’t expected to save money.
A reading room with a view
Working together – library staff with Purbeck team leader James Prince (left) and the Friends of Swanage Library with its chair Diana Edmonds (centre)
“Created a fresh impetus”
Now new staff have been recruited and the Friends of Swanage Library has been revitalised in a bid to ensure the continuance of this vital and popular community resource.
The Friends of Swanage Library has also been supported with a £1,500 donation from Swanage Carnival and the plan is to buy a new accessible computer table which will allow greater access for those with reduced mobility.
Studland resident and library consultant Diana Edmonds took over as chair of the Friends of Swanage Library in February 2025. She said:
“We’ve retained the original group of Friends and their expertise but also created a fresh impetus with new members joining, and we’d love more people to join us.
“It’s as easy as coming into the library and filling out a form and then you’ll be on our email list and know what’s going on at the library. There’s no cost and no compulsion to volunteer for a role, just your support would be very welcome.
“Of course some of us do like to get involved and spend more time at the library, for instance, helping out with children’s rhyme time or assisting with the computers – more digital champions would be great!
“We were very grateful for the grant from Swanage Town Council which has allowed us to make some changes at the library. We’ve repainted the downstairs and there’s plans to extend the refurbishment upstairs as well.
“We’ve also been able to buy a large monitor which allows us to screenshare books so everyone can see the pages, as well as demonstrate how library users can borrow digital and audio books.
“The library is so important to the community, and 85 percent of visitors want to borrow books, which shows that we are here mainly for the books, although the desktop computers are in constant use. We are always very busy which is great to see.
“We have a chess club after school on a Wednesday and on one occasion we were so crammed with kids – it was brilliant!
“There’s also a team who will take books to your home for anyone who isn’t able to get to the library due to poor health or mobility, or if they are a carer. Enjoying reading can stay with you throughout your life, which makes it so special.”
Children’s activities available including Lego
The grant from Swanage Town Council also paid for a monitor, which among other uses, allows all children to see the book pages during rhyme time
Swanage library activities
- Every Monday 10.30 am to 12.30 pm: Cuppa and company – drop in for a warm welcome and a free hot drink
- Alternate Mondays 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm: Children’s story time star time
- Every Wednesday 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm: Board game cafe for children and families
- First Wednesday of the month 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm: Chess club for adults and supervised children aged 10 and over
- Every Friday 11 am to 11.30 am: Children’s rhyme time
Crime fiction and photocopying are both popular at the library but the yellow wall is about to be repainted
Purbeck team leader James Prince (left) welcomes everyone to the open evening along with the chair of Friends of Swanage Library Diana Edmonds (right)
“Dorset Council’s front door in the local community”
With the reorganisation of the library staff across Dorset, a new team leader for Purbeck, James Prince was appointed.
He moved from Ferndown library in October 2024 and is now responsible for Swanage and Wareham libraries. James said:
“There’s such a wonderful community in Swanage and we welcome people to come up with new ideas about what they would like us to offer.
“The library service offer is very popular and in addition to lending physical books and iPads, we can help visitors to the library with Dorset Council customer service enquiries and guide them through the council website to get the answers they need about something like a council tax query.
“Of course, many people are happy to just go to the website themselves but we are here to offer support if required.
“We’ve also become a centre where you can pick up a replacement council recycling bin if you need one, rather than travelling to Wareham depot. The idea is to be Dorset Council’s front door in the local community.”
One of the two beautiful new murals by Swanage Painting Club’s Linda Wallis
Warm welcome at Swanage library
Swanage library opening times
- Monday: 10 am to 5 pm
- Tuesday: 10 am to 5 pm
- Wednesday: Midday to 6 pm
- Thursday: Closed
- Friday: 10 am to 5 pm
- Saturday: 10 am to 1 pm
- Sunday: Closed
The computers are always busy and now there will be additional investment to make them more accessible
More events for children are planned
“The library is tremendously well used”
James added:
“We also intend to offer more activities over the summer for children including the Summer Reading Challenge.
“The library is tremendously well used during its current opening hours.”
Further information
- More about Swanage library
- Download the Borrow Box app to borrow digital books, audio books, magazines and newspapers. Library users can log in using their library card number and pin
- Become a member of Friends of Swanage Library by popping into the library and completing a short form
- Apply for the Home Library Service
