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May 2022
The 10th anniversary of the Harrogate district's first community library will be marked this weekend.
Bilton and Woodfield Community Library opened its doors in May 2012, after more than a year of planning and preparation.
The volunteers decided to take it on when North Yorkshire County Council said it could no longer afford to staff and run the library.
While they have support from the council, they have had to raise up to £9,000 a year just to cover running costs.
Greta Knight, who has been involved in organising and running the library since the beginning, said:
The funds are collected from fines for overdue books, as well as selling second hand books. The library also offers printing and photocopying and is a member of the Harrogate Local Lotto.
St John's Church supports the library too, such as with a fundraising coffee morning being held later this month.
Greta Knight
Once the building was dry, repairs were carried out and the volunteers were finally able to get back in to put all the furniture and books back in place.
Flooding at Bilton and Woodfield Community Library.
Adding to two years of closures and disruption through the pandemic, it was a very unwelcome setback - but the volunteers have worked determinedly to enable it to reopen fully again.
Now, as well as books, the library is offering its popular schedule of events each week. They include a scrabble club, children's story time and a monthly coffee morning.
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