Devon Libraries 'Do the Maths' this World Book Day

Libraries in Devon generated the equivalent of £23.9m in social value during 2023/24 and have already accounted for £18.18m from April to December this current financial year.

New statistics shared by Libraries Unlimited - the charity responsible for running Devon’s library network - are shining a light on all the ways its 54 libraries have benefited local communities this World Book Day (Thursday 6th March 2025).

As well as promoting a love of reading, the charity provides access to a multitude of free activities that span so much more than book loans.

Perhaps, most critically, the charity’s commitments are proven to be taking pressure off NHS care in the area. The baby weigh-in stations, for example, have delivered the equivalent of £5.9K in social value throughout 2024/25 to-date, due to a reduced reliance on NHS resources. There is also a new trial of blood pressure monitors underway in four of Torbay’s libraries and - with the devices being borrowed nearly 100 times already - there is encouraging uptake.

“We set about getting a better understanding of our contribution around this time last year so it’s been really eye-opening - and heartwarming, actually - to get a truer measure of our impact from one World Book Day to the next,” says Alex Kittow, Chief Executive at Libraries Unlimited.

“Alongside the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge - with 1 in 8 children participating - 2,700 children also took part in The Secret Book Quest mission. This just goes to show our efforts to engage young people in the world of literature are really paying off. We’re looking forward to launching an exciting new reading challenge this summer, which promises to bring reading alive for even more children across the county.”

With members of all ages loaning 1.5 million books and accessing half a million eBook and eAudio downloads the region’s love of reading is evidenced year-round. This is because Libraries Unlimited has taken the unusual step of ‘doing the maths’ and developing a bespoke measurement framework to track the wellbeing impact of its services.

Some of Libraries Unlimited’s most impactful initiatives include Bounce & Rhyme and an imaginative programme of events and artworks supported by Arts Council England. In fact, volunteers have clocked up over 24,000 hours helping Devon & Torbay to deliver stand-out library services.

BBC Radio 4’s Robin Ince is a patron of the charity and has been working with Libraries Unlimited since Devon library service celebrated its 100th birthday last year.

“There was an independent review that came out last year highlighting just how undervalued libraries are by both the government and the general public, so I’m glad Libraries Unlimited has invested in putting the record straight with this important piece of valuation work,” says Robin Ince.

“For me, the difference libraries can make to communities is invaluable but attributing £23.9m in social value is certainly not to be sniffed at. On World Book Day it’s important we recognise the role libraries play in nurturing and educating our young people.”

Libraries Unlimited partnered with Impact Reporting to establish a meaningful methodology for quantifying its impact. They worked together to take measurement matters into their own hands as the sector still awaits the recommended national data hub proposed for libraries in the aforementioned review.

This is intended to better evidence the role libraries play in our society and Devon and Torbay are one of only a few library services in the country to have proactively established their own evaluation framework, which may help similar organisations to adopt more relevant and forward-thinking approaches to tracking social value.

The framework developed for Libraries Unlimited by Impact Reporting looks at the benefits of enhancing wellbeing and mental resilience, reducing inequalities, improving digital skills, inspiring creativity and providing access to cultural experiences for all.

It is likely that the 2024/2025 figure will exceed the £23.9m generated in monetised social value during 2023/24 as the team undertakes more sophisticated reporting on a broader range of metrics.