Market Drayton Library celebrates helping 50,000 visitors and lending 40,000 books in 2024

Market Drayton Library saw a big increase in visitor numbers during 2024 compared to the previous year. 

Librarian Catherine Westwood reported that nearly 3,000 more people visited the library last year, and more than 6,000 more books were borrowed too.

"It’s been an incredibly busy year for us.

"We have had loads more visits, we know we have been busy because we have had lots of people in and had lots of events.

"In 2023 we had 47,296 people come in but in 2024 we had 50,104 which is amazing. So that is people coming to our groups, activities, class visits - it is all sorts of different things.

"In 2023 we had 34,282 books taken out then in last year we had an amazing 40,752 taken out. It is amazing to grow by nearly six and a half thousand."

The library also saw an increase in the number of active cardholders, with 2,640 during 2024 compared to 2,594 in the previous year.

However, fewer people took part in the summer reading challenge with 360 last year compared to 401 in 2023. 

The library welcomed one extra member of staff, taking their total to 11, and retained their 38 volunteers, and also offered more events for residents.

In 2023, the library hosted 387 events, whereas last year the site put on a whopping 681 events - with 618 of them free to attend. 

Catherine added: "In 2023, we had 7,772 people attend our events - that is a mixture of adults and children - and during the last year we had 11,130 which is absolutely amazing. It is fabulous.

"We have got a lot of new groups in the library too; we have got Scrabble for beginners, we have got our arts talks as well."

A new book club is starting in February too.

The Enchanted Pages book club will welcome avid readers for the first time on Friday, February 7, from 6.30pm. 

Catherine said: "It could be high fantasy, dragons, dark fantasy, romantasy - we have everything. We all love dragons here!"

A post by the library added: "If you enjoy reading Acotar or Fourth Wing then come along, we will be discussing similar authors starting with Carissa Broadbent's The Serpent and the Wings of Night, we have three copies in the library if anyone would like to give them a go."

The library is also due to host a giant book sale on Saturday, January 18 with proceeds going towards supporting the library through the Friends of Market Drayton Library.

All books will be 50p, or readers can pick up a box for £5.

A variety of books will be on offer including general fiction, spoken word, junior fiction and non-fiction. The book sale is taking place during the library's normal opening hours, between 9.30am and 1pm.

"You can come along and please take as many books as you can because it is to go towards the Friends of Market Drayton Library," said Catherine.