In July 2014, North East Lincolnshire Council's  (NELC) Library Service was faced with a cut of £500,000 from its £3 million budget and, after consultation, considered two proposals. One proposal was to keep the area's four "core" libraries in Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham and Waltham, and enable local groups to take on other "localised library services". An alternative option was to keep all 10 libraries but with drastically-cut opening hours. In the end, it was the first of these proposals that was adopted.

 

While the authority would continue to operate four core libraries through Lincs Inspire at Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham and Waltham, expressions of interest were sought to run a service in the remaining library areas at Humberston, Laceby, Scartho, Grant Thorold, the Willows and Nunsthorpe.

 

In Scartho, the bid to run the service was won by Foresight, which was well established in Grimsby's Freeman Street and already ran a series of successful luncheon clubs across the town – including one in Scartho.

 

Initially, it was hoped that the library would re-open on January 5th 2015. However, legal issues  delayed the signing of the lease, which put back the opening date until 18th November 2015.

 

Speaking just prior to the opening, Foresight older persons' services co-ordinator Lynne Smith said: "We are keeping it as a library but hoping it can be used for different activities as well. Lynne said: "My ambition is that we have a place where people can connect and be able to come and make friends and feel there is somewhere for them to go."

 

Now that we are fully open we are keen to stress that Scartho Community Library exists to serve the community of Scartho as a library and community hub.

 

We offer the traditional services of a library - we loan out books and other materials and have stock a of reference material - but we offer so much more.

 

Coffee (or tea) and cakes, organised activities, disorganised activities, a meeting room,  a foot health service, a manicure service,a fashion and jewellery outlet and a place to just escape from the pressures of everyday life are all part of the offering of the Community Library.

 

If we are to remain open, we must ensure that we are used by as many members of the community as possible.

 

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