Friends Groups of our libraries

What Friends Groups do, your local Friends Groups and how to set up a new group.

What Friends Groups do

Friends Groups are independent groups who work with Bristol Libraries to help create a library service that works for the whole community.

They:

host coffee mornings as a social activity and to fundraise
raise money for extra library equipment or activities such as writing workshops
promote their local library on social media
arrange talks with authors
support The Bristol Library Strategy 2020 to 2024

They also host:

board game evenings
theatre performances
film screenings
introductions to Ancestry sessions
Lego events
public living rooms
meetings to build links with local community groups and organisations
reading groups

Friends Groups in your community

Bedminster and Marksbury Road Libraries

Bishopston Library

Clifton Library

Hillfields Library

Henleaze Library

Horfield Library

Knowle Library

Redland Library

Sea Mills Library

Shirehampton Library

Westbury Library

Whitchurch Library

Libraries without Friends Groups

The following libraries don't yet have a Friends Group:

Avonmouth
Bishopsworth
Central (in progress)
Filwood
Fishponds
Hartcliffe
Henbury
Junction 3
Lockleaze
Southmead: in progress
St George
St Pauls
Stockwood
Wick Road

We're really keen to a have a Friends Group for each library as a way of working together with the community. We can help you set one up.

Set up a Friends Group

If you're interested in setting up a Friends Group in your local library let us know.

Email library.ideas@bristol.gov.uk with:

your name
the name of your local library

Once we have your details, we'll help you arrange a meeting with a member of staff at your local library, so you can talk about your Friends Group.

It can be useful to set up a Facebook page or website.

Resources for Friends Groups

Use the guides below to help you with different tasks.

Roles in the group

Finance

pdf Instructions for setting up a bank account for community and voluntary organisations (100 KB)

Events

Arrange a Friends Group meeting

Once your Friends Group is set up you can arrange the Friends Group meeting. We can help you with this.

It's useful to think about:

what you want to talk about at the meeting
who might be able to help you in the community
the date and time of your first meeting
how you'll advertise the meeting: on social media or a poster in the library

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