Visits to North Yorkshire’s libraries have risen by six per cent in a year, with almost two million trips made to branches across the county.
North Yorkshire Council’s annual review of its library service reveals 1,909,289 visits were recorded during 2025/26, with the authority saying usage has been on an upward trend in recent years as libraries increasingly operate as community hubs.
The increase comes despite an overall five per cent fall in book issues compared with the previous year.
The council said the reduction reflected a national trend, although physical borrowing was also under-recorded during the first two quarters of the year following the introduction of a new library management system.
Digital borrowing continued to grow, with eBook and eAudio issues increasing by 11 per cent and eMagazine and eNewspaper issues rising by 16 per cent.
Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for culture, arts and housing, said it was really encouraging to see an increased use of the county’s Libraries which he said was a testament to the hard work of the librarians and volunteers.
He added:
“It is particularly gratifying to see an increase in young users and in membership, year on year. Our libraries really are at the heart of our communities, and I hope that in this National Year of Reading more people will take up this wonderful, free, resource.
“I think Billy Connolly’s recollection of the life-altering power of books rings as true today as it did in my own, painfully shy, youth.
“Billy said ‘when I was an unhappy little boy, going to the library changed my life. It may even have saved it. Amazing as it sounds, literature can do that for you’.”
The annual review also claims North Yorkshire is providing its library service more cheaply than comparable rural councils.
According to the latest data covering 2024/25, the service costs £7.55 per head — the lowest among the rural authorities used for comparison.
Despite the lower expenditure, North Yorkshire recorded the third-highest number of book issues and fourth-highest number of library visits among the comparable authorities.
However, the figures also highlight the significant contribution made by unpaid volunteers to running the service.
North Yorkshire has a network of 42 libraries, including a mobile library, with 31 branches run in partnership with community organisations.
During 2025/26, volunteers contributed 147,924 hours to the service, carrying out roles ranging from helping to run community libraries and hosting children’s story sessions to providing digital support.
The council says its volunteer numbers are the highest among the authorities included in its comparison.
Libraries are also increasingly being used for services beyond borrowing books.
During the year there were 22,353 assisted digital sessions, while residents spent more than 101,000 hours using library computers. More than 2,500 people were helped to access Household Support Fund assistance.
Meanwhile, the relaunched mobile library has also seen increased demand, with visits between January and March 2026 38 per cent higher than during the same period a year earlier.
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