Derby Racecourse reading hub proves a hit

Tue 8 Oct 2024

A new reading hub has been created at a Derby football and community venue. Derby City Council’s Libraries service has provided the facility for visitors to Derby Racecourse Hub.

The state-of-the-art Racecourse Hub opened earlier this year as a centre for football, fitness and community activities. Managed by Leisure United, it’s already attracted thousands of visitors.

By bringing books to the Racecourse Hub, the aim is to engage with the wider community and make reading more accessible to those who might not usually visit a library.

The reading hub has a wide selection of books to choose from, from popular fiction and thrillers, books on health and wellbeing and lots of picture books and board books to keep little ones entertained.

It operates on an honesty basis, where everyone is welcome to borrow a book to read at the hub or at home and then return the book for someone else to enjoy.

Derby Libraries now wants to start Rhymetimes sessions for children and Book Club events at the Racecourse Hub and is looking for volunteers to help run them. These popular programmes are already offered at libraries throughout the city.

Councillor Sarah Chambers, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:

The reading hub has already been very popular, particularly at weekends when the Racecourse is busy. One example of the great impact it’s having is parents taking the opportunity to share books with their younger children while older siblings play football.

We recognise that Derby’s libraries are a valuable community resource that enrich people’s lives. We’re really pleased that Leisure United share that view and we can provide this facility. We want reading to be accessible people of all ages and backgrounds, and the reading hub could help us reach people who may not already be a member of our libraries.

If you’ve enjoyed using it and want to read more, you can join Derby Libraries for free. We’d love to see Rhymetimes and Book Club sessions running at the hub. If you’re interested in helping children develop a love of reading, or you’re an enthusiastic reader who loves talking about books over a coffee, why not volunteer?

The Racecourse Hub was jointly funded by Derby City Council and the Premier League, The FA, and the Government's Football Foundation.

Richard Smith, regional manager for Leisure United, said:

We are extremely proud to support the reading hub. Initiatives like this goes to show that the Racecourse Hub is not just about football, but a flexible space for positive initiatives like this one. We’ve seen many people from the local community using the library - and even some of the staff - and we look forward to supporting it for years to come.

Find out how to volunteer on the Derby Libraries website. For more information about Derby Racecourse Hub, go to the Leisure United website.