Usage of Exeter Libraries

Please provide the following information relating to public libraries operated by Libraries Unlimited within the Exeter City Council local authority area. These libraries are: Exeter Library, Pinhoe Library, St Thomas Library and Topsham Library.

Visitor numbers
Annual footfall figures for each Exeter library site for the last five full financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24), broken down by library where available.

In March 2023, Exeter Library had a networked footfall counter installed which for 2023/24 recorded 462,163 visitors. Devon County Council does not, therefore, hold any information about previous years for Exeter Library.

The other libraries mentioned had more basic counters installed during 2023/24 and so full year figures are not available, therefore Devon County Council does not hold this information for any of the time periods requested. In the interests of providing advice and assistance, we can provide the following information:

Active users
The number of registered library members in Exeter.
The number of active users per year over the last five financial years (defined as members who borrowed at least one item or used a library service within the year).

The table below shows the number of active users as of 31^st March of the end of the financial year:

Once a library member has not used their card for over a year they are then classified as an inactive member and therefore the numbers above are the only registered members.

Please note that the reduction from 2019/20 to 2020/21 is in a large part due to the COVID pandemic as libraries were closed for a large amount of that financial year.

Book borrowing
Total number of physical book loans per year for Exeter libraries over the last five financial years.
A breakdown by adult and children’s borrowing, if available.

Digital usage
Annual figures for e-book, e-audiobook, and other digital resource usage by Exeter residents over the last five financial years.

Devon County Council does not hold this information because the data is not available at library level for these years. Some information about digital usage of libraries can be found in the Library Service in Devon Needs Assessment.

Computer and study space usage
Annual number of public computer sessions in Exeter libraries over the last five financial years.

Any available data on the use of study spaces, meeting rooms, or community rooms.

A new room booking system was introduced in December 2023, which showed that from December 2023 to March 2024 1,576 bookings are recorded for Exeter Library.

Topsham and St Thomas Libraries do not offer rooms for booking. The new room booking system does not cover Pinhoe Library, so Devon County Council does not hold any room booking information for Pinhoe Library since December 2023.

Prior to that date only very limited information is available, which was recorded manually, and so may not be completely accurate. The table below shows the information held by Devon County Council.

* Please note that the majority of these hours were as a result of a rental by Exeter City Council.

** Please note that these bookings were for the whole library rather than a room.

*** St Thomas Library does not have a bookable room. These figures are for the old location of St Thomas library. We are unable to specify whether these figures are for the whole library or a rentable room as we do not hold this information.

Children and families
Participation numbers for children’s activities (e.g. story time, rhyme time, holiday activities) in Exeter libraries over the last five financial years.

The table below shows the number of attendees. Devon County Council does not hold any information prior to these dates.

Staffing
The number of paid staff (full-time equivalent) working in Exeter libraries for each of the last five financial years.

Devon County Council has a contract for delivering libraries with an external provider. The Council does not hold any information relating to staff.

The number of active volunteers supporting Exeter libraries over the same period.

Volunteering is tracked via volunteering hours as opposed to individuals. The table below breaks down these hours by library. This data is not available prior to 2022/23, and so Devon County Council does not hold the information for prior to this year.