It’s a new chapter for Dudley borough libraries and archives as the new mutual, which is set to drive forward innovation, launches.

As of December 1st, the day-to-day management of all of the borough’s 13 libraries, four library links and Dudley Archives and Local History Service will transfer to Greenwich Leisure Limited, a charitable social enterprise. 

GLL is now tasked with introducing innovative ways of working to generate income to reinvest into the service, update facilities and expand the range of services on offer.

At the Archives and Local History Centre, the employee led mutual will maximise the exhibition space and create more events for the public to enjoy. The new library provider is expected to make financial savings for the council without impacting on day-to-day services. Councillor Peter Miller, cabinet member responsible for libraries and archives, said:

“Libraries and archives are a fantastic community resource, ranked within the top six nationally last year, and our new partnership with GLL is about making sure they stay that way. 

“With the expertise of our own staff combined with GLL’s experience of running services up and down the country, we are confident we can future-proof our libraries, ensuring they provide the latest up-to-date services for families to enjoy whilst offering value for money for council tax payers."

Following a competitive process earlier this year, GLL was chosen as the preferred partner to run the mutual over the next seven years.

GLL is a not-for-profit charitable social enterprise which is committed to working on behalf of the whole community.  As an employee led mutual it involves staff in decisions about its services.  It has been running leisure and library services since 1993 and currently manages libraries in Wandsworth, Lincolnshire and Bromley as well as Greenwich Council’s library services.