Harpenden Trust Partners with Harpenden Library to Open on Wednesday Afternoons

The iconic Harpenden Trust purple tabards are now again visible in Harpenden as the Trust announces a partnership with Harpenden Library to provide volunteers for the library to open on Wednesday afternoons.

Following the last lockdown, the Library was unable to open on Wednesday afternoons due to lack of volunteers to do so. In response, Herts Libraries and the Harpenden Trust have worked together to enable a volunteer led Library ‘Express’ service on Wednesday afternoons.

The local community will now be able to access the Library on a Wednesday afternoon from 1pm-6pm, when it would otherwise be closed to the public. During this period, a Library ‘Express’ service will be in operation so that Library users can access the self-service facilities which will include borrowing, returning and renewing library material, paying library charges and collecting reserved items.

Richard Nichols, Chairman of the Harpenden Trust, said: 

“The Harpenden Trust’s founding principle over 70 years ago was the fostering of good neighbourliness across the town. Our mantra was then, and still is for Harpenden people to help Harpenden people, although over the years the way in which that takes place has expanded to embrace a far wider spectrum of help.”

“Today, it includes areas in which community organisations may also be supported. Libraries are at the heart of Hertfordshire communities, as places where anyone can go, without judgement, to read, borrow, learn, access information or get online. I am delighted we are supporting Harpenden Library, increasing the time our community has to access our local library and am hugely thankful to our volunteers who have offered to give their time and support to do so.” Richard continues,

Richard Marpole, Library Manager, Harpenden Library, said:

"Hertfordshire Libraries are very pleased to be working with the Harpenden Trust to extend public access to Harpenden Library on a Wednesday afternoon. These additional opening hours for the Express service will have a genuine positive impact for the wider Harpenden community. We would like to thank all of the volunteers and members of the Harpenden Trust in extending this key service to the residents of Harpenden.”

20 September 2022