Safer & Stronger Communities

Version 5, January 2008

Library Visitors

Visitor figures to South Tyneside Libraries stand at 939,432 from April 2006 to March 2007. 

It is particularly pleasing to see that our Community Libraries have again shown an increase in use, with Boldon Lane having a 7% increase in visitors and Primrose a 2.3% increase; both Jarrow and Hebburn libraries have well over 100,000 visitors per year.

Of the 36 Metropolitan Authorities throughout the Country, Gateshead has remained second, and Newcastle, North Tyneside and South Tyneside are sixth, seventh and eighth.

Links to the Community Strategy

This information impacts directly on the following Community Strategy aim:

  • L8 – Giving people a choice of opportunities for lifelong learning

Analysis of visits:

Visits per 1,000 population:
Library Authority 1999/2000 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007
Gateshead 6,616 6,636 6,474 7,070 6,999 7,340 7,340 7,135
Newcastle 6,997 6,321 6,993 7,375 7,192 7,448 7,587 6,532
North Tyneside 5,674 6,361 5,209 Not available Not available 5,868 5,868 6, 281
South Tyneside 6,574 6,897 6,755 6,270 5,953 6,616 6,618 6, 221
Sunderland 5,231 4,532 5,307 5,223 5,333 4,838 4,836 5, 600
Position in Met Table
Library Authority 1999/2000 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007
Gateshead 4/36 3/36 5/36 2/36 5/36 2/36 2/36 2/36
Newcastle 1/36 6/36 2/36 1/36 4/36 1/36 1/36 6/36
North Tyneside 11/36 5/36 14/36 Not available Not available 10/36 9/36 7/36
South Tyneside 5/36 2/36 4/36 5/36 10/36 5/36 6/36 8/36
Sunderland 15/36 21/36 13/36 16/36 16/36 26/36 28/36 14/36

Visitor Figures

The results of the one-week count in October
Visitor Figures
Branch Libraries 2001 2002 2003 2004
Weekly Total Annual Total Weekly Total Annual Total Weekly Total Annual Total Weekly Total Annual Total
Boldon Lane 1,135 59,020 973 50,596 810 42,120 988 51,376
Cleadon Park 764 39,728 876 45,552 723 37,596 822 42,744
East Boldon 946 49,192 957 49,764 737 38,324 727 37,804
Hebburn 2,807 145,964 1,995 103,740 1845 95,940 1,980 102,960
Jarrow 1,702 88,504 1,650 85,800 1666 86,632 1,904 99,008
Primrose 243 12,636 206 10,712 279 14,508 188 9,776
Whitburn 530 27,560 535 27,820 359 18,668 609 31,668
Branch Total 8,127 422,604 7,192 373,984 6419 333,788 7,218 375,336
Central Library 11,723 609,596 11,234 584,168 11,022 573,144 12,958 673,816
Total visitor figure 19,850 1,032,200 18,426 958,152 17,441 906,932 20,176 1,049,152
Visitor Figures continued
Branch Libraries 2005 2006  
Weekly Total Annual Total Weekly Total Annual Total 2005 – 06 % Comparison
Boldon Lane 982 51,064 1,057 54,964 +7%
Cleadon Park 611 31,772 611 31,772 No change
East Boldon 902 46,904 704 36,608 -21.9%
Hebburn 2,091 108,732 1,944 101,088 -7%
Jarrow 2,203 114,556 1,986 103,272 -9.9%
Primrose 210 10,920 215 11,180 +2.3%
Whitburn 487 25,324 444 23,088 -8.8%
Branch Total 7,486 389,272 6,961 361,972 -7%
Central Library 11,769 611,988 11,105 577,460 -5.6%
Total visitor figure 19,255 1,001,260 18,066 939,432 -6.2%

Source: Council Performance Information & Public Library Statistics – CIPFA Actuals

Library Visitors 2001-6

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