LIBRARIES across Devon generated the equivalent of £23.9million in social value in one year, new figures show.

And up to December 2024, libraries have accounted for £18.8million according to new statistics from Libraries Unlimited, the charity responsible for running the county’s network of 54 libraries.

The figures have been released ahead of this year’s World Book Day on Thursday.

The charity provides access to a multitude of free activities that span more than book loans.

And its commitments have been proven to take pressure of the NHS.

Baby weigh-in stations, for example, have delivered the equivalent of £5.9K in social value throughout 2024/25 to-date, due to a reduced reliance on NHS resources.

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive at Libraries Unlimited, said: ‘We set about getting a better understanding of our contribution around this time last year so it’s been really eye-opening, and heartwarming, actually, to get a truer measure of our impact from one World Book Day to the next.

‘Alongside the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge - with one in eight children participating - 2,700 children also took part in The Secret Book Quest mission.

‘This just goes to show our efforts to engage young people in the world of literature are really paying off. We’re looking forward to launching an exciting new reading challenge this summer, which promises to bring reading alive for even more children across the county.’

With members of all ages loaning 1.5 million books and accessing half a million eBook and eAudio downloads the region’s love of reading is evidenced year-round.

This is because Libraries Unlimited has taken the unusual step of developing a bespoke measurement framework to track the wellbeing impact of its services.

Some of Libraries Unlimited’s most impactful initiatives include Bounce and Rhyme and an imaginative programme of events and artworks supported by Arts Council England.

Volunteers have clocked up over 24,000 hours helping Devon and Torbay to deliver stand-out library services.

BBC Radio 4’s Robin Ince is a patron of the charity and has been working with Libraries Unlimited since Devon library service celebrated its 100th birthday last year.

He said: ‘There was an independent review that came out last year highlighting just how undervalued libraries are by both the government and the general public, so I’m glad Libraries Unlimited has invested in putting the record straight with this important piece of valuation work.

‘For me, the difference libraries can make to communities is invaluable but attributing £23.9m in social value is certainly not to be sniffed at.

‘On World Book Day it’s important we recognise the role libraries play in nurturing and educating our young people.’

Libraries Unlimited partnered with Impact Reporting to establish a methodology for quantifying its impact.

They worked together to take measurement matters into their own hands as the sector still awaits the recommended national data hub proposed for libraries in the aforementioned review.

This is intended to better evidence the role libraries play in society and Devon and Torbay are one of only a few library services in the country to have proactively established their own evaluation framework, which may help similar organisations to adopt more relevant and forward-thinking approaches to tracking social value.

The framework developed for Libraries Unlimited by Impact Reporting looks at the benefits of enhancing wellbeing and mental resilience, reducing inequalities, improving digital skills, inspiring creativity and providing access to cultural experiences for all.

It is likely that the 2024/2025 figure will exceed the £23.9m generated in monetised social value during 2023/24 as the team undertakes more sophisticated reporting on a broader range of metrics.