Libraries news

Oldham's library network has been quietly gathering momentum. In December, Arts Council England gave the borough a rare "Met Strong" rating, a national stamp that signals the service is well-run and ready for the long haul. The verdict arrived just as the council lined up more than £730,000 for bricks-and-mortar improvements: £564,375 to modernise the joint home of Gallery Oldham and the central library, plus £168,000 earmarked for Northmoor Library.

While some buildings are being refreshed, others are on the move. Oldham Archives will shut for several weeks this summer so staff can transfer centuries of maps, photographs and parish records into a purpose-built store inside the redeveloped Spindles Centre. The temporary closure has not been given exact dates, but historians and family-tree hunters are advised to finish urgent research before the holiday season.

Royton's restored Town Hall Library has already reopened, its Victorian woodwork and stained glass repaired after a long restoration. Pupils, meanwhile, are still benefiting from last year's Summer Reading Challenge; schools reported higher completion rates in 2024, though the council has not released precise numbers. The challenge is expected to return in July, aligned with the National Year of Reading campaign that will run throughout 2026.

Beyond books, the council is trying to narrow the digital gap. The Donate IT appeal, launched last February, asks residents to hand in old but working tablets and laptops so neighbours without home internet can get online. Devices are wiped, refurbished and passed on through community groups; the scheme is ongoing and no deadline has been set.