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Update August 2025
We’re excited to announce that Acomb Explore Library will be undergoing a major refurbishment in autumn 2025, thanks to £390,000 of secured funding. This redevelopment will give the library a much-needed refresh while keeping the same footprint with no change to the garden or car park.
To help you plan your library visits, here are the key details:
When will Acomb Explore close and re-open?
Acomb Explore will close after 7.30pm on Tuesday 30 September 2025 and will re-open at 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.
How do I return my library books while you are closed?
Any books borrowed from Acomb from 9 September 2025 onwards will automatically be due back on 5 January 2026. You’re welcome to return books to any other Explore Library while Acomb is closed.
Can I reserve books from Acomb’s shelves while you are closed?
No – from 26 September 2025 you won’t be able to reserve books from Acomb. Reservations from Acomb’s shelves will be available again once we reopen in January. From 1 October you won’t be able to see Acomb’s books on the app or online catalogue.
Can I collect reservations from Acomb while you are closed?
No – from 1 September 2025, Acomb will no longer be available as a pick-up location. Please choose another Explore Library for your reservations until we re-open. If you have already reserved books to collect from Acomb before 1 September and they have not arrived, you will be contacted to discuss alternative arrangements.
What alternative services will be available while Acomb Explore is closed?
Dringhouses Library will have extended opening hours from 13 October – 12 December 2025:
Monday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Wednesday: 9:30am – 2:00pm
Friday: 9:30am – 12:30pm
The Mobile Library will visit Acomb on Mondays, 9am – 1pm, from 6 October – 15 December 2025 (please note there will be no visit on 13 October).
What about groups and activities that usually meet at Acomb?
During the closure, Acomb groups will temporarily move to Dringhouses Library:
- Knits and Tots – Mondays at 9:30am
- Craft Group – Saturdays at 9:30am
- Stay and Play – Wednesdays at 10am
Other regular activities like Lego Club and Storytime are also available at Dringhouses Library.
Will the opening hours change when Acomb re-opens?
No – Acomb Explore will re-open with the same opening hours as before.
What about Betty, the library cat?
Don’t worry – Betty will be looked after by her family during the closure, and we’re confident she’ll return to her post when the library re-opens.
For further information please see our Acomb development page.
Update July 2025
Designs have now been drawn up for the redevelopment of Acomb Explore Library and you will be able to pop into the library to see them. In our survey in March 2023 we asked you what you wanted to see in the redevelopment.
- Bigger children’s area – we are creating a bigger and better children’s area and a separate teenage area
- Better café which can serve more customers – we are building a bigger kitchen so we can serve more customers and revamping the café seating.
- Quiet space for work or study – we are creating quieter spaces for study and computer use.
- More toilets – we are upgrading the current toilets and adding an extra accessible toilet
The work is expected to take place in autumn, and we will keep you posted as to when very soon.
Update April 2024
| £250,000 has been secured to add to the Council’s committed £500,000 capital investment to extend and redevelop Acomb Explore Library. |
| The additional £250k is the result of a successful application to the DCMS Libraries Improvement Fund administered by the Arts Council. The whole library will be fully refurbished and extended to ensure it continues to be an important asset to local people. The following improvements will be made in line with suggestions made by local people in March 2023: Larger children’s library Bigger café Quiet study/work space Improved toilets including another accessible toilet Improved meeting rooms and IT suite Area for community outdoor events Mobile shelving to allow for performance space |
Update January 2024
Back in September, we submitted a bid to the Arts Council for funding of £250k to help move forward the improvements you suggested below. We will hear whether we are successful (fingers crossed!) in March 2024 and will update you with next steps after then.
Update April 2023: Survey results
A huge thank you to the 234 people who completed our survey in March. We asked what you love about Acomb Explore and what you’d love to see more of. We also wanted to know what doesn’t work so well and what just isn’t important to you at all.
Your top 3 priorities were:
- Bigger children’s space
- More indoor café space
- Quiet space for work or study
You were also keen to see space for more books, a covered area outside for events such as craft fairs and, on a more practical note, extra toilets!
You were not so interested in lighting and signage improvements, touch-down office space or better cycle parking.
What happens next? We will include your ideas in a draft plan for improving Acomb Explore, and later this summer we will share the plan with you so you can tell us if we’ve got it right. We will also be bidding for a small Arts Council grant and if we’re successful, there’ll be a bigger pot of money to support this work too. Keep your fingers crossed!
Update: March 2023: How can we make Acomb Explore even better?
City of York Council has committed money from its capital investment fund to improve the building and other facilities at Acomb Explore Library. This isn’t money for spending on books. Because it is capital investment the council will spend money on the building and its surroundings.
Arts Council England also has a fund to help improve library buildings. We want to apply and if successful this would mean a bit more money for Acomb Explore.
Acomb Explore is your space, right in the heart of the community, and we would like you to help shape the changes and make it even better.
What would you like at Acomb Explore? A bigger café? Private study areas? A more flexible space for big events? Something else?
This survey closed on Monday 27 March. We are now evaluating your responses. Thank you to everybody who took part.
The story so far
Acomb residents have already shared their views in two recent surveys.
The Future of Front Street: Residents commented in this survey in spring 2021. They wanted to see more community involvement, more independent businesses and speciality markets, more plants and trees, pedestrian areas, seating and outdoor café areas.
Find out more about the current and future improvement works at Front Street
Library Users Survey: Acomb Explore visitors commented in Autumn 2021. They wanted quiet study areas, better protection from draughts, and improvements to the
library’s appearance.