Explore York Libraries and Archives

Explore is a different kind of public service: a mutual owned by our staff and our community members.  We are dedicated to enhancing lives in York in our trusted spaces; providing library, archive, learning, and creative activities, reflecting and developing a lively, inclusive community.  We offer opportunities for people to read, meet, learn, imagine, create and belong. Our staff survey shows us how proud our staff are that they work for Explore and they believe they make a real difference to the community.

Explore was incorporated as a mutual society in 2014. Originally part of the City of York Council, York’s libraries and archives service became an independent organisation, providing statutory public libraries and archives through a contract with the council. In 2019 Explore was awarded a second contract by the City of York Council to provide these services for a further 15 years.

We operate 15 libraries including York Explore – the city centre flagship library and home of the City Archive – a mobile library, a home library service and 7 Reading Cafes. The City Archive tells the story of over 850 years of York’s history, the most significant continuous civic record outside London. We employ more than 100 people.

In April 2023, Explore joined the national portfolio of organisations (NPOs) delivering the Let’s Create strategy, supported by Arts Council England and funded by National Lottery players. Our 3-year NPO programme puts high-quality collaborative culture and creativity inspired by the Archive at the heart of local communities.   

Last year Explore welcomed over 895,000 visitors, saw 144,604 engagements with our Archive, held 3,977 events attended by 57,208 people, registered 10,948 new library members, saw 456,935 visits to our website, and loaned more than 3,130 books every single day. Volunteers gave over 25,584 hours of their time equivalent to around £389,000 of staff time.

Explore receives two thirds of its income from its contract with City of York Council and the remainder is raised through its trading subsidiary, grants and other fundraising. 

Explore is firmly rooted in York with a board of directors who are local people and understand the city’s needs. Our directors take overall responsibility for everything we do. Our staff, community members, library users and partner organisations also get chance to shape our development in response to the needs and wishes of local people.

Explore is governed by a set of rules which define what we do. Here is a copy of the Rules.

We are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and recognised as having charitable status by HMRC.

Here is a copy of our Balance Sheet for the financial year which ended 31 March 2025.

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About our Board

Our board of directors oversees all our work, monitors our performance and helps us to set our long term strategy and yearly plans and budgets. Under our current rules the board can have 9 members: 3 non-executive directors, 3 community directors (voted for by our community members), 1 director nominated by City of York council, the chief executive officer and a staff director (elected by Explore staff). All directors are volunteers and give their time for free. Each member of the board has a duty and responsibility to protect the interests of Explore and ensure the organisation is well run. Members of the board are not to represent their own interests or that of any other organisation they have a role in.

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Explore Management Team