Aberafan Maesteg MP Stephen Kinnock made a visit to Taibach Community Library to see the volunteer-run hub at the heart of the community and meet the local people keeping this much-loved service alive.
The library is part of the Community Libraries Network, which brings people together to preserve and reimagine local libraries as vibrant spaces for learning, creativity, and community connection.
During his visit, Mr Kinnock met with volunteers and library users to hear how the library provides a welcoming space and runs a wide range of activities which help tackle social isolation and improve wellbeing.
“We are proud of what our volunteers and supporters have achieved over the past 11 years. The visit was a chance to show how community libraries are stepping up to meet local needs and making a real difference to people’s lives.”
“Local libraries like Taibach are so much more than places to borrow books – they are vital community hubs that bring people together, support wellbeing, and offer a lifeline to many. I’ve seen first-hand the incredible work done here, having held advice surgeries at Taibach Library and supported its role in the community over the years.
I was proud to join the celebrations for its 10th anniversary – a milestone that reflects the passion, dedication, and hard work of its volunteers. It was a pleasure to meet with them again and see how their continued commitment keeps Taibach Library thriving as a cherished local resource.”
The visit shone a spotlight on the role of community-led libraries in delivering not only access to books and learning, but also friendship, support, and resilience at a time when many public services are under pressure.
The Community Libraries Network (CLN) is leading a bold, people-powered movement that is reimagining libraries as vibrant, community-led spaces full of life, creativity, learning and local leadership.
We work with our communities to preserve and redefine their local community libraries. Community libraries are no longer quiet corners of the past – they are vibrant hubs of connection, learning, and action designed and run by the communities they exist to serve.
The CLN backs this movement with real support: expert advice, peer learning, and fearless advocacy. We’re a critical friend to new groups and a champion for those already changing the game. We don’t compete with established, successful libraries; we’re something else entirely. Independent, rooted, and radically different.
Our role is to build something genuinely different from the ground up that will serve communities for generations to come. CLN exists to grow a movement where communities take ownership, shape services, and lead the way. This is about local power, not top-down control. It’s bold, grassroots democracy in action … and it’s transforming what a library can be.
Rooted in a proud tradition, these libraries are evolving to meet the needs of communities for future generations.