The views of almost 4,000 people are being used to alter the plan designed to save all Derbyshire County Council-run libraries from closure. A county council library service strategy was originally unveiled last July but following a 12-week consultation some changes have now been made.
The county’s library service was tasked with delivering £910,000 of savings by 2028/29, and has already achieved £285,000, leaving a total of £625,000 to be saved through the implementation of the strategy, if it is agreed, over the next four years.
Changes made to the strategy following consultation include altering proposed new opening and closing times to ensure more accessibility and flexibility for children, families, workers and shift workers, and ensuring most libraries serving larger communities were open until 6pm for one day a week.
The main points detailed in the Derbyshire Public Library Strategy are:
- to keep all libraries open but to reduce opening hours across the library network by an average of 10%, to be implemented from 2025/26. Opening hours would be localised for each community and would reflect the busiest periods
- to ensure all libraries open for a time on a Saturday, with all tier 1, 2 and 3 libraries also opening until 6pm once a week
- to investigate the use of self-service technology as a means of extending opening hours where organised groups of community volunteers can be formed
- to remove reservation charges for book and talking book requests, where the item is either in print or in stock in Derbyshire libraries, and remove charges for borrowing talking books, to mitigate some of the impact of a reduction in hours
- to merge the mobile service and home library service, to create one “outreach” service for vulnerable customers and those living in remote areas. The outreach service would use a greener fleet of smaller, lower carbon vehicles, increasing efficiency, lowering costs and reducing the service’s carbon footprint
- to review opportunities to make more efficient use of library buildings, where this can be achieved and either improve or not adversely impact the service. This could involve relocating some libraries to new, lower-cost, more energy-efficient sites, co-locating some libraries with other services/organisations or changing the layout of some library buildings to make them more efficient, flexible and accessible. These options if achieved would greatly reduce maintenance and running costs, which are high in some older library buildings
- to improve digital provision in all libraries, including access to other council services and installation of self-service terminals in more of the smaller libraries to increase efficiency and accessibility
- to invite volunteers to help support access to library services outside of regular hours – where agreed and appropriate, by introducing a new way of managing provision termed “community-supported libraries”.
Of the current network of 43 council-run and two community-managed libraries (Woodville and Tideswell), only the council-run libraries would be affected by the reduction in opening hours detailed in the new strategy, and no library would be open for fewer than 16 hours per week.
The library at Belper will not be affected by any decisions which may follow further consultation to determine the future use of some of the council’s remaining residential homes, which includes the Ada Belfield Centre.
County council leader Councillor Barry Lewis said: “It is so important that despite our budget pressures we continue to provide a strong, modern, accessible library service to all our residents and communities.
“The fact that we received more than 3,800 responses during the public consultation shows that Derbyshire people feel as passionately about the service as we do, and I welcome the new strategy which sets out a clear path to securing the future of this valuable service.
“I have always said that no libraries will close on my watch and a lot of hard work, thought and planning has gone into developing this new strategy which we are confident will ensure libraries and the service as a whole can go from strength to strength for years to come.
“We had a lot of ideas and suggestions on this proposal during the consultation which is exciting and they will be followed up in due course.”
The library strategy will be discussed at the county council cabinet meeting on Thursday, January 9.