Community-managed library services under consideration

Anglesey could see community-managed libraries in the future as the results of an important consultation go before councillors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The County Council recently carried out a wide ranging review of its Library and Information Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Its aim was to ensure a library service which is fit for the 21st century and meets its statutory duties, whilst also responding to the significant financial pressures faced by the Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report including the consultation results, together with proposals and ideas put forward, will be presented to the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on Monday (February 1st). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More than a 1,000 people responded to the consultation with many voicing strong opinions about how their local library should be preserved; and offering suggestions about further investment in libraries. However, most did not address the library service’s pressing need to make financial savings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Head of Lifelong Learning, Delyth Molyneux, explained, “We’re carefully considering how best to transform the library service at present and public feedback has been valuable. Several themes have emerged during the consultation; among them an appetite for community managed libraries and a clear interest in volunteering, which could help deliver savings. There’s also scope for the Authority to investigate providing more of its services from existing library buildings.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ll be looking at all these options whilst ensuring that any proposed changes conform to our statutory duties as defined in Welsh Public Library Standards Framework.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Lifelong Learning Service plans to present a new costed service delivery model for further public consultation during the summer before implementation in 2017/18. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Corporate Scrutiny Committee Chairman, Councillor Meirion Jones, added, “Our library service is an important community resource and so any proposed changes must be considered very carefully. I look forward to deliberating the report and its recommendations with fellow committee members before presenting our views to the Executive for further consideration.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report, together with scrutiny feedback, will be brought before the Council’s Executive later this month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​