Hampshire Library Service consultation
Hampshire Library Service consultation
Table of Contents
Do you use – or think you might use – the County Library service?
If so, the County Council would like to hear your views on its draft library strategy.
The consultation period runs from Monday 2 November 2015 until Saturday 16 January 2016.
About the consultation
excerpted from www3.hants.gov.uk/library-strategy
Hampshire County Council is seeking residents’ views on how Hampshire’s Library Service can be transformed and modernised to meet the changing needs of people in the 21st century.
This public consultation invites feedback on proposals set out in the draft Library Strategy (3 MB), which looks to develop a sustainable and vibrant Library Service for people who live, work and study in Hampshire.
Since libraries first opened, there have been significant changes in the way people access and read books – and they are now using libraries very differently. Therefore, the County Council needs a clear focus for the future of the Library Service to ensure it is properly positioned to meet the evolving needs of the community it serves.
The draft Strategy proposes a number of changes, backed by a four year investment programme, to make libraries modern and vibrant, developing staff and volunteers, installing self-service technology in all libraries, and improving public access to the latest technology. In addition, the Strategy includes suggestions for how the Library Service can be made more sustainable – through savings and investments.
What is the Draft Strategy?
Hampshire residents have the opportunity to comment on the draft Strategy which proposes changes to the Library Service to be implemented over the next four years to:
- Place libraries into four different tiers to provide a standardised approach to services within each tier.
- Invest £500,000 every year, for four years from the £2 million Book Fund to make libraries modern and vibrant – making best use of new technology and digital systems.
- Permanently reduce the Book Fund by £500,000 from 2020 onwards.
- Review the costly mobile library service and investigate modern alternatives.
- Review the future viability of static libraries, using an agreed set of criteria.
- Increase the use of trained volunteers to support the work of paid Library Staff.
- Rebrand Hampshire’s busiest libraries as Discovery Centres.
- Develop Library staff.
- Share library buildings with partner organisations for several services to be accessed in one visit.
- Phase a withdrawal of poorly used library collections (CDs, games, DVDs) and transfer other specialist collections to other providers.
To take part in the consultation
- Read the full version of this note at www3.hants.gov.uk/library-strategy
- and the draft Library Strategy, then
- follow the link on that page to complete the online questionnaire
- OR
- visit your local county library and ask for a printed copy of the questionnaire