This just in from the IWC in their own words – Ed
New proposals for the future of the Isle of Wight’s library service have been proposed by leading councillors.
The recommendations – now to be determined by Cabinet at its meeting on 1 March – are a response to a far-reaching consultation undertaken by the authority on its library service.
“Unable to fund the library service at its current level”
Because of the current economic climate and the need to save £18 million in the next year, the council is unable to fund the library service at its current level.
It had therefore published proposals for public consultation that focused its own resources on two enhanced libraries at Newport and Ryde, which are far and away the most used, supported by the existing high quality mobile and online services. The council is also seeking to build a network of smaller libraries in partnership with local areas and run by the community.
“Community groups needed more time”
However a key message to come from that consultation and from local ward councillors was that community groups needed more time in which to develop proposals to take on the running of libraries.
Another feeling was that the council’s proposals to focus on Ryde and Newport were at the expense of smaller rural libraries.
Last night (Tuesday 8 Feb), the council’s cabinet discussed a set of recommendations that it feels will address those concerns, and a formal decision will be made on 1 March.
New proposals
Under the new proposals, Sandown, Ventnor, Freshwater and Cowes libraries, that were modelled to have their opening hours cut down to one day a week and closed after a year, will now be managed by the council for the equivalent of three days a week, and it is the council’s intention to see these libraries stay open, evolving into closer local library partnerships with their communities. This will enable library staff to train volunteers to further expand these new longer opening hours if there is local demand.
Similarly, East Cowes, Bembridge, Shanklin, Niton and Brighstone will have their closure deadline extended from the originally proposed April until the end of June 2011. This step too will allow community groups more time to develop proposals to take on the libraries.
“Aim is that the Island’s libraries continue and thrive”
George Brown, IW Council cabinet member responsible for libraries said: “Our whole aim is that the Island’s libraries continue and thrive, whether under council management or run in partnership. We have listened to views expressed during consultation and come up with proposals that reflect the need to preserve local library services but in a way that is in balance with our financial constraints.
“Fortunately we already have eight expressions of interest from communities seeking to contribute to running libraries across the Island including in areas where there is currently no library building. I will now be asking officers to make these proposals a reality and that we can develop a comprehensive network of local libraries in partnership with the Island’s communities.”
“Hopefully demonstrates that the council is committed”
Cllr Brown added: “The changes announced yesterday are being proposed for the forthcoming financial year. The aim is to give local communities more time in which they can increase their roles in supporting libraries. The decision hopefully demonstrates that the council is committed to doing all it can to allow this process to succeed and for the services to be retained and even enhanced.
“In respect of Cowes, Freshwater, Ventnor and Sandown we have increased to 21 hours the proposed opening times. That is three times the period on which we consulted. We must always be mindful of the extremely difficult financial circumstances in which we find ourselves but it is our absolute intention to continue council management of these libraries beyond the forthcoming financial year.
“We intend to do all we reasonably can”
“While we do have to reduce expenditure on our library service as part of the overall need to save £25 million in the coming two years, we intend to do all we reasonably can to protect libraries in all areas currently served and furthermore to help establish new provision in areas where there currently is none.”
Image: Dafne Cholet under CC BY 2.0
