Use Stone library? Let the county council know

Staffordshire County Council wants people who use Stone library to tell them how and why they use it.

The council will be formally consulting on plans for the future of the county library service in the summer – but it first wants to find out how local people and community groups use their library.

If you’re a user of Stone library, please make sure that you take part.

You can answer some questions online at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/connectedlibraries or email connectedlibraries@staffordshire.gov.uk with answers to these questions:

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• How do you currently use your library service?
• What do you need from your library service now and in the future?
• How could your library do things differently to better support more members of your community?
• Do you have any further ideas or suggestions on how Staffordshire’s library service could develop?

A number of coffee mornings are also being held at libraries across the county (but not Stone, although questionnaires will be available there for local people to fill in):

• Tuesday 4th February – 10am to 12noon, Cannock Library
• Wednesday 5th February – 9.30 to 11am, Leek Library
• Thursday 6th February – 10am to 12noon, Lichfield Library
• Thursday 6th February – 2pm to 4pm , Tamworth Library
• Friday 7th February – 10am to 12noon, Burton Library
• Monday 10th February – 10am to 12noon, Perton Library
• Tuesday 11th February – 10am to 12noon, Stafford Shire Hall Library
• Friday 14th February – 10am to 12noon, Newcastle Library

The county council says it wants to “reshape the library service to better fit how people want to read, find information and socialise now and in the future, while ensuring that it is sustainable and delivers real value for money for taxpayers”.

It says Staffordshire libraries have already changed considerably in recent years. Fewer books are being borrowed and they offer more computer access and digital services such as e-books, alongside community space for meetings and exhibitions.

Mike Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Communities and Localism on Staffordshire County Council, said: “We want residents and communities to have their say and help us adapt our library service so that it meets the needs of our communities and is sustainable.

“Through the coffee mornings and the wider conversation, we want to hear what people value about their libraries, and how they think they could change to keep pace with changing technology, tastes and lifestyles.

“Today’s libraries are radically different from 20 years – just look at the impact of IT and the internet on how we get hold of the information we need. Now, more than ever, we need to make sure that every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. This is about delivering a library offer that communities want, need and use, and that we can all afford.

“Between now and April we will be looking at what residents and organisations want from their libraries and how they are used across the county to ensure that we get the right offer for local people.”