Consultation meetings over the best way to manage some of Staffordshire’s libraries begin this week
For Stone there will be a public event at Stone library on Tuesday 30th January between 3pm and 6pm.
Consultation discussions will include potentially using technology to maintain and extend opening hours with an automated service, increasing the number of community managed libraries and reviewing how the mobile and travelling service is used.
Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Communities, said:
“We’ve worked very hard in recent years to keep all Staffordshire’s 43 libraries open and this discussion about the next steps is part of that process to keep the service flexible and relevant.
“We want to talk to as many people as possible to explain what the options mean and to hear what they think about them.”
People will be asked to comment on possible options for the library, specifically:
- maintaining and extending existing opening hours by using technology to allow registered users access to the library outside core hours. No library would become completely self-service;
- maintaining and extending existing opening hours by using more volunteers;
- becoming a community-managed library, where a group takes over the management and day-to-day running, with access to all the council’s library resources, while the authority remains responsible for agreed utility bills and maintenance costs.
The consultation lasts until April 1 and information about events can be found at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/connectedlibraries . People can also use the same website to leave their comments, fill in a questionnaire at any library, or email connectedlibraries@staffordshire.gov.uk to have their say.
