What this consultation is about
We’re proposing changes to the way we run our library service which are aimed at ensuring all our library buildings remain open, as well as creating a modern, agile, family-friendly and sustainable service across the county.
You can find out more about the proposals in our new draft Derbyshire Public Library Service Strategy `A Modern Library Service for Derbyshire’.
The proposals are aimed at meeting necessary budget savings and reflecting changing patterns of library use across our communities while ensuring our library service remains as accessible, efficient and cost-effective as possible.
The main proposals contained in the draft strategy are:
- to reduce opening hours across the library network by an average of 10%. Opening hours would be localised for each community and would reflect the busiest periods; neighbouring libraries would not be closed on the same days
- to ensure all libraries open for a time on a Saturday, with larger libraries also opening until 6pm twice a week
- to remove reservation charges for book and talking book requests, where the item is either in print or in stock in Derbyshire libraries, and remove charges for borrowing talking books, to mitigate some of the impact of a reduction in hours
- to merge the mobile service and home library service, to create one `outreach’ service for vulnerable customers and those living in remote areas. The outreach service would use a greener fleet of smaller, lower carbon vehicles, increasing efficiency, lowering costs and reducing the service’s carbon footprint
- to review opportunities to make more efficient use of library buildings, where this can be achieved and either improve or not adversely impact the service. This could involve re-locating some libraries to new, lower cost, more energy efficient sites, co-locating some libraries with other services/organisations or changing the layout of some library buildings to make them more efficient, flexible and accessible. These options if achieved would greatly reduce maintenance and running costs which are high in some older library buildings
- to improve digital provision in all libraries, including access to other council services and installation of self-service terminals in more of the smaller libraries to increase efficiency and accessibility
- to invite volunteers to help support access to library services outside of regular hours - where agreed and appropriate, by introducing a new way of managing provision termed `community-supported libraries’.
Give your views by filling out the consultation questionnaire.
The consultation closes on Saturday 2 November 2024.
No decisions will be made until after the consultation has ended and we have taken the responses into account.