Issue - meetings

That:

1)        the Library Offer for Wokingham Borough Council Library Services as set out in the report be agreed;

2)        up to £300k of S106 be utilised on the Library Service Delivery Model to implement self-service and increase opening hours;

3)        the Library opening times be amended to add an additional 17.5 hours opening per week.

The Executive considered a report setting out the proposed Library Offer which had been developed to establish and promote activities that residents could expect when visiting the Council’s libraries, including the extension of opening hours through the implementation of self-service.

The Executive Member for Resident Services informed the meeting that a lot of responses had been received to the recent consultation on the usage of libraries.  The intention was to move the libraries to become more self-service which would enable opening hours to be increased in line with those set out in the report.  The proposals would also reduce the cost of running the libraries whilst increasing the ability of people to use them.

Councillor Jorgensen reported that the Council was still experiencing an increase of around 1.3% per annum in library usage which was in direct contrast to other libraries across the country where library usage was falling.  It was felt that this was due to a number of things including having opening hours that matched usage and being innovative with the events that were run in the libraries.

It was noted that the Arborfield library was now up and running in the Royal British Legion building on a temporary basis and Councillor Jorgensen thanked the British Legion for all their help and co-operation.

RESOLVED that:

1)        the Library Offer for Wokingham Borough Council Library Services as set out in the report be agreed;

2)        up to £300k of S106 be utilised on the Library Service Delivery Model to implement self-service and increase opening hours;

3)        the Library opening times be amended to add an additional 17.5 hours opening per week.