Lancashire council to shut over 20 libraries

Lancashire council has confirmed it will be shutting down more than 20 libraries, as part of a wider strategy to operate under a reduced budget.

The news comes after the local authority initially proposed reducing its library network from 73 to 44 branches in a bid to cope with budget cuts. After a consultation, which received more than 7,000 responses, the council maintained that around 20 libraries would still face closure.

Adele Bamber, a campaigner for Save Coppull Library, one of the libraries threatened by the cuts, argued: “According to the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), less than one per cent of [the council’s] budget is actually spent on these services. Turning Coppull

Library into a satellite library, an Aldi with books in essence, will ensure the service isn’t used by the people who need it the most,” said Bamber. The council defines a satellite library as ‘an unstaffed library facility within a shared county council building’, attended by a member of staff once a week ‘for a limited time’.

“Vital social and life skills are taught in our library. The internet doesn’t care like a librarian does, children do not read ebooks, and a youth group masquerading as a library is not what is needed in our community

In a report, the council said: “The financial pressures that the council faces are unprecedented and more than ever those pressures mean that cost-effective solutions must be identified to be able to finance a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service. There is no easy, off the shelf solution which will allow the service to continue in its current form without having to achieve savings … The library service as a whole, as described in the report, taking account of the continued use of mobile libraries, ‘satellites’, the home library service and virtual library service, with a greater emphasis on a digital offer, will ensure that a sustainable 21st century library service can continue to be delivered.”

Councillor David Borrow, deputy leader of Lancashire county council and portfolio holder for finance, said: “Our aim is to find a solution that still gives everyone in Lancashire good access to good services, despite the pressures on the council’s budget. We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation – their feedback has been invaluable in helping to shape the final proposals and the cabinet will be giving the report careful consideration.”