A consultation on the opening hours of the 40 council-run libraries across the county is now under way.
It comes as last month Hampshire County Council approved plans to close eight libraries. The authority is now looking to reduce the opening hours of the remaining 40 libraries and is asking residents to have their say in a consultation that will close on August 17. The authority is proposing to reduce libraries’ opening hours by an average of 20%. But as previously reported, a document published last month revealed that the opening hours of some libraries could increase or decrease by up to 39% “to achieve a standardised approach”.
Residents’ views are specifically sought on proposed half and whole day closures at individual libraries, the council said. The authority also said it welcomes approaches from groups wishing to extend the hours beyond those that are proposed to be staffed.
It comes as last month civic chiefs approved plans to close libraries in Blackfield and Lyndhurst , Fair Oak, South Ham in Basingstoke, Elson library in Gosport, Horndean in East Hampshire,Lee-on-the-Solent library in Gosport and Odiham library in Hart. The authority has also withdrawn its support to community libraries in Lowford, Milford-on-Sea and North Baddesley.
The closures as well as the proposed reduction in opening hours, are part of a move that would save the council £1.76m. The decision follows a first public consultation held earlier this year.
Cllr Seán Woodward, executive member for recreation and heritage at the county council, said: “The focus of this second consultation is on the 40 council-run libraries and the needs of those individual communities, and I’d encourage people to take part. It’s important we hear from local people who use their local libraries about the staffed opening hours which are the most important and the most useful to them. We’re also very open to ideas from local groups who might wish to offer volunteer support to expand on those staffed opening hours to keep their library open to the public longer on some days.”
Article originally appeared on Southern Daily Echo
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