Southwark Council is undertaking a ‘library review’. The consultation process for the review includes a survey questionnaire which will commence in all libraries next week, as well as an online version of the survey being available on the Council’s website. (I’ll add the link to this when it become available).

The terms of reference for the review have been agreed as follows to:
– make recommendations for savings and efficiencies of a minimum of £397,000 over the years 2012/13 and 2013/14 (potential library closures).
– review demand and usage patterns in order to determine appropriate choices for the future scale and nature of provision (potential library closures).
– consider and make recommendations on innovative methods of service delivery including through the delivery of other Council customer services
– maximise the use of ICT in terms of service delivery and as a service (books aren’t very fashionable in Library services).
– consider what other services might be delivered from libraries (talk of coffee sales)
– review the impact of opening Canada Water Library on the total service offer (as it will cost more to run than the Rotherhithe Library it replaces).

A public meeting is being held at each library which locally are:
05/07/2011 7pm to 8pm Kingswood Library
11/07/2011 7pm to 8pm Dulwich Library
13/07/2011 2pm to 3pm Grove Vale Library

PLEASE DO GO ALONG SO THAT THEY ARE VIEWED AS POPULAR. If we want to keep Dulwich Library opening 7 days a week people need to go along and tell them. IF you want to keep Grove Vale Library and Kingswood Library do go along.

For background of what might be possible – http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/2011/03/22/expanding-libraries/
Following these ideas the current Library budget should allow for cuts and more opening hours.

What do you think should happen to our public libraries in Southwark?