Wilton Library (Photo by KT)
By KT, PWI Reporter Wiltshire
WILTSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM - The Wiltshire public are being asked by their local libraries to volunteer to help keep libraries open. Some librarians and staff will either lose their jobs or be asked to work more flexibly. And opening hours will be halved at all but the bigger libraries.
Wiltshire Council decided on these steps in response to the government’s 28% reduction in their budget as a result of the banking and financial crisis. Taken together, the measures have to achieve savings of £0.5m over two years for the county’s budget.
By this week more than twenty volunteers had shown interest in the small town of Wilton in the south of the county. Typical of many communities, its small library boasts books, DVD’s, free internet access, a local history section, a home library service, children’s activities, and a local information service. Staff are well-informed, friendly and put themselves out to help.
The changes are all part of Wiltshire Council’s new vision for the library service approved in January. The county plans to keep open all 31 of the county’s libraries and ensure they remain at the heart of their communities. Ten will be community libraries, funded by the council and supported by its professional staff, but operated entirely based on volunteers.
Libraries are also expected to increase in importance as the council’s local face for information about its services.
The establishment of free libraries in Britain followed The Public Libraries Act of 1855 which established the free access to books to raise public literacy. Counties and cities in the UK established large central libraries with smaller branch libraries and mobile library services covering rural areas.
Wiltshire’s response to the drastic budget cuts sweeping UK public services is therefore in marked contrast to those councils which completely close libraries. However, success in the county is dependent on establishing a sustainable level of volunteering.
Time will tell, but the first signs in Wilton bode well.
-- by KT - PWI Reporter Wiltshire - wiltshire@peoplewebinternational.com
WILTSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM - The Wiltshire public are being asked by their local libraries to volunteer to help keep libraries open. Some librarians and staff will either lose their jobs or be asked to work more flexibly. And opening hours will be halved at all but the bigger libraries.
Wiltshire Council decided on these steps in response to the government’s 28% reduction in their budget as a result of the banking and financial crisis. Taken together, the measures have to achieve savings of £0.5m over two years for the county’s budget.
By this week more than twenty volunteers had shown interest in the small town of Wilton in the south of the county. Typical of many communities, its small library boasts books, DVD’s, free internet access, a local history section, a home library service, children’s activities, and a local information service. Staff are well-informed, friendly and put themselves out to help.
The changes are all part of Wiltshire Council’s new vision for the library service approved in January. The county plans to keep open all 31 of the county’s libraries and ensure they remain at the heart of their communities. Ten will be community libraries, funded by the council and supported by its professional staff, but operated entirely based on volunteers.
Libraries are also expected to increase in importance as the council’s local face for information about its services.
The establishment of free libraries in Britain followed The Public Libraries Act of 1855 which established the free access to books to raise public literacy. Counties and cities in the UK established large central libraries with smaller branch libraries and mobile library services covering rural areas.
Wiltshire’s response to the drastic budget cuts sweeping UK public services is therefore in marked contrast to those councils which completely close libraries. However, success in the county is dependent on establishing a sustainable level of volunteering.
Time will tell, but the first signs in Wilton bode well.
-- by KT - PWI Reporter Wiltshire - wiltshire@peoplewebinternational.com
RSS Feed