Leicester library users fear merger will lead to fewer books
Library users say they are worried that the merger of two city centre libraries will have a big impact on the quality of service provided.
As part of its latest budget plans, Leicester City Council wants to move the main central lending library away from Belvoir Street into a building used by the nearby Bishop Street reference library.
The move will save the council £228,000 over the next three years.
It would see the equivalent of 14 full-time posts cut and books taken off the shelves.
The council insists there will be an "overwhelming" focus on book lending in the new library.
However, a 12-day consultation into the plans has shown lots of library users are worried about a fall in the number of books that will be available.
The survey had 550 responses. Of those, 55 registered their opposition to the scheme, and just two people were in favour.
The number of books in stock was cited as the single most important issue among library-goers, with 537 commenting on it in the survey.
Elaine Pole, of Knighton, who was among those consulted, feared that it would hit literacy levels among the young.
She said: "There is a feeling some of the book stock might be lost among the proliferation of computers and DVDs.
"These things are worthwhile but there is nothing like a good book, which you can carry around, take on the train and read in bed."
Another person who was consulted was Nick Knight, of Stoneygate, who also feared the service would suffer.
He said: "The thing that saddens me is, I think, the library strategy is right at the bottom of the pile.
"Their strategy is about something that is a library in name only – it has lost the essence of a library.
"They have taken their eye off the ball with this one."
One comment in the consultation said they wanted "libraries to stay libraries", with newspapers and computer access kept at a high level.
Others suggested there should be a cafe in the new library, and most welcomed the extension of opening hours.
Councillor Andy Connelly, the cabinet member responsible for libraries, said they would take into account the results of the consultation in the final plans.
He said: "We will be setting up a user group to help influence what facilities will be on offer in the new library.
"We need to recognise that computers have brought a new audience into libraries and we welcome that.
"Primarily, we will still have an overwhelming focus on books.
2 Comments
by Shan-e-Punjab, Leicester
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:18PM
“The members of our organisation requsted free weekly newspapers in Punjabi almost more than two years ago, which can replace two Punjabi magazines, which cost thousand pounds a year, and have similar news. Even after such a long time, these free newspapers are not ordered by the head of libraries, probaly, he is not interested in saving money.”
by s singh, Leicester
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 1:47PM
“It is really sad that with merger of these libraries 14 employees of library will lose their jobs.
It is management of libraries, whose responsible for wasting huge amount of money, while buying books for libraries. It is noticed that a book in libraries cost £150 to £300, and some books cost 5 to 15 times more than their actual buying price. If money spend sensibly, than it is not difficult to save £100,000 a year.”