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Rise of the unmanned library means elderly and children are shut out

The Open Plus system in practice at a library in Peterborough
The Open Plus system in practice at a library in Peterborough Credit: Libraries Taskforce

Librarians are being replaced by machines, causing children and the elderly to miss out on books, the leading industry body has warned.

A new CCTV and PIN code entry system, Open Plus, requires users to already have a library card before they can enter libraries, which allows them to open without staff.

The amount of public libraries using the new technology has increased from 24 in 2016 to at least 109 today. 

There are worries the new technology is replacing librarians, which could lock out children and those who are not tech-savvy. Over half of councils using Open Plus have reduced staff hours, according to an Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) report.

Mark Taylor, Director of...

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