WHAT next for Liverpool’s cash-strapped libraries service?

Clearly, the city council – like local authorities across the country – is between a rock and a hard place.

It is faced with having to make huge savings in many different areas, and won’t be able to do this without causing some pain to some people.

Regarding the city’s libraries, a series of measures have been put forward following a public consultation exercise – proposals which would save £450,000 in the current financial year and almost £2m in 2012/13.

These are big figures and, as a result, we are looking at some big changes.

Three libraries – Edge Hill, Woolton and Great Homer Street – are set to close, but only if no community organisation is able to take them over.

Other measures being proposed are a reduction in some opening hours, staff-sharing and the withdrawal of the mobile library service – though the home delivery service would be increased.

If Labour’s ‘Education, education, education’ mantra is to hold true then the council must do all it can to ensure people still have the greatest possible access to information – while councillors will obviously recall the recent backlash over the library proposals in Wirral.

But money does need to be saved and nettles grasped, which is perhaps why the idea of community organisations potentially becoming involved could be relevant.

To many this might sound, perhaps uncomfortably, like the Big Society – but, in these tough times, if all else fails when it comes to saving libraries then perhaps the Big Society isn’t such a bad idea after all.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/libraries-are-vital-to-city-3354384
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