Bristol mobile library
Bristol City Council’s mobile library could face the axe at the end of a consultation period into the future of the outreach service provided by Bristol Libraries.
The three-month consultation begins on Friday, as the council aims to look at how the libraries can operate more efficiently and if there are alternative ways of working.
Part of the study will be determined by the cost of the mobile library van, which is 12 years old and needs replacing at an estimated cost of about £100,000.
The council says usage of the mobile service is falling and, of those using it, about half also visit their local library on a regular basis as well. There are 41 stops throughout the city and visitor figures vary from none to 14 per stop.
Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Capital Projects Cllr Simon Cook said he was looking at ways instead to expand the At Home service – where staff bring books to the homes of those who are housebound every four or eight weeks to exchange books.
“We are firmly committed to having an outreach library service. This is why we are proposing to expand the popular At Home Service to far more customers who find themselves housebound, or for some reason cannot access their local library,” he said.
“At the same time we do need to look at the future of the mobile library service, which is currently not representative in terms of the areas it serves.
“I believe we can be far more cost-effective by enhancing the At Home service that reaches out to far more of our residents who need it.
“But we need to hear from as many service users as possible over the next few months and I urge them to take part in the consultation.”
Letters will be sent out from Friday to all mobile library customers to gain their views, plus three public meetings will be held in the city during October and November:
- Stoke Lodge on October 20, from 4pm to- 5pm
- Begbrook Primary School Nov 1, from 4pm to- 5pm
- Ashton Vale Primary School Nov 3, from 4pm to- 5pm
The consultation will be live on the council’s Consultation Finder from Friday.
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