Northumberland County Council has reversed plans to cut hours at Prudhoe Library following a public backlash. The library, based at the Spetchells Centre, will now become a "hub" library open 45 hours per week, instead of the proposed reduction to 28 staffed hours.
Original Proposal and Backlash
Under initial cost-cutting proposals, Prudhoe was to be one of seven "primary" libraries with staffed hours slashed from 44.5 to 28. However, at Monday's meeting of the council's communities and place scrutiny committee, officers admitted they had not got the proposals right.
The changes were part of a wider overhaul of the library service designed to save more than £300,000. The council says a key feature of the new model is blending customer contact with library provision, meaning 21 locations across the county where people can physically access support if they cannot use digital solutions.
Council Leader Responds
Council leader Glen Sanderson said: "The need for the library service has changed. Things have changed significantly. Not a great percentage of people visit a library every year, but they are really important to us because the library is often the only way they can socialise and enjoy the place they live in."
He added: "We said we would listen carefully and I'm really grateful to the people who have responded."
Other Changes
New technology is being introduced, with self-service kiosks planned for Wooler Library later this year. The Home Library Service will continue for vulnerable residents, with volunteers delivering books to their doors.
Savings have come from reducing hours, amalgamating with customer services, and a 'small number' of voluntary redundancies.
Head of customer experience Sarah Green said: "Almost 90% of our residents rated our library service as good, very good or outstanding. That demonstrates the importance of getting things right. We didn't want to make things worse, we wanted to make them better. The proposals seek to protect and strengthen the library services and deliver the efficiencies we need to. We heard that with Prudhoe Library, we hadn't got that proposal right. We now propose to increase the opening hours to 45 hours per week."
