Plans to shake up the library service in north and West Cumbria are on the cards.
Cumberland Council – which covers the former Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle local authority areas – wants to know if the current service it offers was futureproofed.
It said while it was proud of the service, as a new unitary authority with new strategic priorities and a ‘rapidly changing socio-cultural environment’ it needed to consider if what it does currently was fit for the future.
The first stage of the service review is a public survey.
People interested in helping to shape the future of Cumberland’s library service are also invited to a series of drop-in sessions over the next few weeks.
One of the council’s main aims is to continue to deliver library services that are welcoming and accessible to all and make the most of digital-based offerings which are becoming increasingly popular, it said.
From next week drop-in sessions in each of Cumberland’s libraries and Library Links will start giving people the chance to find out more about the project, ask questions, give their views and fill in the survey.
The drop-ins are open to both members and people who currently don’t use libraries.
Councillor Anne Quilter, the council’s executive member for vibrant and healthy places, said: “It’s vital that we hear the views of residents and partner organisations as part of this project so we can ensure that any changes we make to our library service are really making it fit for the future. Please complete the survey and attend one the drop-ins at a library convenient for you.
“As a new authority with our own priorities and ambitions, as well as rapidly changing needs in our communities and user habits, it is right that we carry out this engagement to make sure that the service we will have in the future is fit for purpose.”
The survey and drop-in sessions will run until the summer.
From September to December, the authority will analyse the responses to help it make decisions about the service’s future.
Drop-in sessions will be held at
Former Carlisle district
- Denton Holme Library Link – Monday 19 May at 1pm to 3pm
- Carlisle West Library Link – Tuesday 20 May at 10am to noon
- Carlisle Library – Thursday 22 May at 10am to noon
- Morton Library Link – Friday 23 May at 10am to noon
- Harraby Library Link – Thursday 29 May at 10am to noon
- Brampton Library – Thursday 29 May at 2pm to 4pm
- Carlisle Library – Friday 30 May at 10am to noon
- Longtown Library – Friday 30 May at 2pm to 4pm
Former Allerdale district
- Seaton Library – Tuesday 20 May at 1pm to 4pm
- Workington Library – Wednesday 21 May at 10am to 2pm
- Maryport Library – Friday 23 May at 10am to 1pm
- Silloth Library – Wednesday 4 June at 10am to 1pm
- Wigton Library – Thursday 5 June at 1.30pm to 4.30pm
- Cockermouth Library – Friday 6 June at 10am to 1pm
- Workington Library – Saturday 7 June at 10am to 1.30pm
- Aspatria Library – Tuesday 10 June at 1.30pm to 4.30pm
- Keswick Library – Thursday 12 June at 10am to 1pm
Former Copeland district
- Whitehaven Library – Saturday 17 May at 10am to 2pm
- Frizington Library – Monday 19 May at 2pm to 5pm
- Distington Library Link – Tuesday 20 May at 10am to 2pm
- Gosforth Village Library Link – Wednesday 28 May at 4pm to 5.30pm
- Seascale Library Link – Friday 30 May at 2.30pm to 5pm
- Cleator Moor Library – Tuesday 3 June at 2pm to 5pm
- Millom Library – Saturday 7 June at 9.30am to noon
- Egremont Library – Monday 9 June at 10am to 1pm
- Whitehaven Library – Monday 16 June at 9.30am to noon
In Cumberland, there are 65,000 active library members with the council operating three main libraries, 12 branch libraries and eight smaller Library Links.
There are currently 1.2 million items of physical stock in circulation.
