Council consults on ways to improve library services to rural and isolated communities

Devon’s libraries attracted 2.7 million visits and welcomed over 135,000 regular library users last year.  
 
Devon County Council and charity Libraries Unlimited, which is commissioned to run Devon's libraries, says the high visitor numbers are a reflection of the broad range of services that appeal to a variety of audiences.

Now, the Council wants to consider ways to increase take up in rural areas in order to reach more people who can't easily access Devon’s 50 public libraries.  

So it's launching a review to find out what people think is most important about mobile and outreach library services, to shape the design of an outreach service that better meets people’s needs and offers access to the wider range of library facilities.

Options could include extending the Home Library Service, which delivers books and audiobooks direct to people's homes.  This service is currently intended for people who are unable to visit a library due to ill-health or disability or are too frail to carry heavy books, but it could be extended to include other people who need it.

Alternatively, there could be transport arranged to take people to their nearest library.  The Council could work more closely with local community transport providers to provide regular stops at libraries, so that people from outlying villages can access the full range of library services, including local events and activities.

Another consideration would be to introduce a Good Neighbour Scheme, a new type of membership that would enable friends, family members or neighbours to collect and return books on someone else's behalf. 

Or there could be adhoc, ‘pop-up’ libraries in some villages.  The Council could work with local communities to use local venues on a regular basis to make library services available.  

And in response to the increase in usage of digital services, the move could involve investing in a wider range of eBooks, eAudiobooks and digital magazines to increase the range of online material, which all library card holders could access at any time.

The Council also wants to consider what to do with their four ageing mobile library vehicles, which have become unreliable, increasingly expensive to run, and carry limited stock.  The number of people using the mobile library service has fallen by almost a quarter since 2014/15 and the number of mobile library loans has reduced from over 90,000 to 64,000 in that time. 

People can take part in the consultation by visiting devon.cc/librariesoutreach  You can complete the consultation online in any of the 50 libraries, and paper copies of the consultation are available at all libraries and at mobile library service stops. The deadline for responses is 28 July 2018.