Local communities will soon benefit from an exciting new service which will bring together libraries, one stop shops and the registration service in Cornwall into a new single Face to Face service.
Although Cornwall Council, like every other local authority in the country, is having to change the way it delivers services to its residents as a result of the 30% reduction in Government funding over the next four years, the Council recognises the importance of libraries to local communities.
Cornwall Council needs to make savings of more than £170m which means that the combined Libraries and Customer Services budgets are facing a reduction of £1.526m.
While a number of local authorities, including Somerset and Dorset, are looking to close a significant number of their local libraries, Cornwall Council’s aim is to keep libraries in the county Cornwall open.
The development of this new Face to Face service will help the Council develop a positive future for libraries which recognises their importance in the heart of our communities in a rural setting.
As well as bringing together the services mentioned above, the Council will also be harmonising library opening hours across Cornwall. This new arrangement is expected to take effect from 18 April 2011.
Every town that currently has a library or one stop shop will continue to do so, but where possible, these will be brought together in one building instead of two, although there may be a change in opening hours. The introduction of this new way of working will also provide the possibility for some towns that have not previously benefited from a service to get one for the first time.
Whilst there may be some implications for people using these services, the new structure does enable the Council to retain all of its existing libraries.
Click here for details of opening times for each individual library on the Council’s website.
The mobile library service, Cornish Studies Library and Cornwall Record Office are not currently affected by the changes in library hours but will be reviewed at a later stage.
