Talks begin over the future of Liverpool's libraries

Talks have begun over the future of Liverpool libraries.

The four week consultation takes place as Liverpool Council's Libraries Service seeks to save £2.5 million from its budget.

The authority says the funding shortage is due to a 58 percent Central Government funding cut.

Discussions are underway over the future of Breck Road, Dovecot, Fazakerley, Kensington, Lee Valley, Old Swan, Sefton Park, Spellow, Walton, Wavertree and West Derby libraries.

Under the proposals, the council said 95 per cent of people will still live within two miles of a library and the Home Library Service and the RNIB Talking Book Service will not be affected.

The council would continue to run Central Library - which is used by 45 percent of service users - and seven community libraries: Croxteth, Norris Green, Toxteth, Childwall, Allerton, Garston and Parklands

The libraries which are at risk are those which generally have below average use, high running costs or are in close proximity to another library, the council said.

A series of consultation meetings will take place over the next few weeks before a further report is drawn up with a final set of proposals to be considered by the Cabinet later this year.

The council said an initial consultation held earlier this year found:

• 45 per cent of customers use Central Library, and 40 per cent of those consulted said they would use this library if their local library closed.
• The most-used libraries are Central Library, Allerton, Childwall, Garston and Norris Green. Together these libraries account for 57 per cent of the total library use across the city
• 59 per cent of respondents said they would be willing to visit another library if their local one was to close.