Library Opening Hours Under Threat (From The Argus)

Library Opening Hours Under Threat

8:40pm Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Community By Emily Hoquee

Opening hours at Portslade Library are under threat by new plans proposed by Brighton and Hove City Council.

A £17 million reduction in funding has meant that the Council is trimming back the services on offer to residents. The new opening hours will mean the library will be closed on Mondays, leaving library users in Portslade without access to a number of services, including internet access.

Pensioner Dorothy Lane said: “I think people can work around it. I live in Hove and we’re already used to the library there being closed on a Monday.”

Should the Council plans go ahead, library users will need to travel more than two miles away to Mile Oak or Jubilee libraries for alternative internet access on Mondays. Services at the Gateway Children’s Centre, which works from the library with families who have young children, would also be affected.

Alan Issler, Neighbourhood and Enterprise Manager at Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The Gateway Children’s Centre at Portslade Library will continue to offer a similar range of services and will consider the best way to re-organise their timetable.”

Mr Issler added that should the library’s opening hours be reduced, the saving to the council would be around £18,500 and the impact of any opening hour reduction would be monitored.

The Council will be collecting views on the proposals on its website until 10 February.

Staff at Portslade Library were unavailable for comment.