Wokingham Borough Seek to Improve Library Services

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Wokingham Borough Council is in the process of attempting to find a partner to help ensure it provides the sort of libraries people want in the 21st century, with a range of services that meet communities educational, recreational, cultural and information needs.

The next stage of this process will be for the council’s decision-making executive to discuss the high-level specifications that could establish the broad principles of what the council would require any future partner to provide. The exact details of this draft specification cannot be made public due to EU procurement law, but the council can state that, as a minimum, the provider would:

Allow library users and local communities to input into library policy and services
Provide an improved and financially-sustainable library service
Provide libraries that are at the heart of communities and are trusted, impartial places that offer people better opportunities and improved quality of life

Wokingham Borough Council executive member for internal services Cllr UllaKarin Clark said: “I am excited at the prospect of this process moving on and hope the executive agrees the high level specifications. Our aim is to find a partner who can help improve our already excellent libraries. Libraries across the country face challenging times; with cheaper books, greater internet usage, increasing availability of electronic books and – let’s face facts – less public money around. What we are saying is that we do not want our libraries to fall victim to these challenges but, instead, hope to find the right partner to help them thrive.”

February 17, 2012 |

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