Plans to safeguard libraries, ensuring they remain at the heart of Wiltshire’s communities, will go before council leaders on Tuesday (January 25).

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve a vision for the future of the library service, which seeks to retain all 31 of the county’s libraries.

Local authorities across Britain are facing unprecedented pressure on their budgets and Wiltshire Council is taking steps to ensure it works with communities to protect front-line services.

The proposed vision for Wiltshire’s libraries would reduce operating costs by 12 percent but enable all 31 libraries to stay open.

If approved, the plans will also keep the five mobile libraries running. Mobile libraries visit rural areas and provide an important service to elderly people, families and people who have limited access to transport.

Cabinet member for adult care, communities and libraries, John Thomson, said: “We are fully committed to our libraries and we know just how important they are to our local communities.

“In the current financial climate we cannot continue operating the library service in its current format.

“We are looking at innovative ways of keeping all 31 of our libraries open and to do this we will need the help of the local community. We are asking them to join us in helping to keep all our libraries open.

“We would also like to encourage people both young and old to become members of their local library and make use of the excellent services they provide.”

The council is proposing that its 21 largest libraries operate with new core opening hours.

It would then work in partnership with local communities to help them keep 10 of the county's smallest libraries open. This would provide opportunities for community volunteers.

There would also be opportunities for volunteers to help extend the opening hours at other libraries.

Under the proposals new ‘self-service’ technology would be introduced to all libraries. This would require a one-off investment, which would need full council approval, but would produce year-on-year savings.

These proposals were drawn up following an extensive review of the library service where views were gathered from people through focus groups, area boards and the council’s website.

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