City of York Council is planning to close a low-use library as part of a plan to boost access to library services across the city.

The council's libraries service wants to increase the total number of opening hours across the city by 14 a week and provide a service in Osbaldwick through the popular mobile library unit.

The plans, which would see under-used Osbaldwick Library close in April, will be discussed on Tuesday, March 12 at the council's officer in consultation meeting with executive member for leisure and heritage Councillor Alan Jones.

The proposals follow a review of city-wide library services through the Government's Best Value structure and include: expansion of Strensall library; ongoing discussions with the local community in Haxby about a new library on the High Street new opportunities for York Library improved disabled access at Dringhouses Library as a result of ward committee funding more activities at New Earswick Library with more community use closure of Osbaldwick Library - regular visits by the mobile library instead increased opening hours at eight city libraries including increases of eight hours at Acomb library, four and a half hours at Haxby and three at Strensall - a 25 percent increase slight reductions in hours at 2 libraries and a proportionately larger reduction at Dringhouses Library by 4.5 hours

Councillor Jones said, "One of the objectives of the Best Value review of Library Services was to ensure that the maximum use of resources is being made for the best possible levels of service and there will be significant benefits for library users across the city as a result of these proposals.

"The level of usage of Osbaldwick Library and the need for major investment has to be balanced against the wider needs of the community and in this review they will benefit significantly."

The council is working towards meeting the public library standard for aggregate opening hours per 1000 population for all libraries. The current average in York is 108 hours and the new Government standard is 128. The review would take York libraries up to 112 aggregate hours per head of population.

/more Library Review/4 Annie Mauger, head of the council's library service, said, "The increase in opening hours at Strensall, which is already busier than an average library, is in anticipation of the refurbishment and the increase in the range of facilities that will be available. The decrease in hours at Dringhouses Library would create a pattern of opening hours which would reflect the comparative levels of use while popular usage is similar to village libraries such as Poppleton and Bishopthorpe which are open for between eight and five and a half hours less per week."

At Osbaldwick the average number of visitors per hour is nine - almost 20 less than average figure for all York libraries with the joining rate also well below average and falling.

Ms Mauger said, "The building, which is rented by the council, is in a poor location and is in need of investment which the council cannot justify given usage levels.

"However, we have a government-funded computer learning centre opening at Tang Hall Library in May within less than a mile of Osbaldwick Library, so there is opportunity to access free ICT facilities nearby."

The council's mobile library has already been visiting Osbaldwick at different locations on a regular basis since October - with levels beginning to compare with the building-based service in terms of number of books issued per hour. Concern over low usage there has already been raised with members of the local community but no viable suggestions for alternative fixed sites have come forward.

Ms Mauger said, "The mobile library offers a viable alternative in that it can visit more suitable locations, has disabled access and is already being used. It will soon have access to our on-line catalogue so that people can see what's available across the whole of the city."

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