Suffolk Libraries wants your views as service faces shrinking budget

Library users across the county are being asked to have their say on the future of the service — in the wake of a shrinking budget.

Suffolk Libraries is an independent organisation which has a five-year contract to run the county’s library service. It is now looking ahead to the future, undertaking a review to work out how it can run a “modern” and “affordable” library service that meets people’s needs.

Whilst there are challenges ahead for our library service, we are now looking to the future and want to build on the successful work we have done since 2012 to protect and improve services across Suffolk and to local communities

The library service budget has been reduced by a further £200,000 for 2017/18 and year-on-year reductions means the library service budgets is now a third less than it was in 2010.

The survey will run until May 8.

Tony Brown, Chair of Suffolk Libraries, said: “Whilst there are challenges ahead for our library service, we are now looking to the future and want to build on the successful work we have done since 2012 to protect and improve services across Suffolk and to local communities.

“There is much to be positive about; all our libraries are still open, some have even increased opening hours. Suffolk Libraries has strived to make improvements and innovations, whilst offering a diverse range of services and there are now even more activities in libraries. We may have to make difficult decisions but we are still committed to doing everything we can to protect local library services which we know mean so much to their communities.”

Consultation events will also take place at Beccles Library on Saturday, April 22, and in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday, May 6, both from 10am to 1pm.

Have your say by visiting www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SuffolkLibraries2017. For more information see www.suffolklibraries.co.uk