New chapter in the tale of our libraries

Aug 28 2008 by Michelle Coyle, North Wales Weekly News

Following a disastrous three years for Conwy county’s libraries, the local authority is set to act on a series of recommendations in a bid to boost user numbers and save money. SHELLEY COYLE reports

READERS are abandoning Conwy’s libraries in their droves.

Llangernyw library has suffered the severest drop in figures over the last three years. Its users are down 63%, from 12,272 to 4,550.

Kinmel Bay and Deganwy share a depressing 43% slump in visitors, while Llanrwst is deemed the biggest success in that it has managed to retain its users.

But no library in the county has successfully increased the number of people coming through its doors.

Rapidly decreasing numbers of library users should come as no surprise: Conwy’s own report reveals that it is among if not the lowest per capita in Wales for investing in books for the community.

Drastically falling numbers of visitors to the county’s libraries prompted calls for action, and in September, 2007, a task force was set up in a bid to improve library services whilst reducing costs in line with their decreasing use.

The findings were presented earlier this month, calling on the authority to provide £50,000 of funding annually for the next two years, as well as investigating various ways to consolidate and boost library usage – and that might include closures, mergers and closer links with the community.

Rhian Williams, principle librarian in Conwy, recognised that the task and finish group have their work cut out in raising dwindling numbers of library users.

Rhian said: “Due to funding Conwy has not been able to keep up with the Welsh standard. Numbers of visitors have fallen as, when people have failed to find the books they wanted, they’ve not returned.

“We would like to invest further but unfortunately have not been able to do so. We are doing the best we can with our limited resources.

“Nothing has been decided yet, although cabinet members have approved a set of recommendations that will be looked into immediately.”

If the recommendations are followed through, unsustainable libraries could face closure. Conwy, Deganwy and Llandudno Junction are being lined up to lose their community libraries in favour of a modern, central service – one that could save the cash drain of costly rents in Conwy as well as being more popular than Deganwy’s under-used library and better located than the site in Llandudno Junction.

The panel has suggested that funds saved from closing libraries would be channelled back into more sustainable libraries, providing IT facilities and mobile library services. No libraries will face closure without alternatives being provided in some form.

The role of libraries as educating tools is set to increase with the possibility of struggling libraries in Llanfairfechan and Llangernyw merging with the village primary schools and community groups to improve sustainability.

Rhian Williams approved of proposals to work alongside schools: “Promoting libraries to children is vital for us to succeed, they are the users of the future.

“We do a lot of work already with schools and have had a successful summer reading challenge this year with a sports theme in line with the Olympics.”

The future of Cerrigydrudion library has been in jeopardy, but proposals could see it saved through a coalition between county and community council.

Cerrigydrudion Community Council clerk Caerwyn Roberts said: “When we heard there was a possibility of our library closing, we asked to speak to the county authority.

“We discussed the option of taking over some responsibility for maintenance of the building to help the library to stay open by reducing costs. This was just a first step and we need to sit down properly with the council before making any decisions.”

The task and finish group has looked into signposting for libraries to ensure better public awareness of them. Actively encouraging library users to promote the service themselves could also play a part in plans to revitalise our libraries.

Rhian Williams said: “We have had some successes already with £115,000 of funding from the Welsh Assembly to substantially improve Colwyn Bay library, and £100,000 to make-over Abergele library, for which we are still in the planning stages.

“These works should make a great difference to library users in those areas. If we can get people into libraries by making them welcome and filled with useful services, we stand a better chance of retaining them.”

michelle.coyle