Library reforms to go before council (From Your Local Guardian)

Lambeth library reforms to go before council

5:12pm Tuesday 15th November 2011 in Streatham

Proposals to reform Lambeth’s library services will be put before the council on Monday.

The plans, drawn up by Lambeth's Library Commission, would give residents more say in how libraries are run, the council said.

The commission - set up to recommend how Lambeth’s libraries could incorporate £750k reduction in the library budget - has recommend, rather than closing libraries, remodelling staff structures, cutting waste, and introducing more self service technology.

Under the plans, Brixton and Streatham libraries will be open seven days a week fully equipped with the latest IT and a full range of specialist library staff.

West Norwood, Minet, Carnegie, Durning and South Lambeth libraries will all remain open and be developed into community libraries, run in partnership with the residents who will decide how they are managed, how budgets are spent.

Clapham’s new library will open in the New Year.