West Berkshire Council Proposes Discontinuation of Mobile Library Service

A mobile library service, operational for 40 years, may be terminated as a council seeks to achieve financial savings. West Berkshire Council has put forward a plan to retire its mobile library service starting in April 2025. The council’s intention is to substitute it with what it terms “more effective library service options” for residents, particularly those in rural areas. A final determination on this matter is scheduled for the local authority’s executive committee meeting on Thursday. The council has attributed the decision to discontinue the mobile service to declining usage and the requirement to replace one of its vehicles with an electric van, at an estimated cost of £200,000. The current mobile library vehicle is 18 years old, and the local authority has indicated that maintenance expenses have increased annually, making the upkeep of this ageing diesel vehicle on the road more costly. In its place, residents who are unable to visit physical library buildings and thus meet the criteria for the “library at home service” will be paired with a DBS checked volunteer. The expectation is that these volunteers will dedicate time to understanding the reading preferences of the individuals they are connected with, enabling them to select and deliver a variety of books to their homes every three weeks. The council stated that the provision of this service will not be restricted by a timetable of fixed locations and can be delivered anywhere within the West Berkshire district, thereby enhancing accessibility. It reported that 239 residents exclusively utilized the mobile library service in the 2023/24 period, and abolishing the scheme would generate annual savings of £42,000.