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New Boy
Average Member
United Kingdom
381 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 21:35:16
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ConDem govt cuts start to bite?
East Herts council who spent £800k on a makeover for Gascoyne Way car park in Hertford (hello its still ugly), proposing a 39% reduction in Ware Library opening hours. Although the new hours seem to give regular access throughout the week, really concerned that is the opening shot towards closing it down.
The library should be a treasured resource for the community, and it somewhere that my family love and regularly use. |
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steve
Moderator
United Kingdom
1370 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 21:40:01
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Already under discussion at http://www.wareonline.co.uk/haveyoursay/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4616&whichpage=2
The following is from the BBC News website:
Libraries in Hertfordshire could have their opening times cut by a third in proposals aimed at ensuring they will not have to close down.
The county council is running a consultation on the impact of efficiency savings on the library service.
The council is hoping to keep all its buildings open and instead reduce the opening hours.
Libraries would open for 1,575 hours a week rather than the current 2,236.
'Stagger' hours
It is also proposed to focus the mobile library service on rural areas.
Leader of the council, Robert Gordon, said: "We want to avoid closures but the financial realities have forced us to consider significant reductions in opening hours instead.
"We plan to stagger opening hours so that, even when your most local library is closed, another relatively local one will be open."
The seven-week consultation started on Tuesday. |
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tonyappleton
Senior Member
United Kingdom
655 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 22:45:02
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The proposal is that the library will close at 6pm rather than 7pm, only open from 2pm to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and close all day Thursday.
It means anyone working in London will be unable to use it apart from Saturday mornings.
It will also restrict internet access for many elderly people who don't have or want a computer at home. |
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skippy
Advanced Member
1039 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 01:28:31
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quote:
Originally posted by tonyappleton
The proposal is that the library will close at 6pm rather than 7pm, only open from 2pm to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and close all day Thursday.
It means anyone working in London will be unable to use it apart from Saturday mornings.
It will also restrict internet access for many elderly people who don't have or want a computer at home.
But still better than losing it all together? |
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KateG28
Average Member
195 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 08:45:50
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quote:
Originally posted by skippy
quote:
Originally posted by tonyappleton
The proposal is that the library will close at 6pm rather than 7pm, only open from 2pm to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and close all day Thursday.
It means anyone working in London will be unable to use it apart from Saturday mornings.
It will also restrict internet access for many elderly people who don't have or want a computer at home.
But still better than losing it all together?
Skippy, I totally agree. There are cuts across the country and this seems a good compromise. If the need arises the it will be relatively simple to increase it again.
But then I rarely use the library anymore (although I did a lot when my son was little) so I am not sure I am entitled to an opinion. |
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Aardvaark
Average Member
United Kingdom
226 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 11:10:41
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I contributed to the other thread - that more about general cuts in local services. As I said there, the staff would really like people to go in and give their views - there are comment cards available. There is a poster detailing the proposed new hours, the Library is currently open all day Saturday and that will remain, although I can't remember the actual hours and if they will reduce on that day or not.
The whole point is that the proposals have come from County Hall, so if they don't suit us locally we should say so. I don't believe we can avoid any cut in hours but at least they should know what suits the residents of Ware best. If a late night opening would suit you, or you want it not to close Tuesday mornings when the Market is in Ware, then say so.
I'm worried that if we don't voice our views and the Library is only open when it suits none of us, the number of loans will continue to decrease - and we will lose the Library altogether. After all, Hertford have a shiny, new - not yet operational - Library, which has to be justified, and I can see them wanting to combine into a Hertford and Ware Library. |
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New Boy
Average Member
United Kingdom
381 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 21:34:34
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Comments can also be recorded on line at www.hertsdirect.org/libraries
Agree with earlier comment that if we don't voice our views and the Library is only open when it suits none of us, usage will dip and the council will have excuse to close.
And once again Hertford gets a shiny, new Library with the Sainsbury's cash; and we will be second class citizens again. |
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Dusty
Senior Member
United Kingdom
692 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 23:45:35
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| I don't use the library and haven't for over twenty years as they don't (or didn't when I last went there) suit my purposes. Would it be proper for me to fill in a form to voice my views if I never use the service provided. |
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ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2804 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 10:26:10
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| Of course it would be proper to express your views. You may not use it, but you do pay for it so you're entitled to an opinion |
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Kitty
Junior Member
79 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 11:28:17
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| One small way of helping might be to use the DVD service they provide. They've moved the DVDs to right by the door which could be a hint! If they get a bit more revenue from the DVDs perhaps that will help show the library is more "economically viable" - which is probably all the council cares about. |
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Mel
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2010 : 11:42:37
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| We've just been to the library and yet again Ware is coming off worst in the cut in hours. I can't remember the exact hours but Buntingford only gets a cut of 6 hours. |
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Aardvaark
Average Member
United Kingdom
226 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2010 : 12:45:21
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I've had a look at all the hours online - to be fair Ware isn't being harder hit that the others. There are a lot of smaller libraries that are only open around 36 hours per week - they are being cut back to about 30 (there are obviously slight variations). The bigger libraries open around 60 hours per week are being cut back to around 40 hours. HALS at County Hall is going to close on Mondays and have only one late night opening. The only one that gets away with only a small reduction is Barnfield - but as that services all the Libraries that's hardly surprising.
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Mel
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2010 : 15:16:51
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| Ware will lose 21 hours, Hertford 17, Bishops Stortford 14. Doesn't seem fair to me. |
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Rich35
Average Member
United Kingdom
153 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2010 : 16:03:20
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I have just registered my comments. The library is great and my son and I love to visit and he now loves books and is an excellent reader - not a coincidence I think?
We also use the DVD hire facility - so handy and better than having to go to Hertford and pay for parking there!!
Keep it open as much as possible and please don't let it shut! |
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WickenMan
Average Member
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2176 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2011 : 11:43:40
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| Clearly it is better that the service should be cut rather than shut down. As long as shift patterns/staff costs can be made to fit within different hours I would expect the council will listen to local advice - for example opening on a Tuesday morning and closing on a wednesday one instead. I think boosting the DVD rental service is an excellent idea. |
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stevo22
Junior Member
United Kingdom
43 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2011 : 17:12:29
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| Sorry to be a bore but the library is run by Herts CC - not EHDC - can't balme this for that one - whatever you think of the carpark...that said it's a disgrace really |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2176 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2011 : 18:51:32
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| It's technically correct to blame HCC for library cuts, many district and county councillors are the same people anyway. But, EHDC, HCC even Ware TC, they're all the same Tory party that run things and always have around here. They are unresponsive, undemocratic - their expenses are way above anything paid in surrounding counties - and for some reason (with the exception of the town council) they HATE Ware. |
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Whereaami
Senior Member
United Kingdom
818 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2011 : 07:34:41
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quote:
Originally posted by mb1
It's technically correct to blame HCC for library cuts, many district and county councillors are the same people anyway. But, EHDC, HCC even Ware TC, they're all the same Tory party that run things and always have around here. They are unresponsive, undemocratic - their expenses are way above anything paid in surrounding counties - and for some reason (with the exception of the town council) they HATE Ware.
EHDC is up for re-election this year......time for a change if people can be bothered to turn out. |
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