“Library at home” service to replace mobile unit

It’s the final chapter for West Berkshire’s mobile library service.

After 40 years, the vehicle is set to be ‘retired’ and the council will save £42k a year, instead relying on volunteers to deliver books to those unable to get to a library.

The council is proposing to discontinue the mobile library service from April next year and replace it with what it describes as a range of more effective library service options for residents, particularly in rural areas.

The council’s executive committee will decide on Thursday.

It says the move to axe the mobile service is down to declining use and one of the vehicles needing to be replaced with an electric van – at a cost of £200k.

Instead, residents unable to visit library buildings and therefore meeting the criteria for the library ‘At Home’ service, will be matched up with a DBS checked volunteer.

The volunteer would then spend time getting to know the reading tastes of the person they had been linked up with to enable them to choose and deliver a selection of books to them in their own home on a regular basis, every three weeks.

The delivery of this service will not be restricted to a timetable of set locations only and can be delivered anywhere in the West Berkshire district therefore increasing accessibility, says the council.

Customers with mobility issues can receive book deliveries from the service in their own homes rather than having to attempt to access the mobile library vehicle.

A selection of additional costed library service options for pop-up libraries will be put forward to town and parish councils for their consideration.

The e-library provision means residents will continue to have the option of borrowing a vast selection of books, magazines and newspapers through the e-library service, free of charge.

Help in accessing these digital services can be provided by library staff and volunteers

The council says use of the mobile library service has been in decline over the last few years.

Up until 2017/18 there were two mobile library vehicles in West Berkshire, but one of the outcomes of the libraries review at that time was to retire the larger mobile library vehicle, out of the fleet of two.

The smaller vehicle was retained, but the service has been subject to further decline.

Statistics for 2023/24 show that many residents who use the mobile library service, also borrow books from the physical library buildings and therefore would not be severely impacted by no longer having access to this service.

Only 239 residents solely used the mobile library service in 2023/24.

The current mobile library vehicle, owned by WBC, is 18-years-old. Maintenance costs are increasing year on year to keep this ageing diesel vehicle on the road. If this service were to continue in its current form, then a new vehicle would be required.

As part of reviewing this service, the council has investigated the cost of replacing the vehicle with a like for like electric version – this would cost in the region of £200k.

In view of the significant investment required, combined with the diminishing usage of the service, it says this option has been discounted.