We have a key library in each district council area across Hampshire. This library will be a central hub, supporting the smaller libraries in the district. Our goal is for the 11 key libraries to be open for at least 50 hours per week, 6 days a week.
The other libraries in each district have been designated as large, medium, small or neighbourhood. Each designation has a minimum number of opening hours and all will be closed at least one day a week.
Winchester Discovery Centre is designated as a key library.
The majority of responses (67%) agreed with the proposed changes. Of the disagrees 46% wanted to retain longer opening hours on Sunday by reducing opening hours during the week. 6 customers wanted to close altogether on Sunday. 3 preferred 11 -3 Sunday opening and one wanted 10 – 2.
As the majority of responses agreed to the reduction in opening hours on Sunday the proposal to reduce the hours on Sunday will go forward for approval. However based on staff feedback the hours will be 11 – 3 on Sunday.
Alresford is designated as a small library.
From original proposed change: 74% disagreed and of these disagrees 98% wanted to keep the late night on Friday. 83% of these put forward alternative proposals, with 43% of these suggesting opening later each morning. Other suggestions included opening two hours later on Friday or closing over lunchtime.
From revised change: 92% agreed with the revised proposals. Of the 7 that disagreed three wanted at least one morning opening earlier than 10am.
As 92% of the responses agreed with the revised proposed change, the revised proposed alteration will go forward for approval.
Bishop’s Waltham is designated as a small library.
The majority disagreed with the proposed changes and 90% of these wanted to keep some form of late night for workers in particular. 18 responses suggested alternative solutions and 7 of these suggested keeping the late night by opening at 10 or 2 on other days. This solution was also put forward by Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council.
The revised proposed change will go forward for approval, based on feedback from customers and the Parish Council
We know that Stanmore Library is much loved by those customers who do use it, but we do not feel it is viable for it to continue to be run by Hampshire’s Library Service. We are therefore keen to enter into discussions with local groups or organisations who might be interested in taking over full responsibility for running Stanmore Library, with support from the Library Service.
We realise these discussions might take some time and we have set a deadline of 28 December 2011 for any groups to come forward. If we cannot agree arrangements to transfer the running of Stanmore Library to a local group by June 2012 then it is likely to close in September 2012.
A member of the Library Service’s Management Team visited Stanmore Library to discuss these proposals.