Councillor blasts move to scrap mobile library
Derek Bibby says decision will hit rural residents
A councillor has slammed a decision to take Renfrewshire’s mobile library service off the road.
Derek Bibby said the move by Renfrewshire Leisure would affect people living in rural communities, particularly those with mobility issues or are visually impaired.
He has teamed up with fellow Labour councillor Carolann Davidson to lodge a protest against the decision at today’s full council meeting and will call on it to be reinstated.
Councillor Bibby said: “Renfrewshire Leisure, who run the service on behalf of the council, should recognise that not everyone owns a computer or a car.
“This is a vital link between the library service and rural communities providing a dropoff and pick-up point for reading and audio materials.
“We are constantly told that we need to improve the quality of life within our rural communities particularly for older people. Access to library services and good transport links are vital in this regard.
“It is ridiculous that barely a month after rural bus services across Renfrewshire were either withdrawn or reduced, which will make it harder for people to travel to the central libraries, that the decision to withdraw the mobile library service has been taken. “It must be reversed.” The last day of the mobile library service’s operation was Friday, April 27.
Letters were sent to people who used the library service detailing the reason for its closure.
It said the number of visits to the mobile library had dropped by 65 per cent in the last five years from 9,344 to 3,277.
Councillor Bibby questioned the figures however, claiming the service has been unreliable over the last 12 months with the service withdrawn on several occasions. Joyce McKellar, chief executive of Renfrewshire Leisure – which operates the local library service – said: ” Unfortunately, the number of customers using the mobile library service has fallen dramatically in recent years and this, coupled with the rising operating costs, means the service no longer offers value for money.
“However, we appreciate there is a significant group of people in our communities who are unable to leave their homes to access either a mobile library or a community library.
“It is our intention to pilot the introduction of a library home delivery service to reach out to this group by re- investing resources that were previously taken up by the mobile library.
“Bringing books and other library services to the housebound would be a better use of resources.”
Decision must be reversed Derek Bibby