Surrey Officers Researching Libraries Abroad To Transform The County’s Service

Published on: 15 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 20 Sep, 2019

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Surrey council officers are researching libraries in countries as far away as Australia to find how the county’s 52 libraries can be transformed.

Officers are also looking at those in America and Denmark, Liz Mills, director of education and lifelong learning and culture, told the Children select committee on Thursday, September 12.

Wyndham City libraries in Melbourne, Australia, hold gaming days for children and workshops for teenagers trying to get their CVs together for work.

Denmark’s Dokk1 in Aarhus, the largest public library in Scandinavia, was crowned the best in the world in 2016. As well as books and workspaces, their meeting spaces, performance hosting, art exhibitions and play areas for children won praise.

The futuristic-styled building also houses the world’s largest tubular bell, rung every time a baby is born in the city.

Closer to home, officers are also looking at The Hive in Worcester. The £60m library and history centre, opened in 2012, hosts lectures and community events.

Guildford Library in North Street

Improvement of Surrey’s library service is still in the planning stages, but officers hope to have more details for cabinet members in November. The research, running slightly behind schedule, is part of SCC’s planned £250m savings by 2021.

Ms Mills told the committee they would be looking at how the buildings are used and whether they needed to move to a more central location. She would not comment on how many or if any would be closed during the changes.

But councillors raised concern about how “cuts” to the library service will be perceived. Cllr Victoria Young (Con, Waverley), said there were worries about the future of Bramley Community Library.

“People aren’t going to want to think about further disruption where community libraries have been set up slightly recently,” she said. “Particular concern is that Surrey might wish to do something else with the building and shut the library.”

Cllr Chris Townsend, Residents’ Association and Independent group member for Mole Valley, warned: “Whether we are talking about buildings or not, some are going to be closed.

“You are going to have the public perception that ‘You are closing my library’.”

Horley Library – Image Surrey County Council

Recently, Horley library moved to a new area in the town. Within the first three weeks of opening, there was a 63% increase in book issue and 400 new joiners.

The library is in Russell Square, near the train station and shops, and includes two meeting-rooms for hire, a local history centre plus public toilets.

Committee chair Cllr Kay Hammond (Con, Horley West, Salfords & Sidlow) said the transformation of the library service could be “an exciting programme that could benefit communities that don’t have access at the moment”.

“I have seen such a transformation in Horley,” she said. “It’s new and it’s exciting. I see exciting times ahead provided it’s done in a measured way.”