I am writing to confirm that, regretfully, the mobile library service in Oxfordshire will cease to operate in September.
This difficult decision was taken in February following extensive public consultation on proposals to make huge financial savings across all county council services. As a result of reductions in the money the council receives from central Government and rising demand for essential services such as social care for vulnerable adults and children, we are currently in the process of having to save £361million between 2010 and 2018.
We know how greatly the mobile library is valued by its users, and are encouraging people to continue borrowing books from the service until the last round of visits begins on Monday 5th September. The final day of the service will be Friday 16th September.
Service users will be offered alternative library provision through our network of 43 library buildings; our online library services; and our Home Library Service. Oxfordshire Library Service already has a successful Home Library Service that works through paid staff, partners and volunteers to deliver books and resources to those residents who are unable to get to a library themselves, and this is being expanded to accommodate any additional demand.
Schools have already been notified and our general service users will be informed formally of the changes and alternative provision by letter on June 6th.
I would like to thank you for the support you have given to the mobile library service and I do hope that we will be able to work with our service users to find suitable ways for them to continue accessing library services in the future.
Yours faithfully,
Jillian Southwell
Library Service Manager
Oxfordshire Libraries