A new consultation by Essex County Council could see the closure of up to a third of the county’s libraries by 2024.
The Council aim to create a service “fit for the future” with the vision of a library service “available on-line 24/7 to fit in with people’s lives.
Around 25 of the county’s 74 libraries could close with another 18 potentially run by volunteers.
Traditional library use in Essex has collapsed in the last ten years. There are 31% fewer people using Essex libraries now than there were in 2008 – over 100,000 less users – and loans of books and other items are down by 52%. At the same time, use of the e-library service, including e-book loans and online reservations, has more than doubled since 2013.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks from 29 November until 20 February 2019.
More information from Essex County Council on their website here
