Council cuts library opening hours

Libraries across the county have reduced their opening times to save more than £1.5m.

Cornwall Council has decided to spare its 32 libraries from closure despite plans to save almost £250,000 a year from its £7m budget in the face of government cuts.

Savings will be made by reducing opening hours when demand is at its lowest and cutting money spent on new books.

Libraries will also be merged with existing one-stop-shops and the registration service, which records births and deaths and carries out civil marriage ceremonies.

Cornwall Council's Conservative-Independent coalition has said it needs to cut more than £170m from its total budget over the next four years.

Councillor Alex Folkes, the Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet member for libraries, said: "It's regrettable that libraries will be losing more than 90 hours across Cornwall each week."

The changes will come into effect in April.

Helston library will be open from 9.30am until 5pm on Monday, Thursday and Friday, from 9.30am until 6.30pm on Tuesday, and from 10am to 1pm on Saturday. It will be closed on Wednesday and Sunday, It means the library will open for two-and-a-half hours less each week.

Falmouth library will open from 9am until 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, from 9am until 6.30pm on Thursday, and from 10am until 4pm on Saturday. It will be closed on Wednesday and Sunday, Which means the facility will be open for just one hour less than at present.

Penryn library will open from 9.30am until 1.30pm on Tuesday, 9.30am until 5pm on Wednesday, from 9.30am until 6pm on Friday, and from 10am until 1pm on Saturday.
It will be closed on Monday, Thursday and Sunday, meaning the library will be open for two-and-a-half hours less than at present.

People in Falmouth have mixed views about the value of their local library. (Please note there is no sound at the beginning of this video.) 

Library from arshia arshia on Vimeo.