In what has been seen as a shock move by some, B&NES Council has announced that it will be relocating both Midsomer Norton and Bath’s Central Libraries. The Council says the move is to ‘modernise’ the

library service across the district, but ultimately, it will be making forecasted savings of £800,000 a year, freeing up the commercially viable buildings, particularly in Bath’s Podium.

The Council says that following the partnership of the joint library and One Stop Shop in Keynsham, a similar model will now be put in place for Midsomer Norton Library, with Bath’s Central Library also on the move. The Council maintains that this is part of a modernisation to reflect the changing way people use the library service.

Data collected by Bath Central Library over an average week shows how people use the library. 52% wanted to book a computer or print something out, 19% wanted information, 9% wanted to renew or borrow books, 6% wanted a specific item, 5% wanted help with their account, 4% wanted help with computers or photocopiers, 2% wanted access to newspapers, 2% wanted to hand items in and 1% wanted to join the library.

The new plans put forward by the Council promote a modern service offering access to extra computers, improved wi-fi facilities and more family space.

Work on the new design is underway, and a first draft of the plans will be ready in the New Year when comments from members of the public will be welcome.

The plan for Midsomer Norton Library is to relocate to the One Stop Shop at The Hollies. Again, there will be more computers and improved wi-fi, with child and family-friendly facilities created. Designs for the new facility will be shared with the community in January for comment and feedback.

The plans for Bath Central Library will see the library relocate to the first two floors of Lewis House in Manvers Street. To ensure a continuous service, a temporary library will be created in The Podium while work is carried out on the new location, with the public encouraged to give feedback on the plans early in the New Year to help shape the final layout.

The Council says that all of the three million books will continue to be available for members of the public to access through Libraries West, and local history books will be added to the archive collection and be available for everyone in a modernised facility in The Guildhall.

Councillor Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North), B&NES Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “The plans we are putting forward will ensure that B&NES residents have access to a modern library service, which is both sustainable for the future and fits with the way in which people are now using library services.

“For example, we know that people are increasingly using our libraries to access computers and information, as well as attending family events, rather than simply browsing for books.

“At the same time, the Council is facing extremely challenging times as it looks to balance its budget. By co-locating our libraries with other community services, these changes will not only provide a modern library service to residents, but will also help the Council towards achieving the large savings it has to make in the coming years.”

B&NES Council needs to save £49 million over four years. Modernising the library service will contribute £800,000 a year towards these savings by freeing-up current premises such as the Podium, which can then generate an income for the Council through leasing opportunities.

A spokesperson for B&NES Council told The Journal this week: “Decisions regarding events and opening hours are still to be determined, but we will work closely with the community and our partners to gain their feedback and ensure we offer the best possible solutions.

“Modernising the library service will mean savings, which will also be achieved by not replacing vacant positions within these teams when they arise. At this stage, there are currently no plans for compulsory redundancies.

“We will seek to work with volunteers where appropriate, but in Midsomer Norton, we would like to build on the success of our Keynsham model of joint One Stop Shop and library, making the best use of digital services and meeting the changing needs of our community.”