TWO online sessions are taking place on Monday 20th September for residents to discuss their views and ideas with the Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Louise McKinlay.

In these sessions Cllr McKinlay will outline ideas for key principles to help guide the service and its future development. Residents will be able to discuss these, as well as make suggestions and offer feedback.

The County Council has firmly positioned the development of library services as a priority for the new administration, recognising their importance not only as places to encourage and support reading and learning, but also as community spaces used by all sections of local communities.

The ambition is to enhance and upgrade the library service and ensure it reflects the needs of local communities. All libraries in Essex will remain open and opportunities for training and upskilling libraries staff will be a key priority.

Important improvement have already been made, such as the recent landmark move to a new Libraries consortium, providing access to an additional six million items of stock, and the hugely successful Summer Reading Challenge which 17,153 young people took part in.

Cllr McKinlay said: “I want to see libraries at the heart of our communities. That is why we plan to invest in, enhance and protect the library service. Talking to residents and library users about the key principles for the service is the first stage in our commitment to making this happen.

“It is really important that we engage with our residents on the key principles driving the strategy. I would like to hear from residents who are current library users but also from people who are not presently using the service, so we can better understand what they want from the service.

“All feedback and suggestions will be taken on board. This really is an opportunity for residents to help mould the future of our library service.”

Residents wishing to attend the sessions can register their interest via the following links. They will then be contacted by email with full joining instructions prior to the event they have registered for:

Morning session 11:30-12:30, 20th September: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/have-your-say-on-the-library-service-tickets-169622719119

Evening session 18:00-19:00, 20th September: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/have-your-say-on-the-library-service-tickets-169624544579