LEETON library will remain as a standalone service – for now.
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Council resolved to keep the operating model it was revealed the options explored would not result in cost savings.
Over the past three months, senior management staff and library staff have consulted extensively with representatives of the Riverina Regional Library Service (a regional service model) and Western Riverina Libraries (a co-operative model) and held meetings with representatives of Narrandera Shire Council to explore a range of possible options for the library’s future.
Environmental Services and Community Services director Garry Stoll said while initial investigations indicated remaining a standalone library was the preferred option, council’s library services team would continue to explore other shared arrangements with Narrandera Shire Council on a case-by-case basis.
Leeton mayor Paul Maytom said council was systematically reviewing every area of activity to look for savings to close its 2020 Fit for the Future infrastructure backlog of $1.3 million per annum, with $800,000 the goal the next financial year.
“While we are not fundamentally changing our library service, we will proceed with the proposed 2016/17 library savings of $60,137 and management will monitor our organisational capacity to keep the desired service levels sustained,” Councillor Maytom said.
“This library saving contributes to the $800,000 saving we will have achieved by July 1.”
Some of the potential shared arrangements to be further explored with Narrandera Shire could include:
- Sharing of books through an interlibrary loan system
- Seeking joint grant funding for books
- Sharing of books through a bulk loan exchange
- Sharing transport costs for library training in other towns
- Staff with expertise in areas such as family history to potentially run workshops in either library
- Reciprocal staff sharing arrangements to cover periods of leave.
The Irrigator reported in March the Leeton and Narrandera libraries may become one in a bid to save money under the Fit for the Future process.
Some residents expressed concerns about the proposal.
