Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture and Leisure Convenor, outlined the new library stock policy which was agreed by the Culture and Leisure Committee at their meeting on 14 September.
She said: “In these difficult economic times, it’s crucial that our Libraries service makes the best possible use of its resources while continuing to provide an excellent service to all our members.
“The Culture and Leisure Committee unanimously agreed the city’s first ever stock policy, drafted in consultation with library members and staff, to ensure that people know exactly what to expect from each different type of library. For example, it makes perfect sense for the libraries with the largest stock capacity to hold the widest variety of titles and genres, while the more compact local libraries will focus on those genres most in demand by the communities they serve. Any book can also be requested in any library (free of charge) – the individual is notified when the item arrives at their local library and it can also be returned there.
“Access to libraries is becoming easier than ever; our recently-launched (and APSE Award-shortlisted) Virtual Library service is already proving very successful, while our outreach services such as Library Link and our mobile services to hospitals, care homes and children’s homes continue to provide a much valued service.
“Libraries in Edinburgh nowadays are becoming genuine community hubs, providing a huge range of services and opportunities for learning, leisure and local information to help people make the most of the services available to them in their neighbourhood.”
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