Birmingham City Council’s Libraries Consultation 

Libraries are not just places where you can borrow a book, they provide access to computers, the internet and printers. Libraries provide a study and community space and host workshops, activities and cultural events. They are a community hub and it’s important that you are aware of the proposed changes and have the chance to have your say.

Birmingham Libraries are currently consulting on the future of Library Services and are inviting all people that live work or study to help shape the future of Library services. The consultation is now live and runs until the 17^th of July 2024.

What is the proposal?
Library Services and details of the recommended options is to move away from the Council’s current 35 Community Libraries to a mixed delivery model of:

• BCC run Community Library hubs open 5 days per week providing library and early intervention and prevention services.
• BCC Community Library hubs open part-time hours providing library and early intervention and prevention services.
• BCC staff co-located with partners/community groups providing library services.
• Community groups running library services via Community Asset Transfer.
• Library of Birmingham.
• Virtual (digital) Library.
• Expansion of mobile provision.
• Prison Library.
• Self-Service.
• Libraries at Home Service

Based on the current information on community interest and co-location opportunities, Birmingham City Council estimates a combination of the council run and community-led provision might secure circa 25 building-based library services. This figure may change through the consultation as we gather more information.

Why your views matter
We are inviting you to give your views on the proposed changes to the Library Service and any alternatives you may wish to propose.

Please ensure that you respond within this period as responses received after the closing date will not be included in the consultation. All feedback will be collated and used to inform decisions.

How you can have your say
To have your say and be involved in the consultation for Library Services please take part in the online Libraries Consultation Be Heard Survey link HERE: Libraries Consultation 2024 – Birmingham City Council – Citizen Space (birminghambeheard.org.uk)

The online survey should take up to 30 minutes to complete and is completely confidential, so your information will not be shared and you will not be contacted about your answers.

Start the online survey here.

Paper copies and easy-read formats can be completed and returned to all Birmingham Libraries. Please contact LibrariesPublicConsultation@birmingham.gov.uk if you would like the information in an alternative format or have any further access requirements. 

Join an online evening consultation session
Following on from the online consultation session that were run during April, Birmingham City Council will be running a series of online evening consultation sessions for those who could not attend the daytime sessions.

The online consultation evening sessions will follow the same format, and contain the same information, as the previous online consultation sessions that have already taken place.

The sessions are best experienced using the Microsoft Teams application.

Details about how to download the application are provided in the following links:

Download the Microsoft Teams app for mobile devices (for Android and Apple mobile phones)

Download the Microsoft Teams app for desktop devices

You can also join a session by phone or mobile using the ‘dial in by phone’ number and enter the phone conference ID when you are prompted to do so.

The dial in by phone numbers and phone conference IDs for each session are detailed in the right-hand column in the table.