Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council
Policy Review Committee and Executive Member -
Recreation and Heritage Item 6
Policy Review Committee: 23 May 2002
Easy Returns Service
Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage
Contact: John Dunne Ext: 6057
1. Summary
1.1 The Library Service Best Value Review identified the need for improvements to the van delivery service between libraries. The Library Service would like to use this opportunity to offer a new service to the public, which is the ability to return any borrowed item to any library in the County.
2. Current Delivery Service
2.1 The current delivery service consists of three transit vans which deliver new and requested books, videos, CDs, DVDs and other materials to all 54 libraries in the County.
2.2 With the increase in services being offered to the public, including more CD-Rom, video and DVD collections, and the ability to request any item from any library, the current delivery service is overloaded and delays are taking place.
3. Future Service
3.1 The Best Value Review Action Plan identified the need to provide a daily service to all large libraries and a four-day service to medium sized ones. (The current service is a four day service for large libraries and two days per week for the others).
3.2 In achieving this target, the opportunity arises to provide an extra service for the public. At present, items borrowed from a library must be returned to that library and this can be an inconvenience for the public.
3.3 The Easy Returns Service would allow for any item borrowed, to be returned to any library in the County.
3.4 It is planned that the service will come into effect from 1 July 2002.
4. Resources
4.1 The resources required to achieve these improvements in service will be met from existing budgets.
5. Recommendation
5.1 That the improvements in the delivery service to libraries and the introduction of the Easy Returns Service be welcomed and be submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage for consideration.
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers
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