Libraries keep link

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day has confirmed there will be no cuts to a courier service for inter-library loans in regional areas despite concerns the transfer of books from metropolitan libraries would cease.

The City of Busselton last week told theTimes over the past 12 months library users had generated an average of 500 inter-library loans every month, or more than 6000 for the year.

City of Busselton director of community and commercial services Naomi Searle said at least one third of the City’s library readers’ inter-library loan requests were sourced from Perth metropolitan libraries.

Ms Searle said libraries provided highly valued services to the community, with more than 15,000 members paying almost 200,000 visits and borrowing almost 290,000 items from either Busselton or Dunsborough libraries in the past 12 months.

Last month the State Government considered changes to the inter-library loan courier service, which delivers books between metropolitan public libraries and regional libraries.

TheTimes understands the Government initially discussed changing to a commercial courier service but these were never on the table for regional libraries.

“There will not be, nor was there ever intended to be, any change to the inter-library loan service in regional areas,” Mr Day said yesterday.

“Library users in Busselton and across country WA will continue to be supplied with loan materials forwarded to regional libraries under existing commercial courier arrangements.”

Mr Day said the transfer of books between public libraries was an important part of the library system across the State and the Government.

“The State Government strongly recognises the importance of public libraries to the community, and is committed to providing appropriate resourcing to the State’s public libraries,” he said.

“The transfer, with the assistance of WALGA and Public Libraries WA will ensure that this service continues in an appropriate manner into the future.”

Vasse MLA Libby Mettam said library services were essential to regional communities of all ages.

“For the metro areas a transitional arrangement will be put in place whilst an arrangement with the not-for-profit service provider Spine and Limb Foundation Inc are ready to take over this service,” she said.