Cuts to Northamptonshire's libraries

If services close residents won't be able to hire books and DVDs out in Woodford Halse.

Eight libraries across Northamptonshire are on borrowed time following the announcement of a proposal to close them to save money.

The county council says the plan will reduce costs by more than £3.5m.

Woodford Halse, home to 4,000 people in the West of the county, is one of the places on the list.

The library survived an attempt to close it a few years ago, but it is feared it may not be around for much longer.

As the older people of the village met for their annual Christmas dinner in the Memorial Hall, this piece of news cast a shadow over the festivities.

Other Libraries

The council says many of the regular users also visit other libraries in nearby towns, so they would still be able to borrow books and DVDs even if the local service was withdrawn.

However, villagers say they would miss their friendly, local library round the corner.

Get on the bus

Some of Woodford Halse's senior citizens accept that they could take the bus into Daventry to get their fix of fiction.

They say that would involve a bus journey of around an hour, assuming that one was running when they needed it, followed by a walk to the library and another hour on the bus back.

A senior citizen taking a look at the internet.

A short wander to the old primary school is much more convenient, and some of the more remote villages nearby have few links to Daventry.

The battle

The parish council's preparing for a battle, having been instrumental in saving the library after the last closure threat.

Bernadette Rogers, who chairs the council, says that volunteers could be used to staff the building on Saturdays, which must be the most expensive day to open the library.

She also says that the parish council owns the building, and the county leases it from them.

There are several years left on the lease, so the county will be committed to paying the rent even if the building stays empty.

The prize these elderly folk really want to win is the reassurance that they won't have to return all their books for the last time.