Library service wins praise

Herefordshire residents have given the county’s libraries a big thumbs up according to results from a new survey carried out by the council’s Research Team.

Some 2,447 library users in Herefordshire completed the Public Library Users Survey (PLUS), a figure equivalent to 21 per cent of the estimated 15,373 weekly visitors to the county’s libraries.

The survey is carried out every three years among visitors to the county’s libraries in Hereford, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye, Ledbury, Bromyard, Belmont, Colwall, Weobley and Leintwardine.

Key findings from the 2006 survey were 90 per cent thought the library overall was good or very good and 92 per cent thought the library was good or very good as a safe place to visit.

Some 89 per cent thought library opening hours were good or very good, a marked improvement when compared with the figure of 65 per cent in the 2003 survey. Biggest improvements were seen in Bromyard (25 per cent in 2003, up to 98 per cent in 2006) and Colwall (30 per cent ion 2003, up to 93 per cent in 20060.

Of respondents, 98 per cent thought staff helpfulness was good or very good and 85 per cent thought the same of their physical condition.

The survey found 98 per cent thought staff assistance when finding something out was good or very good while 92 per cent thought the same of the information service.

During their visit to the library 89 per cent of those who intended to borrow books did so and 97 per cent of those who intended to use a computer did. 83 per cent of those who intended to find out something during their visit also did so.

Natalia Silver, head of economic and community services, said: “Libraries are an important resource for residents in the county and we have worked hard to improve the facilities on offer. The new Kington Centre, which incorporates the library, has proved very popular with people in the town.”

Library managers are now assessing the results of the survey to plan where further improvements can be made to the service for the benefit of the community.

Kington library was not included in the 2006 survey because refurbishment works were being carried out to create the new one-stop Kington Centre.