Devon County Council to launch public consultation on future of libraries

Devon County Council (DCC) is preparing to reshape its library services to better meet the changing needs of residents, and this November, the public will be invited to have their say.

At a meeting on Wednesday, October 8, councillors gave the green light for a 12-week public consultation aimed at gathering views on how libraries should evolve to remain relevant, sustainable, and accessible amid financial pressures.

DCC currently operates 50 libraries across the county, all managed by the charity Libraries Unlimited. More than 113,000 people are registered as active users, with children making up the largest group at 28%. However, the way people use libraries has changed significantly in recent years. Digital borrowing now exceeds one million loans annually, and libraries have expanded their role as community hubs, hosting more than 12,000 events last year, from Lego Clubs and arts sessions to coding workshops and rhyme time for toddlers, attracting over 218,000 attendees.

Despite their popularity, the council faces increasing budget challenges. Councillors were told that a new 'Library Needs Assessment' will help guide the future direction of services, identifying where resources are most needed and where innovation can help maintain access.

The upcoming consultation will explore a range of options, including revised opening hours, greater use of technology and volunteers, and potentially transforming some libraries into community-managed hubs supported by DCC. Similar models already exist elsewhere; Cornwall, for instance, runs four libraries directly and supports 27 through local partnerships, while Lincolnshire operates 15 core libraries alongside 35 community-managed ones.

Councillor Cheryl Cottle Hunkin, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Libraries, said:
“Devon’s libraries are trusted spaces at the heart of our communities. We know how vital they are, and we are absolutely committed to them. But the way people are using our libraries is changing, and this is a chance to redesign the service to provide a modern, flexible service which reflects how people use our libraries today. Nothing has been decided and when we launch the consultation next month, we want to hear what you, the users, think; your ideas will help us form and shape our proposals.”

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited, added:
“We understand the funding pressures that Devon County Council are under. As a charity we have been using our reserves for the last few years to try to plug the gap and deliver the service as it was, but we cannot continue to do this. We are able to offer a substantial amount of added benefits to the service through grants and funding - for example, we just used a grant to refurbish the children’s library in Exeter, but the core library service is funded by the Council. We are working with DCC to create a more sustainable library service and we urge everyone to get involved in the public consultation when it comes out, as libraries are vital to our communities.”

The consultation will run from November 2025 to January 2026, with revised proposals expected to be presented to the DCC Cabinet by April 2026.