Like many regular library users, I’m not getting any younger and have come to rely on the library for much more than just borrowing books. I use it to access fiction and non-fiction, get recommendations from the staff, take park in social groups and, just as importantly, meet and spend time with other people in the community. Because our library has limited shelf space, I regularly request books from other North Ayrshire libraries to be delivered to West Kilbride. If opening hours are reduced, I am concerned that it will take longer for these books to arrive, making the service less effective. The proposal seems to assume that people can simply travel to another library if ours is closed. That isn’t always possible. Many people have health problems, limited transport options or other circumstances that make travelling difficult.
I visit on a weekly basis, we take books out, return them & enjoy our time at the library. My son is now 6 and has been coming to the library regularly. He enjoys chatting to Gail & Michelle who engage and help assist him with his next stages of his reading. The library is already closed on a Wednesday, therefore limiting to 2.5 days, restricts users on their ability to use the service.
Firstly, I am amazed that the form current Hours/Proposed Hours contains a GLARING arithmetical error. Total current hrs should read 26, not 24. Because the wrong information has been provided the public are not in receipt of the correct information. The loss of hrs is greater than stated. 2. Loss of freedom of choice to visit library when wished. This would affect me and the community as a whole. 3. The proposed Wed/Saturday arrangement is too confusing. I suspect this will lead to a decline in the no. of visits on Wed/Sat. 4. I visit with my grandchild and take every opportunity to visit the library when he randomly makes the suggestion.
The only impact - and inconvenience - would be the reduction of opening hours and the irregularity of the proposed new hours. However I understand these decisions have already been taken. Thank you for sending me this form, as I was unable to complete it on-line.
1. The suggestion that this library would be open on alternate Wednesdays and Saturdays is not a good suggestion. Users will not know which day is available and will just not go on either day. We are already used to the library being closed on a Wednesday so make Saturday opening every Saturday and that will help working folk access the facilities. 2. Changing the opening time from 10 to 9.30 may help you with your total opening hours but is unlikely to help users who are accustomed to a 10am opening. 3. I'm aghast at the possibility that the helpful, creative and knowledgeable staff are going to be disadvantaged by these changes.... are they?
Despite an 8.5% rise in Council Tax 2026/27 we are faced with a decline in the level and frequency of services and public amenities particularly those which are non statutory. Local Government has multifarcious demands on its finances which do not necessarily accord with its various stakeholders, many people and also critical on how efficiently services are provided due to legislation, etc including procurement, outsourcing, terms and conditions of their staff etc. West Kilbride is a community asset and is massively important to many individuals and groups. Measures need to be explored to make greater use of the building and secondly to counter the decline in reading and education and explore other mediums to increase utilisation of the library. For certain individuals it is a place of safety and warmth. Both the people of WK and the staff deserve better.
As a home schooling family we use the library regularly as part of our learning. The changes especially on a Friday & alternate Saturdays will also affect weekend activities as we also just like to visit the library - especially when access to a car on these days is limited.
The proposed changes would have a slight positive impact for me in that a slight increase to opening time on Sat and Wed (half days) would be useful to me and the earlier closure on Tue would have no negative impact. However that would be more to do with convenience than being vital to my access/use of the library. Having previously lived in West Kilbride and used that library and still sometimes doing so the proposed timetable of two full days open at the beginning of the week, two full days closed at the end of the working week and Wed and Sat as half days on alternative weeks seems a complicated proposal not offering consistency of service over the week, within decreased hours. The decrease in opening days and hours for Fairlie Library will I believe be a negative move for that community too. The libraries are integral parts of these communities offering both services and community resources and opportunities for local community contact.
Like many regular library users, I’m not getting any younger and have come to rely on the library for much more than just borrowing books. I use it to access fiction and non-fiction, get recommendations from the staff, take park in social groups and, just as importantly, meet and spend time with other people in the community. Because our library has limited shelf space, I regularly request books from other North Ayrshire libraries to be delivered to West Kilbride. If opening hours are reduced, I am concerned that it will take longer for these books to arrive, making the service less effective. The proposal seems to assume that people can simply travel to another library if ours is closed. That isn’t always possible. Many people have health problems, limited transport options or other circumstances that make travelling difficult.
I visit on a weekly basis, we take books out, return them & enjoy our time at the library. My son is now 6 and has been coming to the library regularly. He enjoys chatting to Gail & Michelle who engage and help assist him with his next stages of his reading. The library is already closed on a Wednesday, therefore limiting to 2.5 days, restricts users on their ability to use the service.
Firstly, I am amazed that the form current Hours/Proposed Hours contains a GLARING arithmetical error. Total current hrs should read 26, not 24. Because the wrong information has been provided the public are not in receipt of the correct information. The loss of hrs is greater than stated. 2. Loss of freedom of choice to visit library when wished. This would affect me and the community as a whole. 3. The proposed Wed/Saturday arrangement is too confusing. I suspect this will lead to a decline in the no. of visits on Wed/Sat. 4. I visit with my grandchild and take every opportunity to visit the library when he randomly makes the suggestion.
The only impact - and inconvenience - would be the reduction of opening hours and the irregularity of the proposed new hours. However I understand these decisions have already been taken. Thank you for sending me this form, as I was unable to complete it on-line.
This is crazy hours. Good to be opened Weds but should correspond with Ardrossan our nearest library to this.
1. The suggestion that this library would be open on alternate Wednesdays and Saturdays is not a good suggestion. Users will not know which day is available and will just not go on either day. We are already used to the library being closed on a Wednesday so make Saturday opening every Saturday and that will help working folk access the facilities. 2. Changing the opening time from 10 to 9.30 may help you with your total opening hours but is unlikely to help users who are accustomed to a 10am opening. 3. I'm aghast at the possibility that the helpful, creative and knowledgeable staff are going to be disadvantaged by these changes.... are they?
Despite an 8.5% rise in Council Tax 2026/27 we are faced with a decline in the level and frequency of services and public amenities particularly those which are non statutory. Local Government has multifarcious demands on its finances which do not necessarily accord with its various stakeholders, many people and also critical on how efficiently services are provided due to legislation, etc including procurement, outsourcing, terms and conditions of their staff etc. West Kilbride is a community asset and is massively important to many individuals and groups. Measures need to be explored to make greater use of the building and secondly to counter the decline in reading and education and explore other mediums to increase utilisation of the library. For certain individuals it is a place of safety and warmth. Both the people of WK and the staff deserve better.
As a home schooling family we use the library regularly as part of our learning. The changes especially on a Friday & alternate Saturdays will also affect weekend activities as we also just like to visit the library - especially when access to a car on these days is limited.
I do not think hubs within districts will fulfil anything like the same function as I question how much people from other towns will use them.
The proposed changes would have a slight positive impact for me in that a slight increase to opening time on Sat and Wed (half days) would be useful to me and the earlier closure on Tue would have no negative impact. However that would be more to do with convenience than being vital to my access/use of the library. Having previously lived in West Kilbride and used that library and still sometimes doing so the proposed timetable of two full days open at the beginning of the week, two full days closed at the end of the working week and Wed and Sat as half days on alternative weeks seems a complicated proposal not offering consistency of service over the week, within decreased hours. The decrease in opening days and hours for Fairlie Library will I believe be a negative move for that community too. The libraries are integral parts of these communities offering both services and community resources and opportunities for local community contact.