#LetsTalkLibraries consultation
Shaped by responses received in the first phase of public consultation, we developed a new Dorset Council Library Strategy, with the mission: To Inspire, Connect and Enable our communities through our services.
In the second phase of public consultation closed on 22 December 2022. We called upon residents, businesses, employees, partners and stakeholders to help us prioritise and explore what delivery could look like in our communities.
On Tuesday 25 July 2023 our new library strategy was approved by cabinet. We have started to implement the new library strategy and action plan. The new operating model and changes to opening hours will come into effect during financial year 2024 to 2025.
Thank you to everyone who shared their views in the #LetsTalkLibraries consultations. We have listened to your feedback and used this, alongside engagement workshops and a strategic needs analysis, to shape the new strategy.
View the:
- public consultation
- children’s consultation
- employee, business and partner consultation
- the needs assessment
- shared intelligence engagement report 2023
- equalities impact assessment June 2023
- plan on a page
- library strategy Joint Overview Committee report 7 June 2023
- extract from draft minutes of Joint Overview Committee 7 June 2023
What happened
The following table sets out a timeline of stages we followed during the creation of the new Dorset Council Library Strategy. We are now in stage 9, implementation.
| Stage 1 | 25 October 2021 | Consultation | Phase one of public consultation opens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 | 7 January 2022 | Consultation | Phase one of public consultation closes |
| Stage 3 | Spring 2022 | Development | Development of draft strategy following phase one consultation |
| Stage 4 | Spring 2022 | Review | Draft library strategy refinement |
| Stage 5 | Autumn 2022 | Consultation | Phase two of public consultation opens, seeking views on draft |
| Stage 6 | Winter 2022 | Consultation | Phase two of public consultation closes |
| Stage 7 | Spring 2023 | Development | Amending the draft strategy following phase two consultation responses |
| Stage 8 | Summer 2023 | Sign off | Final library strategy presented to Cabinet for sign off |
| Stage 9 | Summer 2023 onwards | Implementation | New library strategy implemented |
Keeping up to date
You can keep up to date on the progress of the implementation by:
- visiting this web page
- signing up to our residents e-newsletter
- signing up to the Dorset Libraries e-newsletter
- following Dorset Libraries on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- following Dorset Council on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
- reading our news releases and watching our videos
Why we updated our library strategy
Libraries are at the heart of Dorset’s communities, and we want them to stay that way. They provide highly valued services, including:
- book lending
- activities and events
- reading groups
- skills and learning
- health and wellbeing
- information provision
- digital access and support
- art and cultural exhibitions
Our old library strategy was 11 years old. Over those 11 years, there were significant changes in public behaviour and digital technology, and impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our new strategy looks to the future of Dorset’s libraries and how can they best meet the needs of residents and communities, now and over the next 10 years.
