HAY-ON-WYE the town famed as the home of second hand books could be left without a public library.
Powys County Council is set to issue closure notices for branch libraries if local town and community councils or voluntary groups are unable or unwilling to take them on or stump up 50% of their annual runnings costs.
Hay Town Council has already said it isn’t able to take over the library in Chancery Lane and caims it isn’t allowed to award such a large grant.
Powys council could start a consultation on closing the library, that currently opens four days a week, and withdraw its plan to continue providing 50% of the library’s funding.
Hay resident Anita Wright with other library users has formed a steering group to fight for its future.
She said: "Powys council would look extremely foolish closing the library in the town of books with an international reputation as the book centre of the country. I think they need to think very carefully."
Hay has been known as the original ’booktown’ - and the home of second hand books - since eccentric bookseller Richard Both bought Hay castle and in the 1970s opened it as a second hand bookshop.
There are now some 30 second hand bookshops in the town that has a population of just 1,500 and Hay also host its own international literature festival every May.
Self styled King Richard later declared Hay an independent kingdom and the town a flagship for his vision of a ’booktown’ economy driven by second hand book sales.
What is the current situation regarding libraries in Powys?
The council launched a consultation in April on how it could cut running costs of 11 branch libraries by 50% and continue to provide a service.
But branches at Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Llanwrtyd, Rhayader and Talgarth as well as three towns in Montgomeryshire could all be in jeopardy unless agreements are reached by October 31.
The council must make savings from its library service of £100,000 in 2017/18 and £150,0000 in the following financial year as part of its plan to save £29 million by 2019.
Have any groups come forward to take on libraries?
Yes. Crickhowell High School, Presteigne and Norton Town Council and Knighton Community Centre and Knighton Town Council have submitted what the county council has called "firm proposals" to take on the running of their local libraries.
Powys council says partial agreements have been reached over the majority of the remainder of the 11 branch libraries.
Will there be any county council-run libraries left in Powys?
Yes. By law county councils must provide a library service. When Powys council launched its consultation it proposed its six main libraries - Brecon, Llandrindod, Ystradgynlais, Machynlleth, Newtown and Welshpool – and the two mobile library services for north and south Powys will in future form the cornerstone of the service.
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