You would hope - probably in vain, that all user groups in libraries would be consulted in the first instance, but as is their way, Hounslow are pretending to care what people think but have plans to go ahead regardless.
"None of this is yet fixed. The figures for Brentford, Isleworth and Osterley are described in the business case as indicative, and are subject to change through a period of public engagement expected to run from summer through autumn 2026, alongside site-specific risk assessments and design work continuing into November 2026. That engagement is intended specifically to test and refine assumptions like these, so users of these three libraries who have views on the scale of the shift from staffed to self-access hours will have a direct opportunity to feed into how the model is finalised locally. Building and equipment upgrades are expected to begin from January 2027, with the first self-access sites going live from April 2027 and a wider rollout continuing through to September 2027."
If you read that quickly it looks like library users will be consulted - but again it is just going through the motions as the timetable for work and the rollout is already factored in! The time to start consultation is now, but it seems clear this will happen regardless, shame on Hounslow. |