Promoting reading and encouraging residents to become digitally skilled have been identified as high priorities for the Caerphilly Library Service over the next three years.
The service, run by Caerphilly County Borough Council, has enjoyed a productive five years that has seen the completion of the authority’s library investment programme – a commitment to create or improve 18 libraries across the county borough. The council’s new Caerphilly Library Service Strategy 2014-17 outlines how the service will build on the positive progress made over previous years.
The key targets for the Caerphilly Library Service over the next three years will be to establish coherent reading and digital enablement plans for the county borough. The service will also be tasked with improving levels of library use among residents and improving the marketing of library facilities.
As part of efforts to achieve these goals, an important requirement will be to develop library service staff to offer appropriate customer support. Considerable efforts will also be made to work more effectively to better utilise stock, technology and resources available to further increase usage levels at all local libraries.
Members of the council’s Cabinet unanimously approved the Caerphilly Library Service Strategy 2014-17 during on Wednesday 16th July.
Cllr Rhianon Passmore, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education & Lifelong Learning, said: “We are extremely proud of our library network here in Caerphilly county borough, and we are seeing more and more of our residents making use of access to co-located services within our libraries. However, the completion of our investment programme does not mean our work is over.
“We know that our libraries have a key role to play in improving literacy skills, and we will continue to work hard to encourage all cross sections of our population to take advantage of what’s on offer in our libraries.
“Increasingly, libraries are also playing an integral role in increasing digital literacy and engagement, and initiatives such as Get Caerphilly Online are going a long way to arming our residents with the digital skills they need to access information, improve their employment opportunities and compete for work.”
For more information about the county borough’s library network please visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk.
