Swindon Borough Council Core Library Service - Extended Opening

Tender description

Swindon Borough Council currently has 15 static and one mobile library. There is a current proposal to reduce this to 4 libraries with reduced staffed hours. This has just been through a consultation phase, with a final decision being made at Swindon Borough Council Cabinet meeting on 7th December 2016. It has already at 9thDecember 2015 Cabinet been decided that the library budget will reduce from £2.6M per annum in 2016/17 to £1.1M per annum by 2020. Swindon Borough Council are looking at ways to enhance the core library service by extending opening hours beyond those of the proposed staffed hours. The focus at present is on the 4 libraries proposed to be in the core service Central, North, West and Highworth. There could also be a possibility that any of the 4 proposed core libraries may not eventually have the technology fitted so the contract will be written to ensure flexibility. In addition, this solution may be extended to cover other libraries once the strategy is agreed by Cabinet in December 17 and to include additional libraries in the core service currently not in the proposed strategy or community solutions that may look to make use of this technology. All libraries will need the same technology therefore the contract will need to include flexibility for future purchases without commitment from the Council. Swindon Borough Council is therefore looking to procure a technological solution that will enable a library to stay open unstaffed and for permitted users to be able to obtain the services they require as if the library was staffed. It is unknown at this time what hours the libraries will be open unstaffed and whether the existing opening hours will be maintained, increased or decreased. Keywords: Library