Public asked for views about Devon libraries

You may be able to use them when they're closed

None of the 50 libraries in the Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, will close, despite the council asking residents how they should operate in future as cash becomes tighter.

The council has launched a three-month consultation on proposals to reduce and standardise opening hours and options to extend opening hours through additional volunteering by using technology and the potential introduction of community managed libraries.

A dedicated survey for children is part of the consultation.

The council currently more than 113,000 active registered library users in Devon and 28 per cent of those are under 16, the single largest group.

Devon currently has 50 council-commissioned libraries, run by the charity Libraries Unlimited, alongside a Home Library Service and outreach programmes.

Together, they welcomed 2.6 million visits last year and hosted more than 14,000 events, ranging from children’s story sessions to digital skills workshops.

The consultation comes as the authority faces mounting financial pressures which means that the council must now look at how services are delivered.

The library service budget has been reduced year on year, and whilst efficiency savings have been made the current model is no longer sustainable.

And although digital borrowing of e-books, audiobooks and e-magazines has grown, physical book borrowing is below pre-pandemic levels.

Residents will be able to view the proposals for their local library and will be asked whether they support plans for ‘standardised’ staffed hours.

Cllr Cheryl Cottle Hunkin, cabinet member for Libraries, said: “As the way people use libraries continues to change, this consultation is an important chance to rethink and update the service, so it better reflects how people use libraries now and how they hope to use them in the future.

"By making sensible use of new technology, we can support libraries to develop further as community hubs, giving local people and organisations more opportunities to make good use of their library spaces. We’ve seen this technology used successfully in other parts of the country to extend opening hours, improve access, and offer more flexibility for residents.

The consultation runs until Sunday February 22 2026. Forms can be completed online, at local libraries, or returned by post.