RESIDENTS are being asked how they use library services in the borough with Wigan Council admitting that cuts have to be made.

It says the libraries consultation, which launched last Monday, aims to find ways to improve the current service and make it more efficient and effective for the future.

Libraries have been shutting all over the country but all 15 in the borough have remained open and the council says it is not proposing to close any.

It added that ‘careful spending decisions and listening to resident feedback’ has enabled it to ‘retain vital services’ such as libraries and school crossing patrols.

But the council admits it needs to make cuts of £1.4 million for the borough’s library services to continue.

Cllr Paul Kenny, cabinet member for leisure, said: “We understand how important our libraries are to residents.

"Over the years we have seen them transform. These days they are about much more than books.

"Community groups use them to host dementia friendly sessions, craft groups meet up in them, young families use them for story time and residents use them to get onto the internet to search for jobs or to print things off.

"They bring communities together, which is why it is absolutely imperative that we do all we can to protect them for the future.

"But to do this we need to transform.”

In 2015-16 precisely 868,911 people visited the borough’s libraries and 566,519 items were issued.

In the same period 7,012 visits were made to residents who use the Home Delivery Service, with 44,374 items issued.

Cllr Kenny added: “These figures show how important our libraries are, which is why we are not proposing to close them, though we do need to transform the service.

"Our approach, which draws on the principles of The Deal, involves utilising our fantastic community assets like our volunteers, upskilling our workforce so that library staff are able to assist with a whole range of customer service enquiries and looking at our buildings to ensure we are making the best use of them.

“Over the years we have had incredible support from community groups who are helping to run services traditionally run by the council.

"Beech Hill Bookcyle, Orrell Bookcycle and Aspull library are all community-run libraries and demonstrate what can be achieved.”

To reveal how you use library services and suggest ways they can be improved visit wigan.gov.uk/libraryconsultation to complete an online. Alternatively paper copies can be found in the borough's libraries.