Author 'horrified' by plans to cut libraries

For authors like Tracey J Morgan from Shrewsbury, the thought of limiting people's access to books is a horrifying one.

"Libraries are literally the heartbeat of the community," she said in response to Shropshire Council's proposal to cut back on the library services it provides.

Morgan is equally concerned about the wider impact that it could have on society, from communities losing warm spaces during cold winter months to clubs and groups having to find new homes.

Cutting library services is not a decision the Liberal Democrats running Shropshire Council want to make, but the authority is under growing pressure from government to demonstrate its seriousness about finding urgent savings.

In a bid to save hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, the council is considering closing two static libraries as well as its mobile library service, and reduce the opening hours of some of its largest libraries.

"We know that people are more likely to use a service if it's on their doorstep," Morgan said.

"Some parents will still take their children to the library, but maybe they won't go as often, or maybe they won't go at all.

"People don't realise until they've gone, or their hours are shortened, just what an impact it will have on everybody."

• Reduce opening times to 30 hours per week at six principal libraries, in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Bridgnorth and Whitchurch
• Closure of the library at The Lantern in Sundorne, Shrewsbury
• Closure of Gobowen Library
• Closure of the mobile library service, which makes 232 stops over a two-week cycle across three vans

Morgan said she was particularly concerned about plans affecting the library at The Lantern in Sundorne in Shrewsbury, which she visits every fortnight for a writing group.

The area is one of Shropshire's most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

"I love The Lantern because it's accessible, it's got free parking and it's out of town," she said.

"I recently found out that I'm actually autistic and in terms of neurodiversity, it's such a calm space.

"Why would you want to take that resource away from so many people in the local area? It's a completely free resource and inspires minds," she added.

Gobowen in north Shropshire is the other static library at risk of being cut, saving the council £37,970 a year.

It is currently open for 15 hours per week and only had 262 active users, which are residents that either borrowed a book or used a computer, in 2025-26.

Each active user cost the authority about £145 in the last financial year.

"The impact would be a triple whammy," said the area's Green councillor Craig Emery.

"Not only could Gobowen lose its library, but Oswestry, which is three miles away, is also having its opening hours cut. Some residents also rely on the mobile library, which may end."

Last month, Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council discussed whether to provide £30,000 to Shropshire Council to continue a library service for 2027-28.

Parish councillors voted against the plan five to three, with Emery abstaining due to having seats on both the parish and unitary authorities.

This is not the first or last service to face being cut by Shropshire Council, which remains unable to deliver a balanced budget without financial support from the government.

Interim chief finance officer Duncan Whitfield expects the authority to request loans worth tens of millions of pounds each year until at least 2031-32.

While the council has a legal duty to provide a "comprehensive and efficient" library service, a national standard for how many libraries a council must run or what opening hours they must keep does not exist.

The authority hopes that by cutting the service it can save more than £400,000 a year.

It has stressed that no final decision will be made until after a 12-week consultation has been held, which launches on 30 November.

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