A public consultation on the future shape of Northumberland’s library service has received more than 1,800 responses in its first month.

Northumberland County Council embarked on the consultation in December asking for people to submit their comments and ideas of how the service should be delivered in the future.

The 12-week consultation is open to all, whether they are a regular library user or not, and the council is also engaging with schools in order to get the opinion of youngsters in the county.

The questionnaire is available online at bit.ly/NCCLibraryConsultation and as a paper copy in all libraries in the county.

It is hoped the consultation will help identify the most valued aspects of the service and the barriers to library use across the county. The results of the consultation will help the council focus on how the service is delivered in the future.

As a statutory service the council is required to carry out a public consultation exercise if changes to the service are proposed.

Cllr Cath Homer, cabinet member for Culture, Arts, Leisure and Tourism said: “Thanks to everyone who has already submitted their feedback, we are delighted with the response so far and would encourage everyone to share their views.

“Northumberland’s library service has undergone many changes in recent years, however we feel that now is the time to take a thorough look at the service and make sure that it is serving the needs of our communities both now and into the future.

“We are keen to deliver a sustainable library offer where all communities are encouraged to become more involved in co-producing services relevant to local need.”

A series of drop-in sessions are also taking place across the county for residents to ask questions or provide verbal feedback.

The second drop-in consultation in Cramlington is Tuesday 21st at Cramlington Library between 9am – 1pm.

To find out when and where other drop-ins will be held click here