Kempston Library is at risk of being turned into a 'digital library' with vastly reduced staffed opening hours on set days. The remaining hours are proposed to be 'unstaffed' and accessible by a digital card reader.

THE PUBLIC MEETING AT KEMPSTON LIBRARY WILL BE AT 6PM ON MONDAY 17TH OCTOBER

• These digital hours will be limited by age (so children of a certain age will not be able to access the libraries during these hours)
• During digital hours there will be no staff on hand to help those who do not have English as a first language, the elderly, partially sighted or disabled users except during the short hours that are staffed (which could be as low as 4 hours a day at set times.)
• There is no proposed safety mechanism to stop 'tailgaiting' where a vulnerable person could be using their card to access the library and someone else could gain unauthorised access.
• There are concerns over the safeguarding of young people and vulnerable adults during unstaffed hours especially with open access to IT facilities.
• The staffed hours may be set at the same time every day which means those who are vulnerable or can only get out on certain days and times will find it very difficult to access.

Bedford Borough Council recently undertook consultation which proposed the following four options:
Option 1 - A Commissioned Service
Option 2 - A Community Supported Model
Option 3 - Fewer Libraries
Option 4 - Reduced Hours

The digital model was not part of the initial consultation and has been added since. You can read more about the proposal at: www.bedford.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/consultations/library_consultation.aspx

The council have increased the deadline for consultation up to 5pm on Friday 21st October.  

PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING THIS PETITION IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT TURNING KEMPSTON LIBRARY INTO A DIGITAL MODEL

You can also sign a paper version of this petition at Project 229, 229 Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8DW