Customers of West Berkshire Council's Library service are taking full advantage of the new system of managing library loans which was introduced at the start of the month.
Families are already making more use of the library knowing that children’s books will not incur a charge if they go overdue, and users with email addresses on the library system are receiving reminders of their books on the day they are due back giving them time to extend their loans or return them before incurring charges.
In addition, nearly 80 library users who had built up large outstanding charges have taken the opportunity of a charges cap and clearing their accounts. Some users have had charges of more than £20 waived as the library service encourages people to clear their accounts and start afresh as a library borrower.
Anyone with outstanding charges can take advantage of the cap on charges, of £4 for children and £8 for adults, anytime during April or May at any West Berkshire Library. After this period the library service will be introducing a recovery system and full charges plus £10 will be payable so anyone with outstanding charges is encouraged to clear their account during April and May.
Good grief, what a bunch of whiners you lot are! Is there a single topic that could be raised here that one of you won't pop up and whinge about? You are literally hopeless.
Good grief, what a bunch of whiners you lot are! Is there a single topic that could be raised here that one of you won't pop up and whinge about? You are literally hopeless.
Yes. The people sat around reading the papers are not the staff.
I DO refrain from comment on the majority of posts, but I I has been accused of being a whiner ..... here goes...... I have been to Newbury Library twice. The first time I was treated with complete contempt because I didn't know how to use the "automated" system and didn't have a pin number. The second occasion I wanted some books from a series my 8 year old is reading. I couldn't find any on the shelf so asked the librarian. I was greeted with "they are all out", and she didn't even look up from her computer screen. I then very politely asked if she could recommend something similar, at which point she let out a HUGE Sigh, banged her mouse on the counter and waved a dismissive hand in the direction of some shelves and said "look over there". I am sure they are not all like that, but as far as I am concerned they can shut the whole place down and turn it into a arts centre, then the uptight stuck up staff will still have somewhere to work. So there whining done
Anyone would think that they have deliberately put the "surly to bed - surly to rise" crew in there in order to foster a general reluctance to use it - and thus justify closing it down later.
Anyone would think that they have deliberately put the "surly to bed - surly to rise" crew in there in order to foster a general reluctance to use it - and thus justify closing it down later.
Threep.
Who? Do you mean the library staff, wanting to close themselves down? or someone / something else?
Anyone would think that they have deliberately put the "surly to bed - surly to rise" crew in there in order to foster a general reluctance to use it - and thus justify closing it down later.
Threep.
Ooooo you are so cynical To be fair the only other users were several arabic men reading arabic websites on the computers.
It has always been something of a mystery to me how the S106 payments always seem to allocate great shards of money for West Berks libraries. I noticed it on the application for the Parkway John Lewis site and thought at the time how will that impact on the library. Perhaps, being cynical, it's so that shoppers can go to the library and do their online shopping. A recent application, which appears to have been recommended for refusal, viz the old Travis Perkins site is also being asked for £13,284, amongst others, for the library. We appear to be struggling for finance for important things these days and I just wonder if the library is a bit of a Dinosaur anyway.
Just for information, these appear to be the S106 payments demanded of the developer. I have, as best as possible taken the figures from the planning docments.
Public Open Space £95,979 Primary Care Trust £8,985 Social Care £35,682 Library Service £13,284 Education £284,483 British Waterways £12,150 (K&A towpath)
A recent application, which appears to have been recommended for refusal, viz the old Travis Perkins site
True to form, the planners have recommended refusal and the committee has therefore refused the development, despite being supported by several of Newbury's leading bodies.
I have no doubt it will go to appeal and the council will have to foot the bill for the costs.
There also seems to be approval for a set of traffic lights at the Kings Road/Boundary Road junction at £240k ? What's that about I wonder.
True to form, the planners have recommended refusal and the committee has therefore refused the development, despite being supported by several of Newbury's leading bodies.
I have no doubt it will go to appeal and the council will have to foot the bill for the costs.
There also seems to be approval for a set of traffic lights at the Kings Road/Boundary Road junction at £240k ? What's that about I wonder.
There also seems to be approval for a set of traffic lights at the Kings Road/Boundary Road junction at £240k ? What's that about I wonder.
Probably traffic improvements to do with the Racecourse development - re-jig a junction or two and put up some traffic lights and all of a sudden the road can cope with 50% more traffic.
Yes, but you have to wonder what's going on. The whole site is ripe for development and the sort of housing they are asking for permission for is not overbearing. The traffic flow along Mill lane is certainly going to be less than it was when it was a builders merchants. The number of people that were employed on the site have all been transferred to their new location a hundred yards down the road plus several more new jobs for the guys who work for the new plumbers merchants. The b*ll**ks about it being an employment site has been covered by the developer who is proposing a load of work/homes which will provide enough job opportunities to cover any shortfall. So a few flat owners around think they will be overlooked. That's what happens if you buy a flat close to a development area. What do the council want, they could have pulled in some S106 money, although I think they were a bit greedy, and the librarian would have been happy with his cut. I am sure the developers will fight this one and if WBC lose, that will be another bill we will have to foot.
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