Key Information

In Haringey, we’re proud of our libraries. We have some of the longest opening hours in London. In recent years, the council has made significant investments into library buildings to make them more welcoming, accessible and user friendly. It is the council’s plan for this investment to continue for the benefit of communities in years to come. 

Whilst we have managed to protect libraries from cuts during the long years of austerity, due to severe constraints on council funding nationally, we are unable to sustain the current operating model. The council is therefore consulting residents and stakeholders on options to vary library service hours.  

• No library would be closed and all library buildings will be retained in Council ownership under these proposals 
• The reduction in opening hours is required to deliver a saving of £675,000, a sum previously consulted on as part of the 2024/25 budget setting process and agreed at Full Council in March 2024. 
• Haringey Libraries currently have some of the longest opening hours in London.  
• A full needs, usage and demographic analysis has been carried out to inform the proposals on which we are consulting. 
• An equalities impact analysis will be carried out around the final proposed opening hours for each library and put before the Council Cabinet to inform their final decision. 
• We are holding staff vacancies and using agency staff to help us minimise the need for redundancies but we cannot guarantee there will be no redundancies. We will follow our organisational change policies and are consulting staff and trade unions as part of the consultation process. 
• It is anticipated that library buildings could be used by other services/organisations during hours when the library service is closed. 
• We are aware of our statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service under the 1964 Libraries Act. 

Please read the consultation documents in the document library below for more information.