In Shropshire, the School Library Service (SLS) operates as a traded service, which schools can buy into, and around 65% of schools in Shropshire choose to do so. Schools that subscribe to the service can borrow books and artefacts relating to school topics and receive training for staff and pupil librarians. Schools can use the service to supplement their own stocks of books and resources.   

The service has been operating at a loss for the last two financial years and we no longer have the reserves to fund this. Any future service, if retained, would require more schools to subscribe to the service and to pay more to do so.  

Shropshire, like many other councils, faces a very challenging financial position, and we must find £62m of savings this year. This is due to ever rising demand for social care, which now accounts for almost £4 in every £5 we spend, and rising costs from continuing high levels of inflation. 

This means that we now have some very difficult decisions to make, including reducing some services, particularly non-statutory ones. In some cases, this means stopping services altogether.

Schools have been invited to respond to a consultation to share ideas, including whether they would be willing to pay more for the service, or start using the service if they don’t already, to make it financially viable for the future.

We're also inviting members of the public to share their feedback on the proposals.

All possible options to continue the service will be explored and we welcome all possible solutions.

Please click on the 'How to get involved' tab on this page to have your say.

Documents

• PDF of Schools Survey.pdf

Alternatively, you can contact us as follows:

• Email: TellUs@shropshire.gov.uk
• Post: Feedback and Insight Team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate Shropshire SY2 6ND