The new opening hours for Kent’s libraries have been decided and will take effect from 30 September.

The pattern of opening hours at each library has recently been subject to a local engagement with library customers.

During a three-week public engagement, customers were asked for their comments and invited to vote for their first and second preferences for the opening hours from a range of options for each library offered – each option was for a different arrangement of the same number of hours the library would be open.

The results were carefully considered and the hours chosen have all been based on the results and comments made.

Each library is currently displaying a poster detailing the new opening hours.

This exercise followed a 10-week consultation by KCC’s Libraries, Registration and Archives service last November on its proposed new strategy which included the proposal for tiering libraries.

This outlined which libraries would be in each tier and how many hours a week each library would be open.

Following review of the consultation results, Mike Hill, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, took the decision in March 2019 to implement the strategy, which included the tiering model and the libraries in each tier.