Libraries to shut as Wigan Council moves staff to shore up essential services

The council has said that while some borough libraries will have to close Wigan and Leigh libraries and Life Centres, along with Ashton Library, will remain open.

Council bosses have previously highlighted the pressures the local authority workforce is under from the novel coronavirus.

“Our brilliant library staff will be able to help our customer service teams who continue to do outstanding work, as they have throughout the pandemic.”

The closures will be from Monday, August 2. Wigan and Leigh town centre libraries will remain open between 10am and 2pm on weekdays.

Ashton Library will be open from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Wednesdays, and 1pm to 5pm on Thursday and Fridays.

All events related to the Summer Reading Challenge and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes will go ahead as scheduled.

An e-book service is still in operation across the borough with library members able to access 36,000 digital books and more than 20,000 audiobooks.

With Covid-19 figures in the borough currently higher than at the second peak, Wigan Council last week announced the scaling back of some non-essential services to prioritise frontline operations.

Coun Ready added: “Our service delivery is under constant review and everyone is working extremely hard to maintain the key services that mean so much to our residents.

“We continue to encourage everyone to keep working together to prevent the spread of the virus and appreciate everyone’s patience and support.”

Visitors to council facilities, including libraries and Life Centres, are still expected to maintain social distancing and wear a face covering.

For more information on Wigan Libraries and the e-book services, visit https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Libraries/index.aspx

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