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MORE than £19million has been pumped into Hampshire's libraries in the last eight years in a bid to reverse the declining use of public libraries.

Nearly £10million of the total spent by Hampshire County Council has been invested in Discovery Centres, which provide a range of activities under one roof alongside traditional lending services.

As reported in The Gazette earlier this month, county council chiefs have revealed that Basingstoke is on course to get its own Discovery Centre, and building work could start as early as next spring.

Council bosses hope this will draw more people into what is now Basingstoke Library following a dramatic increase in visitor numbers seen at the Gosport Discovery Centre when it opened in March 2005.

From 1999 to 2004, the library had seen a year-on-year decline in visitors. However, visitor numbers at the Discovery Centre in 2005-06 were nearly 14 per cent higher than in 1999. Two years later, they have increased by 49 per cent.

Councillor Ken Thornber, leader of the county council, said: "Discovery Centres are about giving people more of what they want from their libraries, making them more accessible and appealing to more people, from toddlers to elderly people, whatever their interests, whether reading a book, using the computer or borrowing a CD or DVD.

"The financial details have not yet been finalised for the Basingstoke centre but the plans are well developed and will be subject to widespread consultation with the public before formal council approval is sought.

"Subject to that approval, work could start on the centre in the spring or summer of 2008."

Almost £5million has also been spent by the county council on new libraries in the past eight years, including the new facility in Whitchurch. Another £2.5million has been spent on refurbishment, and a further £2.3million on maintenance.

11:04am Monday 25th June 2007

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