Library proposed opening hours

Dorset Council adopted the Dorset Library Strategy 2023 to 2033 on 25 July 2023. It includes a new operating model of 3 different types of library. Each type of library has a specific number of council-funded opening hours:

• Library: 18 hours
• Library Plus: 30 hours
• Library Connect: 42 hours

See a list of all the libraries by type and area.

Our new model offers one less funded opening hour across the 23 libraries we manage.

This page shows the proposed opening hours per library, per day. Our aim in revising the hours is  to meet the priorities you described to us in our consultation:

• standard hours so that customers know when a library is open​
• opening hours throughout the week Monday to Saturday​
• mornings for:
  • pre-school children and their carers
  • retirees
  • those who do not work
  • those who work from home or work remotely from their workplace
• Saturdays and afternoon opening, for school age children and young people
• Saturdays, lunchtimes and evenings for those who work​
• a spread of hours amongst a geographical group of libraries. This is so that not all libraries in a geographical area close on the same weekdays
• times when the library is closed, and partners or community groups can hire it

We have designed a pattern of ‘standard shifts’ per type of library to help us to meet these priorities.

We have tried to make sure that libraries within the same geographical area have:

• different late nights until 6pm
• different closed days, so that customers can use a library in their area 6 days a week

We hope that most communities will be satisfied with this proposal. But we know that some may want to continue to discuss it with us. Where this is the case, we invite any communities to get in touch as soon as possible, so that we can:

• take time to talk to you
• explore the proposed hours together
• listen to your concerns

Email us at: letstalklibraries@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.

We intend to put the new model and opening hours in place during financial year 2024 to 2025. Find out more about the library strategy and next steps.