TWENTY THREE LIBRARY branches will be offering the new Open Library service from next year, meaning libraries will stay open and operate without staff during the evenings and weekends.

However, some librarians aren’t happy saying, “ We truly believe that this move is the beginning of the end for our Public Library Service.”

Dublin City Councillors voted against the introduction of the service on Monday night, stating that it is strongly opposed to the initiative and will support library staff and their trade union “to resist the introduction of staffless libraries in Dublin City”.

However, the Minister of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney said, “There will be no closure of library branches as a result of the Open Library service.

Similarly, there will be no reduction in staffing levels or staffed hours as a result of the service, either in the short or long term.

He added that “funding is allocated to libraries on the basis of applications received from local authorities interested in rolling out the service in their respective areas”.