Residents unable to get to a library are to benefit from two new specialist mobile library vehicles.
The council’s mobile library is being taken out of service in December and will be replaced by two ‘Library Link’ vehicles.
Councillor Phil Bevan, Caerphilly’s cabinet member for education, explained: “The council currently has one mobile library vehicle in operation which serves the whole county borough. The vehicle is approaching the end of its working life, so the cabinet has now agreed a new way forward to deliver an improved mobile service for the future.”
Since 2006, two mobile ‘Library Link’ vehicles have been used to provide a specialist service to housebound residents. The ‘Library Link’ vehicles currently serve around 300 residents.
Two extra ‘Library Link’ vehicles are now on order and should come into service next month. They include disabled access and room to carry more than 1,500 books.
New criteria has also been agreed to allow more residents to be eligible for ‘Library Link’ access. This is based on age, frailty, disability and lack of transport.
The ‘Library Link’ service complements the 19 static libraries located across the area with 98.8% of the population living within two miles of their nearest library.