ONE of the most details surveys ever of Kent’s libraries has been carried out to help the council decided on their future.

Discussions about the service in each district and how else it could be delivered will begin in the next few months, Kent County Council said, with proposals made as early as June in some areas.

Individual profiles for each library have been drawn up, including the number of borrowers and the running costs, and can be viewed at kent.gov.uk/libraries.

Among the options discussed will be the possibility of moving into shared premises, like village halls or KCC buildings, or libraries being taken over by voluntary organisations.

Councillors and community groups will give their views, to contribute yours – or for more information – e-mail fls@kent.gov.uk, call 01622 696504 or write to The FLS Team KCC Libraries, Registration and Archives, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, ME14 1LQ.

North Kent’s libraries

In Dartford there were 14,790 borrowers and the district’s nine libraries cost £643,619 to run in 2010 to 2011. In Gravesham, there were 18,505 borrowers and the service cost £703950.

The busiest library was Dartford, which checked out 52.4 items an hour and had 75.4 visitors an hour. Gravesend library had 77.1 visitors and hour but checked out 38.9 items an hour.

Hive House library had just 4.2 visits an hour and was used by 172 borrowers in 2010 to 2011. Hive House cost the equivalent of £167.23 a year per borrower, compared to £37.38 at Dartford Library.