A Howe of Fife councillor has questioned the methods used by Fife Cultural Trust and Fife Council to make public the proposals to close 16 libraries.
Conservative member Andy Heer said: “I’m disappointed that Fife Cultural Trust didn’t see fit to consult or inform local communities first.”
Among those libraries earmarked for closure in his ward are Freuchie and Falkland.
But Mr Heer said the first he knew of the proposals was when he read Wednesday’s Courier.
He said: “I’ll be interested to see how they expect to transform the service by closing nearly a third of all of Fife’s libraries, but they give no details of how this will be done apart from talking about a ‘hub and spoke’ model.
“There’s no doubt that changing reading habits and technology mean that fewer people are using libraries these days.
“The trust is responding to these changes in many positive ways.
“For instance, I recently discovered that if you have a library card you can download many magazines for free, but at the end of the day it’s the traditional library user who enjoyed browsing the bookshelves and taking home a few books every week that will suffer.”
The Courier previously revealed how an overhaul of library services could lead to the closure of 16 libraries in Fife and the loss of 25 jobs.
The cost-cutting proposals would mean the closure over three years of Abbeyview, Bowhill, Colinsburgh, Crail, Crossgates, East Wemyss, Falkland, Freuchie, Glenwood, Kinghorn, Lundin Links, Markinch, Pittenweem, Pitteuchar, Thornton, and Townhill libraries.
Footfall, access to alternative provision and the sustainability of buildings have all been used as criteria to identify the hit list.
However, the trust says the proposals, if agreed by councillors, will “transform” Fife’s libraries.
The proposals are due to be considered on Tuesday by Fife Council’s executive committee.