A COMPREHENSIVE review of Fife’s libraries and museums service is expected to be given the go-ahead this week.

Councillors are set to approve a 10-month process which will examine the challenges facing the region’s extensive library and museum network and how to deal with increased pressure on resources alongside ever-changing customer expectations.

The matter is due to be considered by members of the housing and communities committee on Tuesday but, in a report to councillors, libraries and museums service manager Dorothy Browse said the review was needed to help the council to meet demand effectively.

“Libraries and museums face similar challenges to each other—and to other council services—in terms of service development, maintenance and modern- isation of buildings, customer expectations and employee deployment and training,” she stated.

“This review will consider as a priority the links and connections that can be made to deliver services more efficiently and effectively—for example, shared service points with local services, education, community halls and tourism, and finding ways to extend the home, community group and school delivery services.

“There is also a large potential to bring library and museum services themselves closer together, sometimes physically, sometimes in a virtual (web) sense.”

The report highlights a range of key drivers for the review, such as a growing demand for previously passive activities such as reading groups and interactive exhibitions; social activities like readers’ days or book festivals; learning opportunities; and communications technology.

But one of the main reasons is that while Fife has more access points than any other authority in Scotland, it is also home to many of the smallest council-run libraries and museums in the country.

There are 51 libraries, nine museums and heritage centres, two heritage sites, three mobile libraries and one mobile museum in Fife—all of which will be looked at as part of the review.

The report also notes that Fife is home to 34 single-staffed access points, meaning holidays and sickness days have to be covered by staff from elsewhere— and therefore affecting customer service at the busiest venues.

“The range and number of facilities is both a great strength and an underlying weakness of the libraries and museums service,” Mrs Browse said.

If approved the review is expected to start this month with research and evidence-gathering activities being carried out.

These will be followed by council and public consultations and a report is expected to go before the housing and communities committee in January next year.