More than 1.8 million visits booked in at Sandwell libraries

It comes just weeks after opening hours at more than a dozen libraries across the borough were cut as part of council plans to save £700,000.

Council bosses today described the increase in visitors as a 'testament to the hard work going on across the service'.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, cabinet member for leisure and the voluntary sector, said: "We have seen an increase in visitors and usage of our libraries, despite the fact that we have had to reduce hours in some of our less busy ones.

"We are always looking for community groups to get involved with libraries across the borough so that we can keep them open for longer.

"We welcome recruiting more volunteers too."

She added that the figures showed that libraries were still 'important' to people, saying: "I am very pleased that people are getting involved and using them.

"It shows that even with the internet as a database, libraries are still important to people, and we will continue to offer activities and information as best as we can."

In the face of reduced hours, Sandwell Council vowed to keep its libraries open amid widespread budget cuts, but said it needed to reduce costs by next year.

Nineteen libraries were affected by the move, with the revised hours dependant on how busy the branches were during the day.

Libraries were expected to lose around three hours a day on average from last month.

Hours were also cut at the Community History and Archive Service at Smethwick Library – going from 34 hours a week down to 24.

Dr Terry Daniels, chairman of the Friends of Sandwell Archives group, had called the reduction in hours a 'shame' but said it was better than losing the service altogether.

National Libraries Day will also be taking place across Sandwell tomorrow.

The day is designed to say a 'thank-you' for the unique contribution made by libraries from sparking a life-long love of books and reading, to improving literacy and learning to providing a safe place for any member of the community to gain help and essential access to information.

Tightened budgets have forced the council to bring in an increase in council tax for the first time in six years in the borough.

Council tax will rise by 1.99 per cent in line with government recommendations along with a further two per cent rise to deliver adult social care services.