From: "John Reynolds" To: "Lolworth Parish Council" ; "Irish Nick-Dry Drayton" ; "Girton Parish News" ; "Girton Parish Council" ; "Dry Drayton Web Site" ; "Boxworth Parish Council" ; "Binnie Harvey-Boxworth" ; "Bar Hill website" ; "Bar Hill Parish Council" ; "Bar Hill News" ; "Dry Drayton News" Subject: CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES NEW CHAPTER IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE LIBRARIES Date: 21 August 2006 15:25 CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES NEW CHAPTER IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE LIBRARIES A new campaign has been launched to raise the profile of Libraries around Cambridgeshire and to encourage more people to try the wide range of available services for themselves. The campaign is the latest phase of a major Cambridgeshire County Council investment programme designed to boost library facilities and usage. Under the slogan 'you'll be surprised what's in your library' the wide-ranging campaign is designed to encourage people to look beyond the traditional image of only borrowing books and to see for themselves what's now available in the extensive County Council network of Libraries around Cambridgeshire - the Council provides 32 Libraries. Modern Libraries now include not only books to borrow or to use for homework and research, but DVDs and videos, music CDs, free internet and email access, family history information, computer courses, colour photocopiers and many of them house Learning Centres providing on-line learning opportunities. And for people who can't get to their local static library, the County Council also has a fleet of eight modern mobile libraries that make hundreds of stops around Cambridgeshire every week - including calls at small isolated rural communities, sheltered housing complexes and residential homes and day centres used by older people. Over the next month the campaign will use radio commercials, newspaper adverts, bus adverts on routes around Cambridgeshire, backed up by posters and postcards in a host of locations around the county, to drive home the message that modern libraries are about books and much more. County Council Cabinet Member Community & Environment Services, Councillor John Reynolds, said: "Our network of Libraries are about so much more than just books and we want to encourage as many people as possible to give the range of services a try. Libraries have changed so much in recent years and these days they are vibrant places with an extensive range of service - you 'll be surprised what's in your library." As part of its strategy to improve Library services for customers, the County Council has increased opening hours at many libraries, introduced a new £500,000 online information and service access system, and committed to long-term investment in providing greater choice on the shelves, with £225,000 more spending on new books every year. An extensive programme of building and alteration work is ongoing to ensure every Library in Cambridgeshire offers a welcoming, comfortable and modern environment, with new Libraries planned for Huntingdon and Great Shelford and a major redevelopment of Cambridge Central Library. County Council Head of Libraries, Archives and Information, Lesley Noblett, added: "We chose the slogan 'you' ll be surprised' because so many first time Library users are genuinely surprised at the range of services available to them. We want to get the message out to those who don't use Libraries or those who haven't used a public Library in a while. Libraries have really changed in recent years, and we want to encourage people to give them a try. They will be surprised!" John Reynolds