LIBRARIES in Dorset are facing tough decisions to ensure the service survives.

A major report on the state of the nation's library service says authorities in Dorset may have to consider closing some of its libraries to secure the future of others.

The Dorset County Council is one of 10 authorities placed under the microscope in the Conway Report, a review by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

Last year the authority announced plans for reductions in staff and opening hours across the county's 34 libraries as part of a £500,000 saving scheme over three years.

However, following extensive public consultation, the council decided against the closure of 13 libraries that could have led to a more sustainable future for the service.

The Conway Report criticises the council's low prioritisation of library services and raises serious questions over the policy of reducing services across the board to keep a number of smaller services running.

It says: Reduction in opening hours and the consequent loss of frontline staff across all service points will have an adverse effect on the standards of service for which Dorset has a deserved reputation.

The county council, in deciding its priorities, took a difficult decision in not according the library service sufficient priority to sustain existing service levels.

It has not taken the second difficult decision of determining which services should stop, so the budget targets can be set and the future of the service stabilised.' The report does praise the way council staff have performed in difficult circumstances and commends the sensitivity' of councillors for their desire to protect the existing library network.

Author of the report Patrick Conway, a former director of culture and leisure with Durham County Council, said: "Dorset has done very well in terms of national assessments, it has scored very highly.

"The challenge has been the difficult financial situation facing the county council, especially as the authority admits its overriding priority for services to adults and people in care.

"In the long run if they can't sustain the expenditure levels then they have got to look at the number of libraries and some difficult decisions have got to be made."

Dorset County Council's library service manager Tracy Long said: "The county council has put a great deal of thought and work into tackling the challenges facing the Dorset Library Service.

"We have avoided any library closures and are making the necessary efficiency savings through other means - such as reduced opening hours, charging for computer use and increasing community involvement through the use of volunteers.

"As the CILIP report shows, library services across the country are facing major challenges, and we are confident the changes we are implementing will secure a positive, long-term future for Dorset's libraries."