New opening hours for Alsager Library start today (Friday).

The changes come into effect today (1st December) at all sites across the borough except for Alderley Edge library where the new opening hours will go live on Tuesday (December 5th).

The mobile library routes and stops will remain as they are now, and a wealth of online resources and services are still available digitally.

The changes to library opening hours are required to deliver the essential savings included in the council's adopted medium-term financial strategy ( MTFS) 

From today (December 1st), it means Alsager library will now shut at 1pm on Thursday. Opening hours are as follows:

Monday 10 am – 5 pm

Tuesday 10 am – 6 pm

Wednesday 10 am – 5 pm

Thursday 10 am – 1 pm

Friday 10 am – 5 pm

Saturday 9 am – 1 pm

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "The council absolutely understands just how much libraries are valued by local communities, and we have worked hard to reduce the impact on library opening hours as much as possible, while ensuring that we can make essential savings to balance our budget and protect services for those most at risk in our community.

"Alongside this, and as significant pressures on council finances remain, we have continued to explore opportunities to make the libraries service financially more self-sufficient, such as by bringing in third parties for wider community use benefits."