Education Library Service

Education library service is to close from March 31 2009

Reasons for closure of the service

The Education Library Service (ELS) operates as a 100% traded service to schools and is totally dependent on sufficient levels of buy back from schools to cover all of its costs. Unfortunately, there has been a decrease in the level of buy back that has resulted in a significant budget shortfall that cannot be contained. The closure will not result in savings to the council and it is not related to the setting of the council’s overall budget for 2009-10.

Full details on the closure of the ELS are contained within the Education Library Service report (pdf 30kb).

Return of stock currently on loan to ELS subscribers

The ELS driver will visit all subscribing schools to collect stock from March 23 2009 to April 3 2009 inclusive.

Future access to ELS collections

All schools currently subscribing to ELS will be offered the chance to choose a permanent collection of up to 500 items from ELS stock. The remaining book stock currently available at ELS will then be relocated to the 12 public libraries in Southwark. This will enable individual children and local schools to access resources to support their learning and leisure reading and will support the homework help clubs run in libraries during term time.

Information about access to the collections of costumes, textiles, artefacts and musical instruments will be made available in due course.

For more information please contact Pam Usher library service manager on 020 7525 3918.

Contact us

To find out more about Southwark libraries please contact us.

Southwark libraries
Tel: 020 7525 2000
Fax: 020 7525 1568
southwark.libraries@southwark.gov.uk  
Culture, libraries learning and leisure
Chatelaine House
186 Walworth Road
SE17 1JJ