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Auckland City's mobile library has been given a lifeline after Citizens & Ratepayers councillors backed away from axing the service.
The 12-year-old bus will continue to visit 25 rest homes and pensioner housing estates for some years after a decision to refurbish it and recondition the engine.
C&R councillors on the community services committee yesterday supported spending $60,000 to refurbish the bus despite quashing a move last month by independent councillor Denise Roche, with the backing of City Vision, to keep the service. The vote came after a City Vision member of the Avondale Community Board, Catherine Farmer, presented a petition signed by 288 senior citizens.
"I am delighted that on the International Day of the Older Person, my petition convinced the committee to unanimously support the continuation of this vital service," she said.
It is the second time the library has been threatened under a C&R council. A proposal to axe it in 2003 failed.
Committee chairman Paul Goldsmith said it would have been nice to opt for a new vehicle, but as the current bus was fine and could be refurbished in about five years, it had been decided to go down that path.
In the meantime, officers would look at other ways of reaching the mostly elderly population who use the mobile bus service, such as audio books over the internet, he said.
Last month, library group manager Allison Dobbie recommended not to replace the mobile library as part of cutting $13.6 million from the $145 million library budget over the next decade.
In a report to the committee yesterday, officers said the mobile bus service had declined over the past five years.
In 2003, the cost per visit was $12.17 and last year it was $14.62. In 2003, each issue cost $3.05 and last year it was $4.18. Over the past five years, the cost of operating the service averaged $86,312.
Officers questioned whether spending $650,000 on a new bus for a low-use service was a wise investment. Last year, the service issued 21,191 items.
The future of the mobile library service is expected to be confirmed by the full council at a budget-setting meeting on November 18.
BOOKS BUS
Cost per visit
2003 - $12.17
2007 - $14.62
Cost per book
2003 - $3.05
2007 - $4.18
