Mobile library cuts to hit elderly and rural dwellers Meanwhile a quarter of library authorities have reduced the number of stops that their library vans make. In 2010, before the budget cuts, there were 430 mobile libraries in Britain. As 28 per cent of councils have since reduced services, it is estimated that around 120 of these vehicles may have decommissioned or put on reduced routes in the last year. Phil Bradley, president of CILIP, said: "Reducing mobile library services hits remote communities the hardest. These are usually in rural areas, which are often without broadband for people to easily download ebooks. With large distances to travel to their nearest library building, access to essential library services may now get even harder for many in these communities. Ms Harris said that the reduction is "a great pity." There weren't enough mobile libraries to start off with, so the fact that they are being reduced is bad. Older people and people with mobility problems rely on these services to keep in touch. They are the sections of the population least likely to go onto Amazon and buy the products," she said. The author said that she has vivid memories of the mobile library in Barnsley, where she grew up. I remember when the mobile library was started as a child and it stopped in the street. It was an event. "People of my grand-parents" generation would eagerly await it. It made people talk, mix and share books. It was a happening," she said. Areas which have cut mobile library provision include Bristol, where the service will end this month to be replaced by a scaled back home-visit service. In Worcestershire, the number of library vehicles will remain the same but the number of stops will reduce. Somerset Country Council had decided to almost halve its routes and cut the number of buses from six to two. However a spokesman said it is hoping to reinstate the services after a review and "aims to provide as comprehensive a service as possible within the current financial restrictions." Research by Somerset council found that it is not just the elderly that use its service. A fifth of all books were taken out by people under the age of 16. The West Midlands, the South East and London are the areas with the largest number of library authorities reducing the number of stops, CILIP said. CILIP found that library services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - including bricks and mortar libraries - have been hit by average funding cuts of 7.5 per cent. Over 2,000 jobs have been cut from public libraries over the last year. Meanwhile the number of hours that libraries are open has been reduced by 3,000 a week, CILIP found. Its survey of library authorities was answered by more than half of the organisations, CILIP said. But I am not sure that is the same thing.