Libraries Unlimited Rolls Out Staff-Free Open Plus Access Across Devon Libraries

Libraries Unlimited is extending staff-free access to 12 more libraries across Devon through March 2027, after Cullompton Library became the first site to offer the Open Plus service. The charity, which runs libraries in areas covered by Devon County Council and Torbay Council, is also consulting staff on a possible reduction in library supervisor roles, with results expected in October. Yahoo reported the rollout.

How Open Plus Works at Cullompton Library

At Cullompton, the library is staffed from 09:00 to 17:00, and members can also enter without staff present from 08:00 to 09:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00. Library supervisor Nilza Da Costa said users need to be over 18, hold a library membership and complete a brief induction. They then enter with a library card and a PIN code, with the building monitored by CCTV and an emergency phone connected to a security centre. Users can browse and borrow books, print, log on to a computer or play games.

Libraries Unlimited chief executive Alex Kittow said: "It means more people can use the library at more times." He added: "Opening hours are one of the big barriers, particularly for smaller libraries that don't have huge opening hours - this will radically transform that." Asked whether Open Plus was connected to the staff consultation or a way of reducing staff, Kittow said: "The staffed opening hours are not going to change - our staff consultation isn't anything to do with the opening hours of the libraries."

The consultation is understood to involve the loss of some library supervisor roles, with staff able to apply for jobs managing wider areas. Siân Smith, from the Friends of Ottery Library, said she believed there could be a connection between staff-free opening and the consultation. "We're really concerned they're going to remove the library supervisor role - they are the heart and soul of the library," she said. Jess Bailey, Independent councillor for Otter Valley on Devon County Council, said she could not understand why county council members had not been allowed to scrutinise the new staffing plans. "I'm really worried that what we're seeing is the potential hollowing out of the service," she said.

Earlier in 2026, Ottery Library was on a list of libraries at risk of cuts in a money-saving plan. More than 25,000 people across the county responded to a consultation, and Devon County Council dropped its plans to cut opening hours. When the council announced in May that it was keeping staffed opening hours, cabinet member Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin said: "Our librarians are at the heart of the service." A council spokesperson said Libraries Unlimited "runs Devon's libraries on our behalf" and "as the employer it is responsible for those discussions and any decisions that follow".

What Happens After the October Consultation

The outcome of the staff consultation is expected later in October. The Open Plus technology is due to be introduced at 12 other libraries up until March 2027, following its first installation at Cullompton Library.