Osterley To Become Borough's First Self-service Library
Council programme sees longer opening hours but staff reductions
Osterley Library. Picture: Hounslow Council
November 12, 2026
Osterley is set to become the first library in the London Borough of Hounslow to introduce self-service access, with extended opening hours expected to launch in early 2027.
The move forms part of Hounslow Council's wider programme to introduce self-access technology in community hubs and libraries across the borough. Under the scheme, registered library members will be able to enter and use the library during additional unstaffed hours, supplementing the existing staffed service.
The announcement follows a borough-wide consultation that attracted more than 650 responses. According to the council, most respondents welcomed the proposal, highlighting the importance of local libraries as places to borrow books, study, work and participate in community activities.
However, there was some concern about cuts to staffed hours for the borough’s libraries. Although these have not been confirmed for Osterley
Councillor Ajmer Grewal, Hounslow Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Safety, said it was encouraging to see strong support for longer opening hours.
"It’s encouraging to hear that many local people endorse our plans to extend library opening hours," he said. "This feedback will help shape the future of community hub and library services across Hounslow; giving residents, charities and community organisations greater access to libraries."
The Osterley project is part of a larger transformation first outlined by the council earlier this year. Plans approved for consultation would see all 11 of the borough's community hubs and libraries equipped with self-access technology, allowing members to use facilities outside traditional opening hours.
The programme is backed by a £1.2 million capital investment and is intended to significantly increase access to library buildings without substantially increasing staffing costs. During self-service periods, entry will be restricted to registered library members, with buildings monitored through CCTV and other security measures.
Earlier council documents suggested the rollout could increase overall opening hours across the borough by as much as 80 per cent, creating an additional 19,000 hours of public access annually. At a number of sites, total weekly opening hours are expected to rise dramatically through the addition of unstaffed access periods.
Supporters argue the approach reflects changing patterns of library use and will make it easier for residents to access facilities at times that suit their work, study and family commitments. Libraries are increasingly used not only for borrowing books but also for accessing computers, studying, meeting others and attending community events.
However, the proposals have also prompted debate about the balance between longer opening hours and staffed provision. Previous council reports acknowledged concerns about safety, support for vulnerable users and the reduction in the proportion of time that library staff would be available on site.
The council says it is continuing to engage with residents near each library before any changes are introduced. Local people living close to individual sites will be given a further opportunity to share their views as plans are refined.
If the Osterley launch proves successful, the model is expected to be rolled out more widely across Hounslow's library network during 2027, marking one of the biggest changes to library services in the borough for decades.
Value Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |