Colehill Library has been saved – for now.
Parish councillors voted seven to four to raise the parish precept and make £10,500 to keep the community library open when Dorset County Council funding is withdrawn next year.
Now a library management committee must be set up to submit a business plan and organise some 130 volunteers.
The “overwhelming majority” of residents supported the move in a recent survey, Colehill Parish Council vice-chairman Susan Davies said.
Cllr Davies said: “The most heartening thing was the responses of some very elderly people. These are individuals who can ill afford to pay any extra and are living on a pension, but said ‘I will pay any price, it’s that important to me’.”
But Derek Henderson, Friends of Colehill Library chairman, says that a lot of work still needs to be done following Tuesday’s decision.
“It all remains to be seen but for all the complications it may be a lesser service,” he said.
Concerns include book deliveries dropping to once a week and having a professional librarian for just three hours a week.
“We receive at least 100 books under the online reservation scheme,” Mr Henderson said.
“They all have to be processed. If you reduce the delivery they’ll be coming in as a huge wave, and the figure is likely to go up as the book stock decreases.”
He added: “We go on singing the same sort of tune.
“This at least keeps the prospect alive for retaining the library.”
A meeting for volunteers will be held in January.
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