Sandwell's libraries get the thumbs up for customer service (From Halesowen News)

Sandwell's libraries get the thumbs up for customer service

3:00pm Thursday 9th December 2010 in News

Blackheath, Oldbury and Cradley Heath libraries have helped Sandwell Council clinch top award.

The council’s service picked up a Customer Service Excellence standard for the second year running after meeting all 56 targets of the government-backed award.

The standard is the successor to Chartermark, which the library service has held since 2005.

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for culture and leisure Cllr Ann Shackleton said: "We are committed to putting customers at the heart of everything we do and I am particularly proud of the library service for not only achieving the standard, but for improving on last year's performance."

An assessor who visited Sandwell last month praised the council as well as other providers, partners and communities as among the best in the country.

The council staff are working closely with local communities and offer more services for children, there has been an increase in the number of reading groups and the service has recruited more volunteers.

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for culture and leisure Cllr Ann Shackleton said: "We are committed to putting customers at the heart of everything we do and I am particularly proud of the library service for not only achieving the standard, but for improving on last year's performance."

A council spokesman said: “It has been a busy year for the service with a host of changes, including the appointment of a new chief librarian, library refurbishments, new libraries, a new computer system and a continued focus on a Big Lottery funded community engagement programme.”

The brand new Blackheath Library, which will have a host of new facilities, is near completion as is Oldbury’s new library.

Last month Sandwell Council announced they were contemplating merging library services with Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall councils.