LIBRARIES in Redcar and Cleveland are aiming to become involved in a ground-breaking partnership to help people study near their homes.

The libraries are joining forces with the University of Teesside to see whether collections of material relating to courses run by the university could be available at local libraries.

In addition, the development of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's People's Network public access service, which has been funded by the National Lottery, will enable students to use the university's online resources at their local library.

It is hoped a pilot project could be launched at Loftus Library.

And at the same time, funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the head of the Microsoft software company, means £32,000 is on its way to provide improved computer facilities at libraries in Grangetown and South Bank.

The computers and free use of Internet facilities will be available to the public, and new computer learning centres could also soon become a feature of the two urban libraries.

Councillor Ian Jeffrey, lead member for education, described the developments as "practical examples of how we can use the benefits of new technology to break down barriers of isolation and exclusion - and provide new opportunities for local communities."

He added: "In an area such as Redcar and Cleveland, there are very many people who are hampered in gaining access to learning facilities through both physical isolation and the costs of transport. Both the partnership with the university and the funding being made available to upgrade facilities at the Grangetown and South Bank libraries can potentially make a real contribution to breaking down those barriers."