A “SUPERMOBILE” library providing a range of services to remote communities will begin operating a new schedule later this month.

From October 24, North Yorkshire County Council’s service will call at 22 locations on a rolling fortnightly timetable.

Unlike conventional mobile libraries, which were withdrawn last month as part of the budget cuts, the supermobile carries around 3,000 items of stock – including books, DVDs, videos, and audio books – and offers internet access via satellite.

It will remain at each location for two hours, providing a much longer opportunity for users to take advantage of the service.

County councillor Chris Metcalfe said: “We know, of course, that the withdrawal of the mobile libraries created concerns for people who valued their service and who live in the more remote parts of the county.

“While the supermobile will not be able to replicate the routes of all the mobiles entirely, we have drawn up a schedule which attempts to ensure that people living furthest away from our library network will have the opportunity to borrow books and audio and video items from a much larger range of stock, with the added benefit of internet access.”

He added: “By designing a schedule based on two-hourly stops, we hope that the supermobile might in time become a focal point for other community services, much in the way that static building-based libraries are used by a wide range of organisations such as Citizens’ Advice.

“We are already working actively with partners to think about using these visits as focal points to involve other agencies and community activity.”

The supermobile timetable will shortly be available on-line at the county council’s website - northyorks.gov.uk