UNISON is balloting members to decide whether to go ahead with strike action overthe cuts which would see libraries closing an hour earlier each day and only opening until lunchtime on Saturdays.

The cuts are another blow to library staff after Doncaster Council asked them to re-apply for their jobs, suggesting that 34 posts may be lost in the reorganisation of the service.

Russell Ballinger of the union said: "Our members have made it clear that they have no faith in management's restructure.

"This restructure will deliver a worse service for the people of Doncaster which seems bizarre when the borough has low levels of adult literacy.

"The driver for this restructure is not about delivering a better service but purely about saving £500,000.

"(Our workers] are being forced to pay for the budgetary mistakes of senior management who in some cases are paid ten times that of a library worker's salary."

In a letter to the Free Press last week a group of school librarians echoed these concerns, adding:

"We do not object to reorganisation in itself...rather we object to the fact that the new posts require no library qualifications (even at management level) nor do they include a children's specialist."

"By removing all staff who are willing, capable and dedicated to the information role defined by libraries Doncaster Council is failing its duty to our children concerning their literacy and reader development and access to information."

Ironically, last weekend Doncaster council held a "Join a Library Day" to encourage parents, children and young people to join their local library.

Council mamnaging director Paul Hart said in a statement: "The press is not the correct place to discuss this issue - if library staff have concerns then they need to raise them with their director through the consultation process.

"The council has looked at footfall within the libraries and is proposing changes which mean that the libraries open when the public want and need them.

"In order to ensure value for money and run an efficient service we cannot open when there is little or no demand for the service."

UNISON will ballot its 100 members in libraries this month.