Ten months after Waikato district book lovers were outraged at losing access to the Hamilton libraries the city council has welcomed rural readers back.

From Monday, July 1, 23,000 people in the Waikato district, including those in Tamahere and Matangi, can once again borrow books freely from their closest city libraries.

Hamilton City Council re-approved shared library services with the Waikato District Council at a meeting this week.

The Waikato District Council wanted a cheaper deal for access to Hamilton city libraries, a move that axed the long running deal and caused an outcry.

District Council chief executive Gavin Ion told Tamahere Forum the Hamilton City Council didn’t agree with the proposed fee cut “so the negotiations ended unsuccessfully.”

But one city councillor maintains the district has ditched a good deal which was being subsidised by the city.

It botched the message and is actively working toward greater access to libraries not less, says one Waikato district councillor on the library debacle.

Waikato District Council councillor Dynes Fulton told Number8Network recent changes to access to Hamilton city libraries for Waikato district residents are a short-term move.

“This is all part of a process of council working towards developing a Waikato regional library facility for all,” said the Hukanui-Waerenga councillor who is also deputy mayor.

Size matters, according to Waikato District Council chief executive Gavin Ion.

One of the reasons for controversially ending the council’s contract paying for district residents’ access to the Hamilton city libraries “is that it only benefits a small percentage of our residents,” he said in a statement today.

What percentage is too small to warrant the expense of allowing Waikato residents who are miles from a district library the ability to use one on their doorstep? He doesn’t say.

The Waikato District Council is reviewing the arrangement that gives Tamahere residents access to Hamilton city’s libraries.

Every year the council pays more than $300,000 for residents to access such library services and it wants feedback on whether the arrangement should continue.

The council wants views on whether residents use neighbouring councils’ libraries or if they’d prefer another option.