A LIBRARY home delivery service run by Cumbria County Council has been praised by the people who use it.

Seventy eight per cent of respondents to a survey said the service was “very good” while 61 per cent described it as “a lifeline”.

Home delivery is available free to people who are unable to visit a library because of mobility problems or ill health and who have no one to go on their behalf.

Items are selected by library staff according to each individual’s needs and delivered by volunteers once a month.

The survey revealed that three people who use the service are over 100 years old, while 43 per cent are aged between 80-89.

Family sagas and historical fiction were the most popular genres (63%), followed by crime or thrillers (43%), autobiography and biography (35%) and romance (30%).

Barbara Cannon, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for adults and culture, said: "It is extremely comforting to see that the county council's home delivery service for libraries is so well-used and so well-appreciated. It performs a vital function for some of the more vulnerable people in the county.

"It is a great example of how the library service has adapted its service delivery to suit the needs of its customers. Running a library these days is not just about opening your doors and expecting people to wander in. It is about reaching out to as many customers as possible and the home delivery service does exactly that."

Anyone interesting in finding out more about the home delivery service should contact their local library or visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/libraries/specialservices/home_deliv.asp