OKEHAMPTON Town Council has unanimously backed a campaign for a new library in the town.

With the population of Okehampton increasing dramatically and libraries taking on a larger role with computer and internet facilities as well as places to hire books, CDs and videos, staff have identified the need for larger premises.

The issue has been championed by Cllr Hyder Pirwany, who last week gave a presentation to the town council on why the town needs a new library. He said the facility in North Street was currently in a poor location with no parking.

Since the early 1980s the population had grown by more than 1,500 people and there were almost 800 new houses planned for the town.

Mr Pirwany said the role of public libraries was changing fast and they were becoming focal points in communities.

In the last few years public access computers had been added, offering the internet, word processing and CD ROMS. Information on clubs and societies had been collected and added to the Devon website and the library was also a base for the WRVS Books on Wheels service to the housebound.

In addition, all sorts of enquiries could be dealt with, subscription services were available on-line and craft workshops and author talks were often hosted.

Councillors were told that children were well catered for, especially in the summer holidays, but space was very restricted.

In the latest OFSTED report for Okehampton Primary School it had been noted that attainment among children who joined the nursery was below average.

Cllr Pirwany, who has identified the Old Mill site in the town as a possible location for a new library, said Okehampton was the first library in Devon to forge links with the local health visitor to offer Bookstart — a scheme where every baby received a pack at their eight-month check-up promoting the importance of introducing books to children at an early age.

Library staff want to enhance the services on offer and develop further initiatives, particularly working in partnership with other agencies and organisations such as community education, schools and local business.

Okehampton Town Council has proposed that a new library be included in the Okehampton Market Towns Initiative Action Plan, which is a list of projects that will go forward for funding from the South West Regional Development Agency.