REDBRIDGE Council is to launch a large-scale consultation next week asking residents about the future of the borough's under-fire library service.

A new leaflet and online survey is being introduced, asking residents the "top three things they'd like to see in their local library."

The scheme forms part of the development of the council's Library Improvement Plan, which aims to map out a new strategy to enhance facilities in the borough.

It comes after a storm of criticism against the council's management of libraries.

Last November the Guardian exclusively revealed how almost 175,000 books had vanished from the borough's libraries over the last five years - with no council records of where they had gone.

And in December we also revealed how the number of professionally trained librarians in the borough had been cut by a third within the same time period.

Earlier this year campaigners in Seven Kings, who had been demanding their own branch in their neighbourhood, were enraged to discover that the council had pumped £40,000 into the development of a teen hub area in South Woodford library.

They felt their own area had been neglected as a result.

However the council since pledged to look into the problem in more detail.

Cllr Alan Weinberg, the council's cabinet member for leisure, said he hoped the consultation could lead to some real benefits for the borough's bookworms.

He said: “Our libraries are very well used and offer a high quality range of books and other services to residents but it is important for us to make sure we continue to improve our libraries in the future, to ensure they are able to support the borough’s diverse communities.

"I would encourage people to tell us what they’d like to see improve in their local library.”

A council spokeswoman added: "All responses will be considered and fed into the Improvement Plan to be published later this year.

"The consultation leaflet will be available in all of the borough’s libraries from next week and can be completed online now at Redbridge i."

The consultation runs until 31 August.