Lambton County's Joint Library Facilities Review (JLFR) is recommending the closure or expansion of some local libraries.
Cultural Services General Manager Andrew Meyer has been making the rounds presenting a summary of the JLFR to member municipalities.
The document examines the number of libraries required by 2031, the shared facility model, and actions for existing branches that can benefit Lambton's urban and rural communities.
"We are looking at ensuring our designs over the next 10 years welcome all people, they meet AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) requirements and they bridge that digital divide by making sure our entire community [is connected], including the rural community where there may be areas that are underserved in terms of connectivity."
Meyer said they want to make sure the library system is evolving to better serve residents.
"A lot of the square footage expansion is being made up in Sarnia, where they're looking to expand the Bright's Grove Library and relocate Mall Road Library to Clearwater [Arena] and there's also expansion recommended in [nearby] Camlachie."
The review recommends the Mooretown and Courtright libraries merge, the Sombra Library be expanded, and express library service points be installed in Port Lambton and considered in Shetland and Wilkesport.
"County council has adopted a facility classification system. Our next step is to evaluate each library facility in accordance with the facility standards policy and then also to work with those communities to evaluate budgets and look at what next steps are to make those improvements."
The county delivers library services through 25 branches, whose buildings are owned by the lower tier municipalities.
Meyer will present the JLFR to Sarnia council on Monday.