Ref. 29796--26TRUDY Goodwin reached the end of the chapter in Chiseldon library's history yesterday.

Since the early 1900s the New Road library has been at the heart of village life.

But now Swindon Council has condemned it to the history books after deciding that a mobile service would benefit the village more.

Mrs Goodwin, who has issued hundreds of books over the last four years as the village's librarian, said she is sad to see it go.

"It will be the relationships with the borrowers that I will miss most," she said.

"People have been coming here for years. Mums and dads can remember coming here as children.

"The selection of reading material is brilliant, with something for everyone.

"I'm very sad to see the library close but that's the way that things are going now. More and more facilities are going."

Now Mrs Goodwin is looking forward to operating the new service, which will begin its four-month trial next week.

"We'll just have to wait and see how it goes," she said. "It could turn out to be a big improvement on the library."

Alison Wilenius, a Swindon Libraries relief worker, believes it is important to give the mobile service a chance but thinks a traditional library takes some beating.

She said: "It difficult to sit down in a mobile library and read the books.

"This is a lovely little library and we will all miss it."

Mum-of-three Joanne Jacob, 37, who lives a few yards from the library, agrees.

She said: "My family come here about twice a month and we'll certainly miss it. The staff are really friendly.

"I think we'll give the mobile library the benefit of the doubt but we would all have much preferred it if this one had stayed open."

Her daughter Amy, five, said: "I am a little bit sad that it's closing. I like coming here because it has lots of books. My favourites are the fairy ones."

David Allen, Swindon Council's libraries and heritage manager, said low visitor numbers made the closure inevitable.

"The library is only open twice a week and it's not economical or practical," he said.

"I am excited by the fact that we will now be able to take books closer to people.

"Chiseldon has a high proportion of older people and parents with young children. These people may have had difficulty getting to the library.

"We are hoping that the village will take to the service and make use of it.

"Trudy will be working on the mobile library initially. This will give them a familiar face as we introduce the new service."

Kevin Shoesmith