Cuts to library opening hours will come into force at the beginning of July, as Hertfordshire County Council continues its battle to save money.

The council, which is responsible for the upkeep of all the county’s public libraries, announced last year its intention to “squeeze every penny” in order to find savings.

In January it agreed a controversial 30 per cent cut in opening hours – cuts that will now come into force on July 4.

Local libraries will be affected as follows:

  • Watford: Opening hours will be cut from 65 to 51. Will close one hour early, at 7pm, on weekdays and Wednesday and Friday mornings.
  • North Watford: Opening hours will be cut from 55 to 37. It will close on Thursdays, and Monday and Wednesday mornings, opening from 2pm until 7pm. Friday hours will be extended until 7pm.
  • Bovingdon: Weekly opening hours cut from 36 to 30. On Mondays and Thursdays it will be open between 9am and 6pm, and on Saturdays, between 9am and 1pm. However, it will close all day on Wednesdays.
  • Kings Langley: Weekly opening hours cut from 36 to 30. Will open five hours later on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 2pm and 6pm. Will remain open between 9pm and 6pm on Mondays and Fridays.
  • Bushey: Will have its opening hours slashed from 54 to 33, closing all day on Thursdays. Will close Monday and Wednesday mornings, opening between 2pm and 6pm in the afternoon and will close one hour early on Fridays.
  • Radlett: Will have its opening hours cut from 48 to 33. Will close all day on Wednesdays, and Monday and Thursday mornings, opening between 2pm and 6pm. Will also close one hour early on Fridays, but Saturday opening hours will be extended until 4pm.
  • Rickmansworth: Opening hours will be cut from 56 to 37. Will close on Wednesdays, and Friday and Tuesday mornings, opening between 2pm and 7pm. Will open one hour earlier on Mondays, at 9am.
  • Oxhey: Opening hours to be cut from 52 to 33. Will close on Wednesdays, and Monday and Friday mornings, opening between 2pm and 6pm. It will also close one hour early on Thursdays.
  • Abbots Langley: Opening hours to be cut by six hours. Will close on Wednesdays, and Monday and Thursday mornings, opening between 2pm and 6pm.
  • Chorleywood: Opening hours to be cut from 48 to 33. Will close on Tuesdays, and Wednesday and Friday mornings. Saturdays hours would be extended until 4pm.
  • Croxley Green: Opening hours to be cut from 50 to 33. Will close on Thursdays, and Monday and Wednesday mornings. Saturdays hours will be extended until 4pm, but the library will close one hour earlier, at 6pm, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Together with cuts to the mobile library service, the reductions are expected to save the council some £2million per year.

Councillor Chris Hayward, member for libraries, said: "I am pleased that unlike many other local authorities, we in Hertfordshire have managed not to close a single library during these challenging economic times.”