YORK'S libraries and archives services will continue to be controlled by local people for at least the next 15 years.

City of York Council has announced that the organisation currently running the city's 14 libraries and archives services has won the contract to operate them from April 1.

Explore Libraries and Archives Mutual Ltd took over running the libraries and archives services five years ago. It is a community benefit organisation, with a board of York people that local people can join.

Its chief executive Fiona Williams said: “We are thrilled to have won the opportunity to continue to deliver York's libraries and archives service. We have such exciting plans for the future, including more public engagement with the archives, encouraging everyone to enjoy reading, setting up an archive images library online and delivering more cultural and creative events in our libraries.

“Our aim is to reach everyone and we will be working very hard to ensure that everyone in York benefits from what we do. We thank the council for giving us this amazing opportunity.”

Cllr Nigel Ayre, the council's culture portfolio holder, said: “The city's libraries are truly valued by our communities and therefore, I am delighted that this new contract will secure the future of the city's valued libraries and archives' service for the next 15 years.”

“This announcement demonstrates our commitment to the city's libraries, particularly at a time when local authorities elsewhere in the country are having to make difficult decisions about the future of their libraries.”

The contract was awarded after a procurement process.