Residents opposing plans to stop Tauranga's mobile library service made the most the Tauranga City Council's first community open day on the draft annual plan, with about 50 calling for it to be saved.

Tauranga Friends of the Library campaign manager Kate Clarke says yesterday's open day was a great chance for library supporters to show three councillors how strong the support is for keeping the mobile service and funding the operating costs of the Greerton Library.

Greerton Library and mobile library supporters gather in Greerton Village Square today to express their concerns to the councillors about funding.

Library supporters speaking with councillor Steve Morris.

'It went really well. The councillors were interested, they are listening and they are engaged with the community so hopefully they will have a better understanding of what and why we need this funding and the mobile service. Hopefully it will have a positive effect.”

Under the draft annual plan, council will close the book bus at the end of June to pay for increased staffing at the expanded Greerton Library.

In January councillors voted to include the $3.5 million replacement library in the annual plan, funding building work from asset sales and operating costs from the existing budget.

The three councillors taking part in Thursday's session at Greerton Village Square – Steve Morris, Bill Grainger and Kelvin Clout – all voted for the new library on the basis funding was not increased for building or operations, but were against retaining the book bus.

The Friends group is calling for a $2 increase in annual rates per property to top-up funding to cover Greerton's increased staff and a service to deliver books to the homebound, while retaining the mobile book bus.

'That's just 4 cents a week, so we're not asking for much,” says Kate.

Steve says it was great to see so many people out expressing their democratic rights.

'I think it's absolutely brilliant for our city. I may disagree, at this stage, with the arguments made by the Greerton library folk, but I absolutely respect their rights to express them.”

Steve does not believe the mobile service is needed, saying books are already delivered into community centres, including schools and retirement villages.

'They can borrow about 150 books at a time for around $60 a year, so that facility is already there.”

He also said its inability to serve house-bound or wheelchair-bound residents is another reason against keeping the book bus, but Kate says plans to replace the mobile library with a revived service for the homebound will mean many people still lose access to the library.

The mobile service was saved from the threat of closure last year, following a two year public campaign.

The Friends group will continue the new campaign at the next council open day at Bayfair Shopping Centre next Saturday (April 5) with Kate encouraging anyone concerned about the library to join the group at 11.30am.