Old Town Library may be saved, thanks to a partnership with a Swindon charity.

Talks have been taking place in recent months between the council and the autism charity Dash (Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness) with a view to the group getting involved with the threatened library.

Cabinet members will discuss the proposal on Wednesday which would see one member of staff working at the library in Victoria Road in partnership with Dash and Bath Road’s Farleigh College.

Swindon’s other threatened libraries have also been thrown a lifeline as a caretaker could be instated to oversee services at Even Swindon and a mobile library taking books to the heart of the Gorse Hill community.

Coun Fionuala Foley (Cons, Old Town) said: “I cannot say how pleased I am that not only are we retaining a member of staff at old Town Library but we are giving work experience and volunteering opportunities to a fantastic charity like Dash.

“I think single-staffed libraries can run successfully and, with keen volunteers from Dash and work experience from Farleigh College, we are retaining a valuable service at the very heart of Old Town.”

But although library campaigner Shirley Burnham is delighted there may still be a future for library she says she is disappointed that a member of library staff will be relocated to make way for Dash volunteers.

She said: “In Old Town, recommendations are to retain one member of staff and provide two work-experience helpers, who will have Asperger’s syndrome.

“We are, of course, delighted that closure is not a prospect. But we are sorry that for the sake of £9,000 a year, a highly-valued staff member will be removed.”

Coun Stan Pajak (Lib Dem/Eastcott) the proposal was a step in the right direction as the council would now cut £9,000 and not its original figure of £20,000. He said: “We have won the battle though not necessarily the war. It does change what the council were doing – Old Town Library will be saved in a different format.”

The consultation findings which will be presented to the Cabinet said that the initial proposal to close Old Town Library took into account its limited opening hours, the extended opening hours of the Central Library in Regents Circus, and the provision of a regular bus service to the town centre.

During the consultation Dash put forward a proposal which would not only keep the library open but was designed to improve the quality of life for Swindon adults of working age with Asperger’s syndrome.

Dash secretary Anne Billingham said the charity had responded to Mrs Burnham’s call through the Adver for a community group to help keep Old Town Library open.

She said: “Dash has a growing track record of supporting its members towards achieving their goals for work, training and employment at the same time as bringing benefits to the wider community.

“Helping to keep Old Town Library open is a perfect opportunity for Dash members to put their skills and interests to good use – and help the community.”