Campaigns to save local libraries are being launched across Oxfordshire, amid claims that the county faces being robbed of a modern library service.

Up to 20 of the county’s 43 libraries could face closure unless volunteers come to the rescue, under county council plans to save £155m by 2015.

But County Hall has been warned plans to hand libraries over to communities will be unworkable, putting the service in its current form at risk.

The withdrawal of funding from almost half the county’s libraries, with volunteers having to fill the breach, has been presented by the county council as a ‘Big Society’ initiative.

But library groups say volunteers would merely oversee the slow death of Oxfordshire’s library service, with some library buildings eventually being sold.

In Oxford, the county council is ready to stop funding to libraries in Summertown, Headington (Bury Knowle), Old Marston, Botley, Blackbird Leys and Littlemore.

Funding would also cease at Kennington, Benson, Grove, Charlbury, Berinsfield, North Leigh, Adderbury, Bampton, Deddington, Sonning Common, Stonesfield, Woodcote and Neithrop in Banbury.

One experienced local librarian described the county council proposals as “crazy”.

The librarian, who asked not to be named, said: “One major issue is data protection, with trained librarians having access to names and addresses.

“And you have to ask who will be in charge of cataloguing and bringing in new books.

“It will be the end of a modern library system in Oxfordshire.”

Sylvia Vetta, of Friends of Kennington Library, said: “It looks like the county wish to destroy what they claim to support.

“The council appear to be advocating a service without access to the computer network and a new book delivery service. That will mean a protracted death of our libraries.”

The county council was given the opportunity to deny Mrs Vetta’s allegations on access to the computer network and new book deliveries, but it declined to do so.

Summertown councillor Jean Fooks said she had written to county council leader Keith Mitchell to ask whether there were any plans to sell library sites.

Mr Mitchell subsequently told The Oxford Times that it was “too early to say”.

Mr Mitchell added: “We have agonised over these proposals. But our current network of libraries is based entirely on historical legacy.

“If we were starting from scratch in setting up a brand new Oxfordshire library service, it would not look like the current structure.”

Gina Cuciniello, pictured, uses the library in South Parade, Summertown.

She said: “People in the library believe it will probably end up closing. Local communities are not being considered here.”

The library proposals were announced last week by the county council.

At the same time, the council said it was also planning to stop funding to 20 youth centres in the county to save £4.2m.

Under the plans, seven youth ‘hubs’ in larger towns are set to become centres of a re-structured youth service. Some activities will also continue at existing centres in areas judged to have the greatest need.

But funding would be withdrawn at 20 centres. They are in: Cutteslowe; Wolvercote; Bampton; Burford; Carterton; Chalgrove; Chiltern Edge; Chinnor; Chipping Norton; Cholsey; Eynsham; Faringdon; Headington; Henley; Standlake; Thame; Wallingford; Wantage; Watlington and Wheatley.

As with libraries, the council is hoping volunteers could run some youth centres.