Library opening hours across Hertfordshire could be slashed by 30 per cent as part of the county council's proposals to save £150million a year by 2014.

Council leader Robert Gordon unveiled a package of “efficiency savings” worth £110million on Tuesday, with a further £40million still to find.

And he warned his 76 colleagues at County Hall they were not at the “end point” but a “milestone on the way”.

He said: “We will find more. We will have to make some service cuts, whether reducing library hours or cutting other services is the right plan we will debate that in due course.”

That debate will begin next Wednesday, when the council's Community Safety and Culture Cabinet panel will discuss measures to reduce the opening hours of libraries across Hertfordshire.

It is proposed to reduce opening times from 2,236 hours per week to 1,575 – a total cut of 661 hours – to save £1.4million a year.

In Watford, the Hempstead Road and St Albans Road libraries will have their opening times reduced by 14 and 18 hours respectively.

The opening hours of all five libraries in Three Rivers will be slashed by a combined total of 76 hours, 88 hours in Hertsmere (four libraries) and 79 hours in Dacorum (seven libraries).

It is also proposed to “substantially reduce” the county's fleet of mobile libraries, a saving of £275,000, and reduce the opening hours of its Archive and Local Studies Centre from 49 hours to 38.30 hours per week to save a further £131,000.

Committee members are expected to recommend the council hold a consultation between October 26 and December 11, when visitors will be asked for their views.

Councillor Chris White, leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, said: “Libraries are vital parts of our communities. They are not just places where people can borrow books. They are safe places to meet - and important places in which to study, for both young and old.

“Had the Tories had heeded our advice the county council would have been able to make massive savings on overheads and waste in previous years. Even now, this has to be the one service which is not slashed.”

Speaking on Tuesday following the full council meeting where £110million of savings were revealed, Councillor Gordon said on Tuesday library opening hours would be reduced to ensure none of them will be forced to close permanently.

He said: “The first requirement is not to shut any libraries. It shows our commitment to libraries, rather than saying we have got to shut some libraries. I want to be clear my mind and in the public's mind we have squeezed out every efficiency so things that have to be cut are necessary rather than anyone saying we wouldn't have to do that if we were more efficient.”