A LOAF of bread, a pint of milk and a book to borrow for the weekend is all part of the service at Lacey Green community shop from this week.

On Wednesday, Buckinghamshire County Council launched its first ‘click and collect’ library service at the shop. And if the initiative proves successful it could be rolled out to other locations.

Library members can order a book online and have it delivered to Lacey Green's village shop for collection between 9am and midday Monday to Friday.

And for library members without access to the internet, a laptop computer in the shop will let people reserve books.

Library Development Manager Julia King said the pilot click-and-collect service, providing a weekly delivery of books to the shop, aims to increase local library members, and dovetails well with the monthly mobile library visit.

She said: "This will be good for current library members and for extending the service to people who've not used the library before.

"If it proves popular, we'll offer it to other communities."

County Councillor Carl Etholen, a volunteer helper at the village shop, said he was delighted Lacey Green had been chosen to pilot the new service. The laptop that can be used in the shop has been paid for by his Community Leader's Fund.

He said: "It's an exciting development for outreach library services and I'd encourage residents in and around Lacey Green to support this new venture."

On Wednesday Cheryl Lane, library branch manager at Princes Risborough, will be at the village shop to talk to library members about the new service and to sign up new members.

Martin Phillips, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, said: "This really does bring the library service right into the hub of village life, which helps encourage people to get out and about, and enhances the sense of community. It's a new way of providing library services that other communities may well want to try."