REGIONAL bookworms may have to change the way they loan their literature in the near future as the mobile library van is expected to be decommissioned over the next 12 months.

While an alternate option for the public resource will be investigated by the Southern Downs Regional Council, the current service is certain to change.

According to SDRC business and community services director David Tuxford, council plans to engage with library users to make a decision about a mix of traditional library use and long-term future use (ebooks, online catalogues etc), and will consider including an alternative service delivery vehicle.

But for some regional residents, the technological shift is not an option. Many of those spoken to preferred the personal touch of the current service and would prefer a simple replacement van.

"The mobile library is amazing for us," Killarney resident Michelle Jones said.

"My mother is wheelchair-bound and I have a sick husband who can't travel into Warwick to borrow books. Without this service, I don't know where we would be.

"They are always reading books for entertainment, otherwise it would just be TV," she added.

Killarney mother Lara Browne was just as passionate about the library service.

"We come here once every week or so," she said. "As a family, we can't be ducking into Warwick so ultimately the kids wouldn't have access to books like this if the van goes."

Another long-time resident stated they will be pushing to retain the recourse over the community consultation period.

"We are all chucking a lot of ideas around about this situation," she said.

"This is something we should continue to have access to - we all pay rates."

With a budget of $109,000 committed to the mobile library for the 2014-15 year, the council is expected to consider its options for community engagement around this draft plan in the near future.

"Council is deciding on community consultation methods regarding library services," community services manager Sheila Stebbings said. "All users will be taken into consideration."