Libraries were changed to LINCs in 2009 but the Liberals promised to revert  to libraries in the March election.

“We’ve been listening to many Tasmanians who tell us that the name LINC doesn’t represent libraries for them, that they’re unsure what it means, and they think it should be changed,” the policy said.

A government spokesman confirmed “the rebranding will come into effect in the middle of this year, with funding to be allocated in the upcoming budget.”

The Tasmanian manager of the Australian Library and Information Association Jill Denholm said while she could not speak for all association members she believed the name change would be supported.

"A huge number of people will be very happy but some staff may be loyal to the name LINC," Ms Denholm said.

“In other states there are public libraries and the State Library, so this will align Tasmania with other places.

“The functions of libraries have changed to include technology but books and reading are still at the heart of what we do.”

An Education Department spokesman said the transition would allow people to refer to LINC locations as libraries.

“This move is in response to overwhelming feedback from library users and members of the public requesting that we re-adopt the term library,” he said.

“We anticipate that it will take some time to adopt the word ‘library’ universally across our services and locations but we hope that this will be achieved, with minimum impact, by the end of the year.

“It is very important to note that the services and programs that are offered at our locations will not change at all.”

Deputy Labor leader Michelle O’Byrne dubbed it an expensive re-branding exercise and cast doubt on the Liberals’ estimate of a $250,000 cost.

“Who is doing the sums for the Liberals where they think they can rebrand more than 50 LINCs including signage, uniforms, websites, business cards and everything else involved for $250,000?,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“This is unnecessary spending of taxpayers’ money while we have a health crisis in our hospitals and soaring rents created by the housing crisis.”

Former Labor Premier and Education Minister David Bartlett declined to comment on the name change.