The Ballarat council voted last week to give notice of its intention to withdraw from the corporation by June 30 next year.

It is pushing for a new model that would see it take over the corporation and sell library services to other councils.

Corporation member councils will discuss the developments at a hastily convened special board meeting on Wednesday.

But the Ballarat council's handling of its decision has drawn stinging criticism from Hepburn and Moorabool Shire representatives on the library's board.

The corporation's board chairman and Hepburn Shire councillor Tim Hayes said the Ballarat council left corporation members with little choice but to go along with its plans.

"(They have) said let's sit down and work this through over the next 12 months. When someone puts a gun at your head of course you're going to sit down and co-operate," Cr Hayes said.

Ballarat's plans were revealed when a confidential report was accidentally posted on its website last Monday, with the council's decision made "in camera" at last Wednesday's ordinary meeting.

"I think that the regional library board would have appreciated an opportunity to discuss Ballarat city's intentions, in an open and frank discussion rather than Ballarat going about this in a clandestine manner."

Cr Hayes said Hepburn Shire owed it to its ratepayers to look at other possibilities for its library, including joining the Bendigo-based Goldfields Library Corporation .

"We'll have to look at all options and one of those is to see if we can get a better deal out of joining the Goldfields."

Board member and Moorabool Shire Cr Pat Griffin said his shire could look to the Cities of Greater Geelong, Wyndham or Melton library services.

"There's been no discussion, but perhaps we could come into some service with them," Cr Griffin said.

He said the corporation had never been properly funded.

"I suppose I think we've been severely let down by Ballarat. (They) speak of being regional leaders and then in camera they decide to basically destroy the Central Highlands library service."

Other member councils indicated they would take a wait and see approach to the Ballarat councils' proposal.

Central Goldfields Shire mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor said member councils needed to look at Ballarat's proposal positively and get the best regional solution.

"I think we need to look at what they've proposed and put all options on the table, including that," Cr Meddows-Taylor said.