Nationwide day of protests, number of libraries under threat increases by 17

– Plus two – Doncaster – news article lists 14 under threat (out of 26) – previously listed as 12
– Plus one – Hartlepool – news article list 2 under threat (out of 7) – previously listed as 1
– Plus eight – Newcastle Upon Tyne – these are to be turned into unstaffed quasi-libraries
– Ealing – some libraries now under threat (no exact figure so does not affect headline figure)
– Plus five – Hertfordshire – all five mobiles to go. Previous reports did not mention figure.

– Waltham Forest – some libraries now under threat

Summary

In Egypt, the National Library is being protected by a well-organised group of students co-ordinating with the military.  In the UK, libraries are being protected by by authors, by celebrities and, most importantly and in their hundreds of thousands, by the public. The campaigning was widely positively reported by newspapers – Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Express and the Sun – and all over the BBC and worldwide.  That is a very broad spectrum of political views and readerships.  Further, research this week showed that  library use can double the literacy rate of children.  Also, research has pointed out that if one combines physical and virtual visits the library usage has gone up 10% in five years. 

It looks like everyone is supporting libraries.  Except two rather important ones:  (1) councils – see the list below, with the most prominent example being the Doncaster mayor who, shortly before closing over half of his libraries, walked out of a meeting of library users after being “rude” and “inept” – and (2) the Government.  The libraries minister Ed Vaizey further evaded any responsibility by seeming to suggest it was up to campaigners to come up with the solutions.  This comes on top of his previous statements that he would not intervene unless (a) the councils confirm closures (over the past week, one-third of hours have now been confirmed as cut in Hertfordshire, 18 libraries are about to be confirmed to close in Doncaster) and (b) he cannot act until the MLA tells him he can.  The MLA described Oxfordshire’s plans to close 20 as “politically courageous”.

The bright side is that Mr Vaizey has also gone on record that library users should campaign if they wanted to save their libraries.  That they are doing…  and in numbers that led one (albeit rather enthusiastic) reporter to compare it to the Poll Tax disaster.  Unlike there, though, the decision cannot be overturned – once a library is gone, it is likely to be gone forever.

Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive – (S) shows items added on Sunday evening

Bolton – Protests in town square over closures – Bolton News
Brent – Lib Dem Minister Sarah Teather and Louis Theroux against closures – Harrow Observer
Buckinghamshire – Use Roald Dahl’s name to save Great Missenden – Bucks Free Press
Cambridgeshire – save our libraries – Huntingdon People
Cambridgeshire – fears that all libraries will be downgraded – Cambridge News
Camden – Doomsday questions for library users – Camden New Journal
Croydon – supporters pack town hall gallery – Croydon Today
Darlington – protest, no decisions on cuts made yet – Northern Echo

Doncaster – Council leader cuts over half libraries – BBC
Doncaster – Mayor apologies as council confirms closure of 14 (out of 26) – Doncaster Free Press
Doncaster – Mayor “rude” and “inept” at library user’s meeting, then walks out – BBC

Dorset – Dorset say they will consult over closing 20 (out of 34) libraries – Dorset Echo
Dorset – massive library closures not set in stone, campaign now – Bournemouth Echo
Dorset – cuts will be monitored – Dorset Echo
Dorset – Let them eat cake – “ebooks can plug the gap” of closed libraries – Bournemouth Echo

Dundee – council plans to transfer libraries to a trust may be illegal – Courier
Ealing – Closures possible – Ealing Gazette
Edinburgh – The Gruffalo and other protesters force council u-turn – Scotsman (Guardian reported the protest the day before)
Essex – Opening hours cut, staff to be lost – Yellow Advertiser (and BBC)
Gloucestershire – Shadow Minister for Libraries Gloria Del Piero supports campaign “We in Gloucestershire are waiting to see whether Mr Vaizey left his convictions at the door when he stepped into office.”- FoGL
Gloucestershire – We will fight on – BBC
Gloucestershire – Letter to the Chief Executive – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Fabulous flying authors – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Chiefs approve massive cuts, heckled – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – final statement to council – FoGL
Hartlepool – librarians protest at the cuts – Hartlepool Mail
Hertfordshire – hours slashed, Hertsmere is biggest loser –  Borehamwood Times
Hertfordshire – hours cut, all mobiles to go – Royston News
Hounslow – Anna Ford backs campaign – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Backlash forces u-turn – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Community interest in library proposals – Isle of Wight Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Hands off our libraries – Ventnor Blog
Leicestershire – none to close but £250k cut on opening hours and books – BBC
Lewisham – All Night Sit-In – BBC
Milton Keynes – Read-Ins in UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, NZ (and Stony Stratford) – About My Area
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Eight libraries to be unstaffed, entirely self-service – Milena Popova
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Where do we go from here? – Milena Popova (S)
North Yorkshire – readers in their hundreds protest to save Easingwold – York Press
North Yorkshire – protest over numerous closures – Gazette and Herald
North Yorkshire – Action Day – Northern Echo
North Yorkshire – we must not close the book on libraries – Yorkshire Post
North Yorkshire – volunteers are better than nothing for Leyburn – Darlington and Stockton Times
North Yorkshire – Campaign continues at Easingwold, decision on 28th – Darlngton and Stockton Times
Nottinghamshire – protests at Notts closures and Nott council starts charging for internet use – This is Notts
Nottinghamshire – some more money but still major cuts – Eastwood Advertiser
Oxfordshire – Ed Vaizey urges campaigner “to offer options” – Oxford Mail
Oxfordshire – the brillance that is Bampton – BookMaven
Phil Jupitus and others – video on “Save Our Libraries” – Youtube
Philip Pullman leads day of protest – Daily Telegraph
Sheffield – Shhhh In – BBC Radio Sheffield (1 minute in)
Sheffield – Shhhh In at Sheffield Central – Sheffield Indymedia (video of it here)
Sheffield – Shhhh In – Politics
Somerset – library cuts latest – Weekly News
Somerset – libraries campaign – BBC Radio Somerset (lead item on news)
Somerset – council backs cuts – This is Somerset
Somerset – users will be asked to make “voluntary contributions” – Weekly News
Somerset – rethink Highbridge plans – Burnham on Sea.com
Staffordshire – libraries will retain free internet access – Lichfield Blog
Stoke – closures still on the cards – BBC
Stoke – Final cuts to libraries (2 buildings and all mobiles to go) – This is Staffordshire
Suffolk – countywide protests – EADT
Suffolk – campaigners fight for libraries – EDP 24
Suffolk – urgent talks needed over Leiston – EADT
Surrey – Consultation but closures a “done deal” (11 to close) – BBC
Surrey – leave our libraries alone – Surrey Today
Surrey – library cuts will impact thousands – Surrey Herald
Waltham Forest – fears grow over future of libraries – Waltham Guardian
Warwickshire – libraries good for communities (16 to close) – BBC
Warwickshire – 16 libraries hit list – Coventry Telegraph
Warwickshire – Here’s the map – What’s in Kenilworth

National News
Alan Bennett attacks library closures as “disastrous”  in front of the Duchess of Cornwall – 24dash

Authors join in day of mass protest – BBC