Archive for December, 2017
English public libraries in 2017: the key trends
Dec 31st
Editorial
So it’s the end of 2017 and therefore time for a review of what the major trends have been. Or, rather, what my view of them are. If you think differently (or are screaming “but what about?” at the screen) do let me know … and, if you’re curious, here’s 2016 (via Leon). 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Changes
- Ceredigion – Llandysul Library to become volunteer.
- Richmond – Whitton Library to be refurbished.
Give yourself an early Christmas present
Dec 19th
Editorial
Some more coverage on the dire recent CIPFA figures, which are analysed further (for yet more depression) and shown to be incomplete, meaning the real picture is (joy!) likely to be even worse than hitherto shown. The potential economic and political impacts oif this are explored (admittedly, partly by me) of this are explored in a New Statesman article. The public support for libraries was shown on Twitter by a double whammy from Dawn Finch – first the “tweet heard around the world” (see below) and then the #ThankALibraryWorker hashtag. Have a look at both if you can. Give yourself an early Christmas present.
Changes
- Manchester – Withington Library to be refurbished.
- Northumberland – Alnwick theatre will include co-located library.
- Thurrock – Aveley community centre co-location may include “self-serve library facility”
- Warwickshire – £100k cut, Sunday opening at Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington again threatened.
- Wirral – £125k tender for shared reading for mental health
Co-locations, improvements and appeals for volunteers
Dec 17th
Editorial
Some more generally good news for libraries this post, with a couple of new co-located buildings being planned and various library improvements being reported. There’s also a couple of volunteer libraries taking advantage of the season to ask for more volunteers, including one which is worried about the cost of its building becoming too much for it. Abroad, the decision by the USA to end net neutrality will start pressuring libraries (and a lot of other people) while a Canadian library takes an interestingly thoughtful stance on room hires to extremist groups.
Changes
- Bolton – Joint library/health centre in Little Lever plans submitted.
- Greenwich – Joint library/leisure centre in Plumstead plans approved.
- Hull – Holderness Road Library to transfer to East Park pavilion as lease running out. £300k move.
- Lancashire – Up Holland Library now volunteer-run by arts group.
- Rhondda Cynon Taff – Library Court (now run by housing association Trivallis) is opened : combined library/housing/business development.
- Swindon – £22k improvement of Old Town Library after grant given.
Public library budget for the UK falls roughly one-tenth in one year. Ouch.
Dec 12th
Editorial
Total net expenditure on public libraries went down from £842k in 2015/16 to £771k in 2016/17, a decline of over 8% in just one year. Add in inflation and it’s more like 10% (or it would be if salaries weren’t semi-frozen). That would be awful enough if that was a one-off but it isn’t: there’s been real cuts to expenditure every single year since 2009/10 and there’s inflation in that period too (of 17%) to account for. So, that’s mega isn’t it? Brutal in fact. No surprise then that usage is falling. The surprise is that it’s not falling faster, After all, visits are down a mere 3% when the cut to funding was three times more.
So that’s one horror story. The other is, of course, how the figures themselves are collected. Given by councils, CIPFA then collates them when the financial year finishes in April, presumably then does something else for a bit (because it’s now December), sends out a summary press release as a sales pitch and then charges an eye-watering charge for anyone wanting the full package. But, hang on, these are our statistics. Which we’re stopped from using unless we’re rich and don’t mind waiting, let’s think, more than seven whole months to see. And this is for the library profession, which should be fairly good on information. I’m glad to say that things are changing though. All of the organisations (well, apart from, presumably CIPFA but I don’t know) involved (SCL, Taskforce, CILIP etc) are keen on improving on the current mess. I hope they succeed. Then we’ll be able to tell for free and in real-time how fast budgets are declining. Hang on, that doesn’t sound fun. But at least it’s not downright embarrassing, unlike the current situation.
Changes
“Libraries Unlimited” indeed – Devon expands
Dec 10th
Editorial
Devon are the first of the library-only mutual to expand beyond its borders by taking over Torbay. It’s a natural fit – Torbay is small and next-door – but signals the mutual need not just stay in their boundaries. GLL may have competition in sucking up library services, especially with the Government/Taskforce so openly backing the library mutual model. Meanwhile in Sheffield, the bizarre scheme to sell the central library to the Chinese as a luxury hotel in a £1 billion development has hit the buffers of reality: there may a £20m scheme for the library instead, although there is support for simply refurbishing the existing building. Good to see a new library – delightfully named “Cat and Mouse” opening in Islington and also that Gateshead, faced with charging the unemployed for seeking work online, ending computer charges. On the downside, another school library service – that of Derbyshire – is under threat.
Changes
- Derbyshire – School library service may close.
- Gateshead – Computer usage charges end.
- Islington – Cat and Mouse Library opens (replacing John Barnes Library, closed 2015).
- Sheffield – Central Library not be sold off as a luxury Chinese-owned hotel [seriously – Ed.], consultation on new £20m build.
- South Gloucestershire – Confirmed Thornby Library will co-locate into community centre.
- Torbay – To be taken over by Libraries Unlimited (Devon)
Good news and Christmas
Dec 5th
Editorial
Good to see library news connecting with the general goodwill of the season. A news article from Warrington reports that no libraries may close (a big turnaround from the original proposals), although of course the devil may be in the detail, as yet unseen. Also – and I love this – West Dunbartonshire are putting out to consultation (rather than just voting through) deep cuts in their library opening hours due to a well-timed letter from CILIPS. Well done Scottish CILIP people. And it may be Christmas for Derby libraries every day as the council catches on, finally, that Section 106 money from new housing can be used for library projects. But the big applause must go to the library team at Plymouth who are keeping their library open on Christmas Day. It can be the loneliest day for so many so this is a really warm-hearted move. Well done those who volunteered to work that day. I hope it goes well, and the mince pies are delicious.
Changes
- Northern Ireland – Open / staffless technology installed at Whitehead.
- West Dunbartonshire – Consultation on cuts, after CILIPS queries scale proposed.
Christmas for GLL, London library property boom and Japanese success
Dec 3rd
Editorial
Some interesting news stories today. GLL have officially taken over another library service, meaning they’re now running, by my count, five. In a further sign, if any were needed, that London is an increasingly foreign city compared to the rest of the country, another library there gets a new building as part of a property deal that would not have been so possible anywhere without its insanely high property prices. And then we have Christmas creeping up on us, with a story in the Guardian of how dedicated librarians are even at Christmas. This article also mentions the large number of volunteers being used, which ties in with an advert also today for a paid PhD on volunteers, describing them as “crucial” for the library service. No mention of volunteers, though, from Japan, where a new combined bookshop/library/restaurant model is apparently going great guns.
Changes
- Dudley – GLL take over managing the library service.
- Hackney – Stoke Newington Library to be changed, with possible cafe
- Merton – New library at Colliers Wood (partnership with developer) in 2018.
Ideas
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