List of withdrawn libraries

This page lists all libraries that have been reported as having been taken out of local council control since April 2011.  This may mean that the library is closed or that the library has been taken over by volunteers.  It also includes mobile libraries.  The overall word for libraries are no longer directly operated by the council is heavily politicised.  Local councils prefer to use the positive-sounding words “divested” or “community library” while campaigners prefer to use more negative words such as “abandoned”, “DIY” or “volunteer-run”.  The catch-all word that is used by Public Libraries News is “withdrawn from direct council control” or “withdrawn” for short.

Information for this page is taken from news reports and information submitted by library authorities and library users.  It cannot claim to be fully accurate or comprehensive.  Please inform Public Libraries News via publiclibraries@live.co.uk if you have know of any inaccuracies or omissions.

14 Mobile Libraries closed

• Aberdeen – 1.
• Brighton and Hove – 1 - Article. 2013.
• Bristol -  1 – From 1st April 2012.
• Calderdale – 1  Article.  From 1st April 2012.
• Gloucestershire – 3 – Article - At least 3 out of 6.
• Middlesbrough – 1 – Article. 2012.
• Sheffield - 3 – (Source: email from Council (17/8/12)
• Suffolk – 3 - Article – Out of 6.

22 Libraries closed

• Barking and Dagenham - 1 - Markyate – Article – From 29/9/12).
• Barnet - 1 – Friern Barnet – Article - From 5th April 2012
• Camden – 1 – Regent’s Park Library.
• Carmarthenshire – 2 - Pontyates and Tumble.
• Cheshire West and Chester – 1 - Saughall.
• Doncaster - 1 – Denaby – Article.
• Dorset - 1 - Portland Underhill – Article – From 30th April 2012 – replaced by mobile library. Dec 2012.
• Hampshire – 1 - Stanmore – Article – books transferred to community centre with self-service machine.
• Liverpool – 4 – Woolton, Great Homer Street, Lodge Lane – April 2012. Larkhill Library closed at unknown time.
• North Somerset - 2 – Backwell Leisure Centre Library – Article – April 2012 – replaced by a mobile stop once a week.  Barwell Library will be closed on 31st August – Article.
• North Tyneside - 1 – Coast Road – From September 2012 – replaced by mobile library stop.
• Sheffield - 1 - Limpsfield Library – From 30th March 2012 (one combined with a school library) now entirely a school library. Mobile stop provided instead.
• Wakefield – 2 – Kettlethorpe – November 2012 and  St Mary’s Community Centre.
• Warwickshire – 4 – Binley Woods – Article.   Hartshill, Dordon and Water Orton.  (will be replaced by mobile library stop).
• Wigan – 1 – Atherton – Library closed, with books moved into nearby communty centre – May 2012.

42 Changed to volunteer-run/social enterprises

• Bexley - 1 – Bexley Village Library from 19/7/12.
• Buckinghamshire - 5 – Flackwell Heath, 24/4/12 and Long Crendon 21/4/12 and Gerrards Cross – 3/5/12 and Beacon Villages Community Library (previously Ivinghoe) 2/6/12 and Haddenham 3/11/12, Wing 10/11/12, Wendover 4/12/12.
• Camden – 3 – Heath Library, Belsize Library and Chalk Farm – 1st April 2012.
• Carmarthenshire – 1 - Pontyberem.
• Doncaster – 1 – Balby – 9/4/12 – Article.
• Dorset – 4 – Burton Bradstock – Oct 2012.  Wool – Jan 2013. Charmouth – Nov 2012. Puddletown – Jan 2013.
• Gloucestershire - 5 – Lechlade, Berkeley, Bream, Brockworth and Mitcheldean – 4/11/12.
• Isle of Man – 2 – Mobile Library and Family Library – 12/9/12 – Article.
• Leeds – 1 – Drighlington – Article – From 12/11/12.
• Surrey – 3 – Byfleet (25/9/12) and New Haw (4/10/12) and Virginia Water (16/1/13).
• North Yorkshire – Great Ayton 15/2/12 renamed as Derwent Valley Bridge, with 30 volunteers.
• Wakefield – 2 – Havercroft and Kinsley to transfer to Learning Centres and be run with volunteers, late November,
• Warwickshire - 10 - Bidford-on-Avon,  Bulkington, Dunchurch, Harbury, Henley-in-Arden, Keresley, Kineton, Studley – By end of April 2012, Baddesley Ensor (24/5/12). Dordon (by 5/9/12).
• Wigan - 1 - Beech Hill closed but then reopened by BookCycle charity.

23 Changed to volunteer-run

• Bradford – 4 – Addingham Library – Article ["success so far" 28.12.11]- first of 4 expected. Transfer to be complete 1.1.12, volunteers supported by parish council who own the building. Wrose Library – Article in association with parish council.
  Denholme Library.
• Buckinghamshire – 2 – Chalfont St Peter – 3/1/12. Farnham Common Library – Article – first of 13 expected to be turned over to volunteers 2011/12.
• Carmarthenshire – 1 – Llannon – Tumble Hall library passes from Carmarthenshire Council to Llannon Community Council last year.  Usage now down to one person per week.
• Doncaster – 4 – Stainforth – 3/3/12 – Article. Warmsworth, Bawtry, Rossington and Stainforth – 28/3/12
• Isle of Wight – 5 - Five out of eleven Wight libraries were made volunteer-run in early 2012.  Funded by extra rises in parish council precepts. Bembridge Communty Library. Brighstone Community Library “will be closing the New Road premises at 5.00pm on Thursday 23rd February. We will be closed for 8 days until we will open in North Street at 10.00 am on Saturday 3rd March”. Shanklin Community Library – Feb 2012. East Cowes Community Library. Edward Edwards Community Library (Previously Niton Library).
• North Lincolnshire – 1 – Goxhill Library – volunteer-run since 4th April 2011.
• North Yorkshire – 1 – Masham Library – closed Christmas Day 2011, to be re-opened a community run in Malthamshire Community Office February 2012 and run by Masham Volunteer Trust.
• Somerset - 1 – Highbridge – Article, Library Website – Council contribution -1 Council employee (£5k one-off  “priming grant”) who will train volunteers, £900 to pay for library computers (staff and public access). Town council pays £4k in set-up costs.
• Wandsworth - 1 – York Gardens – Article – 1st November 2011.
• Warwickshire – 2 - Kineton – Article, Library Website – 9th January 2012. Studley – Library Website – March 2012.
• Wiltshire - 1 – Purton – Article, Library Website.

4 to be run by social enterprises

• Lewisham – 4 – Council Report on divesting libraries here. Blackheath Library – Library Website – Closed.  Initially 1000 then 6000 books will transfer to the Age Exchange Reminiscence Centre, with responsibility being taken over by the charity. £200,000 apparently given to Age Exchange by council. Crofton Park, Grove Park and Sydenham Libraries taken over by Eco Computer Systems.  Buildings given to ECS for peppercorn rent.

1 paid for by parish council

• Wiltshire – 1 – Aldbourne – Article, Library Website – Parish council ran poll, 2 out of 3 who voted agreed to pay extra £7 on council tax to pay for salaried librarian (£5k p.a.)

55 mobile libraries closed

• Bexley – 1 mobile withdrawn Oct 2011.
• Blackburn with Darwen – at least one mobile withdrawn in 2011 – Article.
• Central Bedfordshire – Article – Council’s sole mobile library is stopped.
• Ealing – Article – One mobile lost.
• Gloucestershire – Article – Homelink mobile serving elderly people’s homes stopped.
• Hampshire – Article – 13 mobiles cease, four survive.
• Herefordshire – Article – 2 mobiles withdrawn.
• Lambeth – 2 mobiles appear to be withdrawn.
• Lancashire – 1 mobile appears to have been withdrawn.
• Manchester - 4 mobiles - Article - Date of ending unclear but from context appears to be October 2011.
• Middlesbrough – 1 mobile appears to have been withdrawn: Library list now shows no mention of mobile library which was posted as under threat in 2011.  It is therefore assumed to be closed.
• Northamptonshire – 2 (out of 4) withdrawn.
• Nottinghamshire – 4 (out of 7) withdrawn.   There now (Mar 2012) appears to be just three routes.
• North Yorkshire – Article – 10 out of 11 ceased.
• Sefton – 1 mobile ends – Article.
• Shropshire – Article – Weekly mobile stops changed to fortnightly. 2 mobiles stopped.
• Stoke on Trent – Article – 1 mobile withdrawn.
• Surrey – Article – 5 mobiles withdrawn.
• Vale of Glamorgan – 1 mobile withdrawn June 2011.
• West Sussex – Article - 1 out of 3 mobiles closed.

47 library buildings closed

• Barking and Dagenham – Wantz Library – closed 31/3/12 – Article, Website.
• Bolton – Astley Bridge – to be closed by before April. Castle Hill – Article – closed 2/3/12. Heaton – Article – closed 26.2.12 – alternative facility placed in children’s centre with “collection point” for books. Highfield – Article – closed 13.1.12. Oxford Grove – Article – closed 26.2.12.
• Bradford – Wilsden – Website – closed end of June.  Reopened as volunteer run April 2012.  Heaton closed 2011 – Article.
• Brent – Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston, Tokyngton
• Cumbria – Harraby – Moved into a community centre, with self-service machines only.
• Doncaster – Denaby – Article. Carcroft.
• Flintshire - Bagillt – Article – closed 24/11/12. Garden City – Article – closed May – due to be demolished
• Hartlepool – Foggy Furze – Article closed 2nd April. West View – Article closed 19th December 2011.
• Lambeth – West Norwood – Article (see comments) – “merged” with Old Library in Knight’s Hill.
• Leeds – Allerton Bywater – Article closed 18th July. Armley Heights – Article closed 18th July. Belle Isle – Article closed 18th July. Broad Lane – Article closed 18th July. Holbeck – Article closed 18th July. Ireland Wood – Article closed 18th July. Kirkstall – Article closed 18th July. Lofthouse – Article closed 18th July. Osmondthorpe – Article closed 18th July. Richmond Hill – Article closed 18th July. Swarcliffe – Article closed 18th July. Swillington – Article closed 18th July. Swinnow – Article closed 18th July.
• Lewisham – New Cross – Article closed 28th May.
• Manchester – Clayton – Article – closed 30/11/11. Rack House – Article – closed 30/11/11.
• Northern Ireland – Moneymore – closed 29/11/11. Moy – closed 31/3/12.
• Shropshire – Shrewsbury Reference Library (now merged with central library).
• Wakefield – Balne Lane – Article – closed January 2012. Middlestown - Article – Demolished in 2011.
• Waltham Forest – South Chingford – 2/12/11 – A volunteer-run library will open in area in April 2012. Harrow Green – 2/12/11.
• Warwickshire – Bedworth Heath Library – closed 25/1/12 – Replaced by a “honesty library” of 1500 books, unstaffed with no security in local community centre.  This new “honesty library” was used by only 60 people in its first five weeks (27/3/12).
  Kingsbury – Article – closed “at the end of March” – replaced by mobile library stop.
• Westminster – St James – Article closed 23rd August.  From council website “This is Westminster’s newest library and opens earlier than our other libraries for the sake of the many local residents and commuters rushing to their offices and schools.”