Ian Anstice

• Many think the internet has replaced the enquiry desk and that E-books,  entering the mass market at just the wrong time, are vying for the other core purpose, that of book lending.
• Lack of leadership. The MLA, the quango most responsible for the sector even advocated closures and was, anyway, abolished in October.  CILIP, the professional body is undergoing restructuring and divided.  The local library services themselves, over two hundred of them, are hopelessly divided and, anyway, bound to accept the decisions of their councillors.
• No national marketing or promotion, with the exception of the wonderful Summer Reading Challenge.
• Unlike other “statutory” services, the 1964 Act making libraries compulsory is vaguely worded.
• A general lack of understanding by councillors of what libraries and library staff do and their value.

• Volunteers can run libraries.  After all, if they don’t, it’s the community’s fault, not the councils.
• Opening hours and bookfund can be cut. 
• Another body can be given the job – be it a Trust or a private company.  The council is not to blame if they do any cuts.

News

• Clive Thompson on why kids can’t search – Wired. “students aren’t assessing information sources on their own merit—they’re putting too much trust in the machine.”.  Students are never taught how to judge information. “Librarians are our national leaders in this fight; they’re the main ones trying to teach search skills to kids today”
• If politicians won’t pay for libraries, don’t assume that publishers will – Good Library Blog.  In which Tim Coates points out something that is obvious: universal free downloadable library ebooks would destroy the book market and so it ain’t going to happen – unless something like Public Lending Right was extended to ebooks, which is unlikely as it would cost money.  “Publishers will not make ebooks freely available – why should they? At present 80% of publishers both here and in the US are refusing to supply the public library service through the various models that are currently available. Why should they give away content so that two thirds of reading can be free and authors of the works are not paid ?” 
• My thoughts on #savelibraries – Monsieurledan.com.  The author’s local library is underused. From this basis, he suggests libraries go online, acting as archives for all locally produced digital content.  However, he admits he has no idea where the funding would come from.
• On National Gaming Day, libraries encourage children to put down book, pick up joystick – Press of Atlantic City (USA).  “I practically grew up in the library myself, so it is a little odd for me to see people playing video games in library. But with the way CDs and movies have been brought in over the years, I guess it was bound to happen,” said Woerner, 29, of Forked River. “My daughter is in enjoying this. But she is absolutely leaving here with books.”

Local News

• Oxfordshire – Keep calm and remember the date – Friends of Benson Library.  Council will decide fate of libraries on 12th December. 
• Warwickshire – Shipston residents among those asked to give their views – Cotswold Journal.    “The majority vote from the public will decide the future opening hours of the library which will be introduced from March 31, 2012.”.  Users decide which set of reduced opening hours they prefer, rather than (as is implied) if they want them to be cut or not.

Brent – Council discriminated against Asians when it closed six libraries, court hears – Brent and Kilburn Times.  “twenty eight per cent of Brent’s borough is Asian, but 46 per cent of active borrowers at its libraries are Asian. The reasons why Asians were particularly heavy users of libraries were never considered or investigated,” she said. Ms Dinah Rose presented two maps before the three judges, Lord Justice Pill, Lord Justice Richards and Lord Justice Davies, which were printed off the council’s own website.”

Brent appeal concluded yesterday afternoon; the judges said they would “take their time” to consider it before giving their decision. Likely to be a few – but only few – weeks. (Twitter)

I spy … an update on the Appeal – Preston Library Campaign.  “We have a new barrister – Dinah Rose – and she was very impressive.  She opened the case yesterday with the complicated indirect discrimination point – but she explained it so well that I think all 50 or so supporters – (the court was packed and folding chairs had to be brought it!) may now be able to explain it to someone else.” … “In fact the Asian community have been disproportionately affected because a new witness statement showed that Ealing Road library is now overcrowded, with children (mostly Asian) sitting on the floor to do their homework and great pressure on the computers.”

“Brent conceded that it wasn’t considered at all, but argued that giving no regard to it could nevertheless amount to “due regard” under the legislation.“

Council failed to investigate whether library closures indirectly discriminated against Brent Asians, QC claims – Wembley Matters.  

News

Librarian’s words are binding – Los Angeles Times (USA).  “A New Orleans librarian says that even in the Internet age, libraries perform a vital service to society.” … “I even got married in a library. And it’s no fun watching the profession and the institution take hits these days, with libraries shut or scaled back and in some cases privatized. Meanwhile, I’m struck by the number of people who see no tragedy in this and think society no longer has much use for libraries.” … “More than 1 million Californians visited a library on a single day in October 2010,”
Perkins – Good Library Blog.  Tim Coates, well known library consultant and ex chief of Waterstones, appears (article is written entirely about a cat) to be announcing he is moving to the USA.  “The Good Library Guide Blog is very proud to announce that Perkins has a new job. She is to be the library cat of a famous and presitgious library in California.”
Will your town’s library soon be privatized? – Blog for Iowa (USA).  “In many towns libraries are the hub for the elderly and the local school kids and for other groups. They often add that ambiance that makes a town more attractive to new citizens and a reason that old citizens do not move. Yet when faced with budget crises ambiance is at the bottom of the totem pole when looking at reasons to save a service.”

Local News

Calderdale – Library cuts under scrutiny – Brighouse Echo.  “Around 2,000 people have had their say over plans to reduce Calderdale library services. During a consultation period, people across Calderdale had the chance to come up with suggestions for saving money in libraries. The full results will be published later this month.”
Croydon/Lambeth – Croydon offer three options for future of Upper Norwood Joint Library – Croydon Guardian.  Article describes background then fails to describe what the three options may be, although none include partnership but two (only two) ensure library stays open.
Hertfordshire – Shhhh! Silence over Hertford Library asking price – Mercury.    “A council spokesman told the Mercury that the authority was not prepared to release the value of the library so as not to prejudice the views of the market because it has a duty to get the best price.” … New Hertford Library due to officially open in January. … “Julie Goodwin, who owns health shop Natural Health in Old Cross, said: “A lot of people come to this side of town for the library, so there’s going to be less footfall when it goes as there will be less reason to come.””
North Yorkshire – Great Ayton villagers in favour of tax to save their library – Gazette Live.  “
More than 2,000 households in Great Ayton received a questionnaire in July proposing an increase in the Parish Precept of £20 on an average Band D property as a way to save the village library. The results have shown 85-90% of residents who returned the survey agree to the increase.” … “After a long fight the Save Great Ayton Library Group (SGALG) believes that now, the only way the facility could be saved is by an increase in the parish precept.”
South Ayrshire – Council library service achieves worldwide first – Ayrshire Scotland Business News.  “The e-book, ‘The Record of the Ayrshire Militia 1802-1883’, is now available for sale on Amazon, making South Ayrshire’s local history information accessible to a global audience for generations to come.”

Surrey – Woking town centre revamp moves to next stage – Get Surrey.   “Hoardings are set to be installed around the closed Woking Library as the latest stage of the town centre renovation work begins.” … “It is anticipated that the refurbished Woking Library and the Peacocks Centre’s restaurant will be open to the public by next spring, with negotiations at an advanced stage with a “popular national restaurant operator” to fill the space.”

The decision on the Brent appeal should be made tomorrow afternoon.  Elsewhere, Bury, Coventry and Tameside have announced big cuts, with some closing and some just being hollowed out.  Coventry is boasting of not closing any libraries but seems happy to close some buildings and call moving some of the books into a doctor’s surgery as equal.  Oh dear.

I don’t cover much about CILIP (the professional association for librarians and some others) on this blog to a great extent, due to the sadly low amount of coverage it receives, for whatever reason, in the local or national media.  However, a question was put at the online hustings debate for its election of Trustees today (Thursday 10th) which may be of interest to campaigners, many of whom I know are disappointed by the lack of general overt support from librarians for their cause.  The question (1:02 to 1:10) was whether public librarians are to blame for the current state of affairs by keeping too low a profile.  These, in summary (please note the text is not verbatim), were the answers:

• Mike Hosking.  There are high profile librarians everywhere who “make a tremendous impact”.  Public libraries have been badly served by MLA, by the DCMS and by ministers who have not “put their heads abover the parapet”.  Despite tales everywhere of library closures, behind the headlines, one of the clear things is we have a huge amount of public support.  Some libraries will close in the future and “I am not personally averse to some libraries closing”.  I have closed fifteen myself.  We do have to change and deliver things differently. It’s going to be a tough decade.
• Sue Cook.  I have met some colourful characters that are putting their heads above the parapet.  We have been let down by politicians like David Lammy who used their position in the DCMS as a stepping stone, councillors too.  “I was disappointed in the MLA” – it did well in the museum sector but not in libraries.  Some librarians do believe that making no trouble will allow them to survive. The new generation of librarians don’t agree with keeping heads down. “We do need a higher profile, we do need a very very strong brand”.
• Liz McGettigan.  “Yes, I do think we are to blame, to be honest”.  Anyone high profile is doing it in an isolated fashion. Even if we are high-profile, we don’t lobby and sell to the right people.  Our sector does not make it easy for us – we fall between the stools of Culture and Education, and libraries are changing rapidly.  However, librarians are getting better at advocacy.
• Sue Westcott.  “I think we have to take some of the blame because we take some of the credit for some of the amazing things public libraries do”.  Sue uses public library as a user, not as a worker.  She has seen excellent use of imagination in local branches that boosts them.  However, “we have to stop being so politically naive”, CILIP needs to be less trusting of ministers (no minister, especially junior minister, is there to do anything else but to serve their own political career), need to be like professional lobbyists.  We can draw on the experience of CILIP members in political environments to help us.
• Marie Cotera.  “I think we are to blame, yes, I do”.  We don’t know what we are and what we do so how are going to communicate that to other people? “We have too many names”.  How many people do we know not in the profession that know what we do?  What’s a “knowledge manager”?  We’re not politically savvy. We need to show how we contribute to a politician’s agenda. “I don’t think we understand how really important we are”.  Knowledge and information transforms lives so we are very important and we need to push that. “We are to blame and we need to sort it out sooner rather than later”.

If you are a CILIP member, vote with care. 

• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December. 
• Vote for public libraries to be campaigned on by the highly successful 38 Degrees group, you can vote three times.

News

• Calculating the value of a community’s library use – Swiss Army Librarian.  Type in usage statistics in left-hand box, provides the value to comunity in right-hand box.  Needs to be converted from dollars to pounds and some of the formulae may be different in the UK but a very useful.
• Volunteers are only a stay of execution – Infoism.   “This policy does not present a sustainable solution and creates a two-tier system whereby those with access to a so-called ‘community’ library have access to a second class service when compared with those privileged to live near a fully funded public library”

Changes

Bury – £540k cut plus £60k school libraries cut.  Some libraries may close. 
Coventry – “Many” library buildings could close and transfer into “schools, shops, or doctor’s surgeries.”. Canley, Stoke, Radford, Earlsdon and Hillfields mentioned [not counted as “under threat” as yet until more information is received – Ed.]
Tameside – £900k cut from £3.5m budget, of which £200k already found from job losses.  At least one branch, such as Dukinfield, may be closed.  May use volunteers. Consultation starting November 17th until mid February.

Local News

• Brent – Judges hear library closures appeal – Press Association. “Three judges are being urged to overturn a decision of a High Court judge who recently rejected the claims of campaigners that the closure decision was “fundamentally flawed and unlawful”.”
• Appeal for Brent libraries to be heard today in High Court – Harrow Times.  
• Library closures: Councils “shirked duties” – BBC.  “Ms Rose said they would be querying “whether Brent breached its duty under the Equality Act by failing to give any regard at all to the risk that its policy and the implementation of its policy would discriminate indirectly against Asians, Hindus and Muslims”. She continued: “It is is clear that there was a very significant risk that the implementation of this policy would give rise to indirect discrimination against Asians.”
• Campaigners return to court in fight to save six libraries in Brent from the axe – London 24.   “Ms Gee said: “We have to be hopeful. “If we lose the ball it will be in All Souls court. All Souls will have to speak up. It has to show that it believes in books and libraries.”
• Council tells residents to use libraries in another borough – Preston Library Campaign.   “The Brent Council spokeswoman said it was “nonsense” that the council has been misleading anyone.  She said: “It is true that everyone living in the borough is no more than a mile and a half from a library, either in Brent or a neighbouring borough, and many residents choose to use a library in another borough. This was clearly explained in the proposals.’’
• Bury – Libraries may shut as town hall wields axe in bid to save £23m – Manchester Evening News.  Survey of all cuts in Bury gives main prominence to libraries. “A full review of the library service will start next year. The council wants to save £540,000. A similar review in Bolton, to save £400,000, led to the closure of five of the town’s 15 libraries. Libraries services in schools will also be ‘re-modelled’ to save £60,000 more from the budget. The council stressed that a public consultation would be launched before any savings are confirmed in libraries.” 
• Conwy – Library service one of the poorest in Wales according to new report – North Wales Weekly News.  “The annual report by CyMAL (Museums Archives and Libraries Wales) on behalf of the Welsh Government reveals that Conwy only achieves six of the 14 Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS).”…”The report sternly concludes that the Welsh Government expects to hear that the libraries modernisation process has been completed by the next annual return in July 2012, and that ‘firm decisions have been made in relation to future library provision’.” [Wales has Library Standards – England does not – Ed.]
• Coventry – Libraries would share premises with other services – Coventry Telegraph.  “Many” libraries could move [reduce? – Ed.] into other buildings such as doctors’ surgeries but overall number of libraries will not reduce.  “She said Coventry would not be following Conservative-run Warwickshire County Council’s “disgraceful” plans to hive off nearly half its 34 libraries to community volunteers, whom she said would be unlikely to keep running services in the long-term.” … “She described Canley library as “grotty”, and Stoke, Radford, Earlsdon and Hillfields were among those deemed unsuitable for modern use or lacking facilities.”
• Cumbria – Library service looks to councillors for help – North West Evening Mail.   Library usage has changed so service needs reviewing, “The committee had been asked to form a working group to assess how to modernise the area’s libraries. But at yesterday’s meeting, it was decided that the issue was so important that all 12 councillors from the group would examine the options. Cumbria County Council is aiming to revamp the county’s libraries and held a consultation this summer to discuss their future. More than 4,000 responses were received, and now the county council is taking the next step.”
• Dorset – Charmouth: Residents in last ditch attempt to save library – Bridport News.   “I think the Conservatives have set their faith against it and although they base their arguments on what has turned out to be completely wrong information, I don’t think they will admit that and go back on it.” … may turn into withdrawn library “Proposed uses for the building include storytelling sessions for pre-school children, and working with the WRVS and Dorset POPP to run Wayfinders, a scheme for befriending isolated people.”
• Civic leaders vote again for future of Dorset’s libraries – Dorset Echo.   “Only within the last few days have our communities finally been given some hint of what the council will offer us if we take over the running of our libraries.However, they have not told us enough for us to be able to make proper plans.”
• Herefordshire – Future Libraries Programme: How this might affect Herefordshire – Hereford Library Users’ Group.   Worries over volunteers taking over libraries, loss of statutory protection, “hiving-off of libraries” to Trusts.
• North Yorkshire – Library jobs to go – BBC.   36 FTE jobs (one-fifth) to be replaced with volunteers.  If not enough volunteers, libraries will close.  “Children’s author Emily Diamond has been campaigning to keep Bilton library, in Harrogate, open. She said she was “really sad” about the job losses, but added: “I’m pleased we can keep as many open as we can. However, running a community library service would be a “massive job”, she added.”
• One fifth of North Yorks library staff to go – BookSeller.   “Scarborough borough councillor Nick Harvey, from the Green party, criticised the plan. He said: “Running a library is exceedingly complex, how many of these community solutions will be here in a few years’ time?”
• Suffolk – “New Strategic Direction” alive and well – Rosehill Readers.   “Bemused and angry library campaigners watched yet another farce unfold before their eyes at the Suffolk County Council Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday 8th November. The Cabinet continued on its path of divesting the Public Library Service in Suffolk, despite claims to the contrary by Cllr. Judy Terry, who seems intent on turning a loved public service into groups of competing businesses staffed increasingly by volunteers.”.  Funding may be for only two years, increasing reliance on volunteers, cost may be more than in-house option.
• Tameside – Some Tameside libraries could face axe in shake-up – Tameside Advertiser.  “”Earlier this year the council undertook a voluntary severance exercise and the library service took the opportunity to reduce staffing as much as reasonably possible. We are now reaching the limits of what further efficiencies can be achieved, without a reduction in the overall portfolio.”

Compelling evidence has arrived today that library usage is not declining of its own accord but rather would be increasing if it were not being cut apart by budget reductions. Scottish libraries funding remained steady last year while English funding reduced by 5.1%. Scottish libraries usage – in terms of not only book issues but also in visits and in active users – slightly increased while English usage went down by 4% or so (averaging out visits, loans, issues).  It’s almost as if the UK is a scientific experiment on the impact of funding on usage, with Scotland as the control. The article showing Scottish funding is steady, incidentally, describes England’s libraries as “a service being slowly but surely torn apart”. English libraries are not naturally declining. Rather, they are being murdered.

We’ll see if its a case of library unjustifiable homicide in Brent on Friday: 

• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December. 
• Vote for public libraries to be campaigned on by the highly successful 38 Degrees group, you can vote three times.

News

• Arts Council England launches Libraries Development Initiative – Arts Council England.  “The Libraries Development Initiative will run between March 2012 and March 2013 and support around 10 projects. Each project will be awarded a maximum of £20,000, though amounts of funding allocated to each project will differ according to the scope and scale of work. Successful projects will explore how embedding arts and culture in libraries can improve people’s experiences, bring benefits to the library service and develop cultural provision in local areas. Projects will also look at new ways of working that will enhance libraries’ sustainability and relevance as vibrant hubs in their local communities.”… “Expressions of Interest should be submitted no later than 5pm on 2 December 2011.” .  Four designated bidding themes:

Part 1: new delivery models for arts and culture working together. This will look at new ways that libraries can work with arts and cultural organisations, with the aim of improving a community’s experience and its opportunities for engaging with arts and culture locally.
Part 2: coordinating partnerships to achieve national policy outcomes.  This will explore how libraries can expand their already established role in the local delivery of a wide range of national policy areas, such as through multi-disciplinary partnerships with other local authority departments, community groups, job centres and with arts and culture organisations.
Part 3: books and reading. This will explore opportunities offered by co-production projects for libraries as they respond to the challenge to ensure their books and reading offer remains engaging, relevant and exciting in a changing context.
Part 4: commercial partnerships. This will consider how libraries can respond to increasing economic challenges in an innovative way, exploring diverse funding streams and the benefits of a resilient mixed economy.

• CIPFA Statistics show growing divide between Scotland and rest of UK – Slainte.  Describes England as “a service being slowly but surely torn apart.” … Funding remained stable in Scottish libraries last year… ” the number of active borrowers who have borrowed in the last year and physical and virtual visits have all increased. “This is in stark contrast to the position which some English library services find themselves in.”
• Do libraries give us a core service? – Minnesota Public Radio (USA).  The resounding answer from the many people in this article is “yes” apart from one who says “good” parents can afford all the books they need.
• Fable for our times – Sintoblog.  Ladies and gentleman, it’s a shaggy dog story about privatising libraries.  Seriously.
• Monster or saviour – CILIP Update magazine. “Ian Anstice looks at the highly controversial subject of private companies running public libraries, investigating services that have made the transition, at home and abroad.” [Article currently only available to CILIP members – and, yes, it’s me who wrote the article. Ed.].  
• Occupy London’s library provides shelf help – Guardian.  “The improvised book-lending facility at the St Paul’s protest has held a prominent position at the demonstration from the start.”.  “”Books open up a different kind of space for discussion, a different atmosphere.” The Occupy London librarian, Nathan Cravens, is in reflective mood. The rain has stopped drumming on the tents outside St Paul’s Cathedral for a while, and passers-by pause to browse the table of books, chat for a moment and move on. “It seems that the books themselves attract people to have discussions on the issues and the solutions,” he adds.”
• Reading to children has long impact, says OECD report – BBC. “Children whose parents frequently read with them in their first year of school are still showing the benefit when they are 15, says an international study.” 
• Reading with child “highlight of the day for parents” – BBC.  “Some 98% of teachers questioned said they are either very or quite concerned that reading for pleasure does not take place often enough in some homes. The survey, carried out by pollsters Opinion Matters, was commissioned by the publishers Pearson and the reading charity Booktrust who sponsor the Booktime programme. This year the scheme will see 1.38 million free books given to reception-age children in England.”

Changes

Enfield –   No libraries will close (previously Ordnance Road, Enfield Highway and Bullsmoor were under threat). 20% budget cut, 17 staff face possible redundancy.
North Yorkshire – Malton and Norton libraries to merge, 36 out of 177 full time equivalent posts to be lost.
Westminster – 1000 book “Express” self-service Library opened.

Local News

• Brent – Thursday: Day One of Appeal at the High Court, 10am The Strand – Preston Library Campaign.  “Brent SOS library campaign will be at the High Court to appeal against the unnecessary closure of 50% of Brent’s libraries by the Labour-run council. 10.30 am at The Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand, London. Rally from 9.30am Nearest tube: Temple, Holborn and Charing Cross (in that order)”

“I will give an example from a local authority on which I used to sit. The London borough of Brent has decided to close half its libraries. The council put it to the public and 82% of people said that they did not like it. The answer from the council was, “We’re still going to do it.” That was the result of a consultation. The idea was overwhelmingly rejected, but the council are progressing with it. That would be a case, like my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park described, in which a referendum would undoubtedly go against what the local authority wishes to do. However, that does not change the fact that local authorities are elected to serve and to make decisions. They should do so even if those decisions are not liked by the people whom they represent.” Brent – Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East, Conservative), They Work For You.

• Council accused of “misleading” public over libraries – Harrow Observer.   “Some 60 campaigners walked from South Kenton Tube station to their nearest Brent library, in Preston Road, on Saturday to show the distance some library users will have to walk after the closures.” … ““It was just over 2.2 miles, far longer than the 1.5 miles the council has been telling us our nearest library was and it was very difficult for someone of the older people and those with children that came with us. They have always said it was a 1.5 mile distance but having walked it, it definitely isn’t.””.  1.5 miles claim was including libraries in other authorities.
• Enfield – Council pledges not to close libraries despite cuts – Enfield Independent.  “Cllr Charalambous said: “I wish to put on record that we value the invaluable service to the community provided by libraries and would like to see libraries better equipped and providing a 21st century service for all and it is therefore my intention to propose that unlike many other London boroughs that we retain all our libraries and that there be no library closures.””
• Hillingdon – In my constituency, a library has been closed and a new one opened – They Work For You.  John McDonnell MP (Hayes and Harlington, Labour) questions need to sell off in such haste Hayes Library for housing.
• North Yorkshire – Proposal to retain Libraries – Harrogate News.   “Under the proposals, North Yorkshire’s existing 42 branch libraries would be retained with the exception of Malton and Norton libraries. The proposals envisage the creation of a new branch convenient for both communities. The 41 libraries would be run either by the county council’s library service, or by volunteers from the local communities, or by a combination of both.”
• Oxfordshire – Council joy at return of lost Iceland millions – Banbury Cake.   £5m may be returned.  ““It could go into a capital project such as a school or a road scheme, but it will not fund youth services or library services because it is one-off money.”.  Leader Keith Mitchell, suggests it would go into reserves.
• Suffolk – Sound of rubber stamps as Suffolk adopts library plan – Suffolk Wordblog.  “Judy Terry, the cabinet member responsible for libraries, told us that 5% of £6m was £100,000.”… “The rubber stamp was applied to the creation of a co-operative to run libraries, rather than a slimmed down in-house service or a company wholly owned by the council on the grounds that it would save most money and would best meet the localism policy.”.  SWOT analysis showed lack of direct democratic mandate for new body.  No mention was made of Best Value Evaluation Report that said that an in-house service or a co-operative were serious contenders – Industrial and Providential Society agreed on.  Worries of secondary taxation brushed aside.
• County Council agrees to transfer libraries to a new body – EDT.  “Yesterday’s cabinet approval will have to be endorsed by the next full meeting of the county council on December 15.”… “Abby Barker asked why the county was going ahead with the IPS option when 80pc of those who took part in a public consultation earlier this year expressed a wish for the service to be retained in-house.” – Council said such an option was “comprehensively evaluated” but IPS was chosen as best [presumably because of current tax advantages – Ed.]
• Warwickshire – Have your say on Warwickshire Libraries’ opening hours – Coventry Telegraph. “A consultation will last four weeks from Monday. The consultation is on the future pattern of opening hours for the remaining council-run libraries after it axed 16 last month.”
• Westminster – Express library opens in Westminster – Westminster Chronicle.  “The self-service library, based in the ground-floor reception area of the Archives Centre in St Ann’s Street, holds a small collection of around 1,000 books for adults and children.”.  Uses material and shelving from the recently closed St James’s Library.
• Wiltshire – Additional opening session for Aldbourne Library – Aldbourne Net.   “Volunteers will be opening Aldbourne Library on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 – 12:00 starting on 29th November. There are currently 4 volunteers so anyone willing to join in and give a little extra help would be welcome. The volunteers have had their introductory training and will be “learning on the job” for the first few weeks with a member of library staff on hand for support.”

It looks like the Brent libraries appeal will be heard, this Thursday/Friday, before the result of the Gloucestershire/Somerset legal challenge.  Reports suggest that the Brent result, whatever it is, will have no bearing on the other challenge as the judge has already made his ruling.  Campaigners from the two counties, though, must now prolong their agony for another week.

Liverpool Council has announced it may be cutting £1m per year off  its libraries each year for three consecutive years.  Closures or giving of branches to volunteers are options to be explored, with meetings going on for months to come.  Liverpool has 22 branches, with its largest – Liverpool Central – currently closed at the moment for a flagship £50m refurbishment.  Such investment in a public library, started in 2010 for two years, seems increasingly like a distant dream.

The new chair of the literacy all-party parliamentary group is the Conservative MP, Gavin Barwell.   He represents Croydon, whose council is leading the way in privatising/outsourcing its library service.  He employs the councillor in charge (Sara Bashford) of this process as a parliamentary assistant.  Mr Barwell is thus also presumably supportive of the ongoing slanging match between her council and that of Lambeth that threatens the future of the otherwise superb Upper Norwood Library.  Not a good sign for him seeing libraries as important for literacy.

• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December. 
• Vote for public libraries to be campaigned on by the highly successful 38 degrees group, you can vote three times.

News

• Importance of literacy – Gavin Barwell MP.  “Today I was elected Chairman of the new All Party Parliamentary Group on literacy.” … “We need to give all our children not just the skills to read but a love of reading – a point powerfully made by the children’s author Cressida Cowell at our launch today.”
• Music libraries – Guardian (Letters).  “Students and schools also rely on the music facilities which libraries provide. Choir and orchestra members constitute a great army of lifelong-learners. That this should now be undermined by the closure and mothballing of music libraries is sad indeed. The UK has a fine tradition of amateur performance. One loan benefits not just the performers, but all in their audiences.”
• Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 (Amendment) Bill 2010-11 – Parliament.  Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Alison McGovern MP (Wirral South) looks likely to have died.  “A Bill to amend the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to broaden the scope of the general duty of library authorities so as to include a duty to provide related cultural facilities alongside the library service; and for connected purposes.” 

“I can’t think of a more egregious example of government-sponsored socialism than the public library. Unproductive citizens without two nickels to rub together are given access to millions of books they could never afford to buy on their own — all paid for with the tax dollars of productive citizens. Does the government pay for people to rent tuxedos for free, sail boats for free, or play golf for free? No, it does not. So why should it pay for people to read books and surf the Internet for free?” Libraries = Socialism, NBC Chicago. [This article appears to be a serious one and not a parody – Ed.]

• Public libraries as public goods – Solo Librarian.  “The fight to save public libraries continues. In fact, it seems to be picking up pace; a very nice website exists, some pretty big name backers in celebrity, literary and academic circles, a brilliantly enthusiastic team of volunteers and activists, and some good coverage in the media” … “The main criterion which determines whether a good/service is to be provided on the public budget by a state agency or by free market dynamics are represented by externalities, i.e. the impact on the community as a whole, as well as the economic importance of the same.The greater the positive externalities, so the theory goes, the greater the likelihood that there is a market failure and, therefore, that the good/service is entrusted to the public sector.”.  The writer is an anarchist, denies the “public good” hypothesis and decides that libraries are too important to leave to governments. [The fact that this argument completely agrees with current government policy is highly educational – Ed.]
• Saving libraries but not librarians (Blowback) – Los Angeles Times.  “But slashed budgets need not lead to libraries suffering. Libraries should innovate, just as the New York Public Library has. Facing multimillion-dollar budget cuts, the library does not flounder, it flourishes through innovation. Its digital strategy — including e-publications, crowdsourcing projects and a user-friendly online library catalog — has increased the number of its patrons.”.  Closure of bookshops mean libraries could become browse/cafe spaces… ” It’s understandable why librarians bemoan this; nobody wants to see their profession fade into obscurity. But libraries do not serve the egos of librarians; they serve the people. And in the information age, serving the people requires evolving and innovating.”
• What makes a really good public library? – Quora (USA).  Lots of interesting answers, mainly technophile.  Some amazing pictures of very nice American libraries. [A disturbing number of answers don’t mention books, though – Ed.]

Changes

Liverpool – Some may close, others may passed to volunteers.  £1m cut each year for next three years.
Suffolk – No compulsory redundancies, reduction in management layers from four to two. 

Local News

• Brent – Library campaigners march to protest against closure of Preston Library – Harrow Times.  “campaigners took to the streets on Saturday morning to demonstrate against potential closures. The campaigners marched from South Kenton to Kingsbury Road against the closure of Preston Library. Members of the public were joined on the hour-long march by Liberal Democrat and Conservatives party councillors along with Green Party candidate Shahrar Ali.”
• Cumbra – Future of our libraries to be decided by group – North West Evening Mail.   Report says that group members were hostile to cuts until it was explained to them that “libraries are in long-term decline and that it was necessary to explore alternative methods of service delivery in order to sustain the library service, people began to engage with our proposals for change in a more constructive fashion.” … “council leader, Councillor Eddie Martin, was pushing the idea of devolving matters to local committees”.  See rebuttal to “long-term decline” claim here. 
• Gloucestershire/Somerset – High Court ruling delayed by one week – FoGL.   Hearing provisionally changed to Wednesday 16th November.  “This means that the judgement on the appeal lodged by library users in Brent against the negative decision on their JR last month will now be announced first (likely Thursday 10th/Friday 11th). We have been informed that the outcome of this appeal will not impact upon Gloucestershire as the judge in the Gloucestershire/Somerset case has already made his ruling – we are just awaiting public announcement of it.”
• Leeds – Recruits needed to save Leeds library – Yorkshire Evening Post.  “City council bosses announced plans in May to shut 15 libraries in a move designed to save £625,000 a year. Drighlington Library, however, was spared from the axe, with a view to it being taken over by members of the community. Now a steering group called The Friends of Drighlington Community has been launched to oversee the hoped-for takeover.”
• Liverpool – Letters – Liverpool Echo.  Childwall Fiveways Library in new building but experience upset by loud children, with no separation.  “Why should I pay for broadband at home when we pay high taxes to pay for services such as libraries, the staff in which are brilliant and very helpful.”