Ian Anstice

Public librarian since 1994, user of public libraries since my first memories ... and a keen advocate of public libraries and chronicler of the UK public libraries scene. Library manager since 1998, winner of Information Professional of the Year 2011 and Winsford Customer Service "Oscar" 2012 and 2014, honorary CILIP fellow 2015, CILIP Wales Library Champion of the Year 2016.

Homepage: https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com


Posts by Ian Anstice

Birmingham and Islington guarantee no libraries will close

416 libraries (344 buildings and 72 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”). Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day. 

News

Campaign for the Book June Newsletter – Alan Gibbons.  Gives an overview of the new allies for libraries this month – the children’s laureate, the WI, even (more equivocally given Brent and Lewisham) the Labour Party.
Donaldson backs National Libraries Day – BookSeller.  “Hooray for National Libraries Day! So many wonderful things go on in libraries—not just reading, browsing and borrowing, but storytelling, rhyme times, book clubs, activity days, author events and holiday reading challenges—and this special day will be a celebration of them all.”
Don’t privatise that book!City Journal. Anti-union, pro-privatisation viewpoint on the Californian law that now makes it harder for libraries to be privatised.
Future Library – BookSeller.   New “Library of Birmingham” biggest public library project in Europe, “shop window for the city and culture of the city”.  Birmingham Council says it will not close any libraries.
Happy in the Library – Blog posts on people using the library.

“Surprisingly, far from being made obsolete by the Internet, public libraries are becoming more important. Forty-four percent of people living in households below the federal poverty line use the library to access the Internet. Yet many librarians report they cannot keep up with the demand of these patrons. (Chapter 18, Libraries.)Information needs of communities – Federal Communications Commission (USA).

Landmark US library to close – Guardian. ‘The greatest nation on earth’, as we still call ourselves, no longer has the political will to arrest its visible and precipitous decline and save the institutions on which the workings of our democracy depend … Their slow disappearance is a tragedy, not just for those impoverished towns and cities, but for everyone everywhere terrified at the thought of a country without libraries.”
People matterAnnie Mauger blog post, CILIP.
Reading buddies project helps the blind use North East libraries Journal Live.   Training for volunteers to help visually impaired users in libraries.
Somewhere special – Voices for the Library.  Touching descriptions of people using public libraries.

Women’s Institutes joins battle to save libraries – Guardian.  “It’s fabulous news for the millions of people across the UK that love their libraries. Libraries are an essential education and information resource. They are at the heart of communities across the country and are too important to lose,” (Annie Mauger, CILIP).

Changes to Library services

Birmingham – 39 less under threat. 
Islington – Guarantee no libraries will close.  10% (£600k) cut.  May be job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service.  Seriously considering turning into a Trust to save £450k p.a. in tax. 
North Yorkshire£300k off bookfund as part of bid to keep more libraries open. £592k cut to mobile libraries meaning no standard mobile libraries to remain running.
Somerset – The four (out of six) mobile libraries to be closed are based at Minehead, Bridgwater, Taunton and Wells meaning 209 communities will still receive a mobile library service whilst 206 communities, which currently receive a service, will no longer do so
Wokingham Privatised libraries may include community groups taking over libraries as well. 

Local News

Bexley/Bromley – More than 70 posts to go as Bromley and Bexley libraries merge – Bromley Times.
Bolton – High school offers to open its library to community – This is Lancashire. If Astley Bridge library closes, local high school could open a public library in its building if it was paid to do so.

“If you removed every single public library from the budget, it wouldn’t affect the budget crises we are trying to resolve. From a budget point of view libraries aren’t that significant. From a point of view of their contribution to a community and health of a local community, they are enormously important.” Brian Gambles, Assistant Director of Culture, Birmingham

Brent – Save out libraries: fight goes to the High Court – Londonist. “Unfortunately, no legal fight is cheap. There are lots of ways to lend your support; for starters, check out the comedy night at the North London Tavern on Friday 10th June. The Save Kensal Rise Library crew will also be at the Queen’s Park Literary Festival on Saturday 11th June.”
Croydon – Book Trail tragedy averted as Bashford overlooks the law again – Inside Croydon. Plan to have volunteers helping children without any CRB checking quashed.
Isle of Wight – Library campaigners report successful meeting with DCMS – Ventnor Blog.  DCMS officials interested and impressed by documents received. They also appeared surprised by lack of consultation by council and its lack of looking for alternatives of closure.  Campaigners have produced a full newsletter on the subject.
Islington – Library service could be run by charity trusts to save thousands in taxesIslington Tribune.  10% (£600k) cut in Islington library service, no closures – some job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service. Turning to a Trust would save £450k per year.
Manchester – Homework clubs axed at Manchester libraries in council budget cuts – Manchester Evening News.  Qualified tutors stop, librarians will be trained up instead.  Campaign started in Levenshulme against this – “The teacher at the homework club is brilliant and knows all the children, what their weaknesses are and what they need help with”.
North Yorkshire – Library chiefs look to cut amount spent on new books by £300k – Press.
North Yorkshire – End of road for mobile libraries – Whitby Gazette.  ““I think if we were in a town there would be enough heads to make a great big wave to stop this, but we can only create a ripple.
“It’s almost as if because you are rural you are not important because there’s not enough of you to fight back.”.  Only 3.4% of those consulted were in favour of closing mobile libraries but the cost per user is £77 per year.
Somerset – County Council plans to cut mobile libraries – BBC. 
Wokingham – “Council consulted no-one” claim as libraries row rages on – Get Wokingham.  Council says  that just because a private company will run the libraries, it does not mean they are privatised.  Opposition councillors point out there was no consultation and no detailed business case. “Library services are being privatised for ideological reasons. They could be the first in a long line of services that could be outsourced by the Conservative council. History tells us that outsourcing leads to cuts.”

Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries)


Donaldson backs National Libraries Day – BookSeller.  “Hooray for National Libraries Day! So many wonderful things go on in libraries—not just reading, browsing and borrowing, but storytelling, rhyme times, book clubs, activity days, author events and holiday reading challenges—and this special day will be a celebration of them all.”
Future Library – BookSeller.   New “Library of Birmingham” biggest public library project in Europe, “shop window for the city and culture of the city”.  Birmingham Council says it will not close any libraries.
Women’s Institutes joins battle to save libraries – Guardian.  “It’s fabulous news for the millions of people across the UK that love their libraries. Libraries are an essential education and information resource. They are at the heart of communities across the country and are too important to lose,” (Annie Mauger, CILIP).

Changes to Library services

Birmingham – 39 less under threat.
Islington – Guarantee no libraries will close.  10% (£600k) cut.  May be job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service.  Seriously considering turning into a Trust to save £450k p.a. in tax. 
Somerset – The four (out of six) mobile libraries to be closed are based at Minehead, Bridgwater, Taunton and Wells meaning a reduction of 206 stops.

Local News

“If you removed every single public library from the budget, it wouldn’t affect the budget crises we are trying to resolve. From a budget point of view libraries aren’t that significant. From a point of view of their contribution to a community and health of a local community, they are enormously important.” Brian Gambles, Assistant Director of Culture, Birmingham.

Islington – Library service could be run by charity trusts to save thousands in taxesIslington Tribune.  10% (£600k) cut in Islington library service, no closures – some job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service. Turning to a Trust would save £450k per year. 
Somerset – County Council plans to cut mobile libraries – BBC. 
Wokingham – “Council consulted no-one” claim as libraries row rages on – Get Wokingham. 

A review of the situation from the MLA

Comment

A Regional Manager from the MLA gave a talk yesterday to the Cambridge Library Group on “Libraries and the Big Society”.  Annie Johnson, who was there, has kindly sent me a summary of this talk which I have tailored for posting below. It is worth reading as it gives an overview of what stage public libraries are at now, albeit a surprisingly upbeat one and one which some library staff/campaigners would disagree with on a few points:

There are many negatives to the current situation. There have been falling (physical) visitors since 2005-6, Libraries and Culture are being disproportionately cut by councils, the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act makes libraries statutory but in a “hard to define” way, there are too few library advocates “higher up” and Public Library Service Standards are now abolished so there is no way for libraries to demonstrate performance.  Cutting because one has to is not a good way to review a service or to prepare for the future.

In other ways, there’s some positives. Libraries are now constantly in the news and high on the public agenda, campaigns have proved that libraries have an unprecedently high level of public support and “creative solutions” to the cuts are being found.

Public libraries are, and are seen to be, an embodiment of the Big Society in action (and were long before this became a political buzzword). The values that are important to libraries include community empowerment, information literacy, openness of public services, social enterprise. Volunteers are a difficult issue. Volunteers should not replace paid employees, but creative use of volunteers as a supplement to paid staff is good, filling gaps in services libraries would like to provide but can’t due to budget constraints (e.g. silver surfers, local history etc.).

Possible efficiencies (this does not mean simply cost-cutting) include less back-office staff, more self-service, more collaboration (eg. Essex runs Sloughs’ public libraries), more market research, more shared services and shared locations (eg. with trading standards), more commerical businesses (e.g. cafes).

My thanks to Annie Johnson for the reporting.

455 libraries (383 buildings and 72 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)  

News

Are libraries a dying breed? – Barbara Talley.  
CLG talk on the Big Society – Wee Bookworms.
Don’t be afraid to go in you library and read every book – Voices for the Library.  Matthew Hyde guest posts “Nowadays people don’t tend to be burning down libraries, at least not in Dudley, but they’re under threat. It’s easy to take them for granted, but in a world where we can access a mountain of information with next to no quality filter, librarians should rule. Somewhere along the line, that building full of books has seen the skillsets of the people who work there gain in currency.”
Government plans to block extremist websites from public internet – v3.  “”Internet filtering across the public estate is essential. We want to ensure that users in schools, libraries, colleges and Immigration Removal Centres are unable to access unlawful material,” the report said.” but, on the other hand, Jim Killick of the Open Rights Group calls it a “step too far” – “Libraries are a resource for sharing knowledge and study, no matter who you are. Adults must be assumed to be responsible and capable of making their own judgements,”

Libraries and the WIWalk You Home.  Lauren Smith was there.
Public libraries briefing – CILIP.

“Next time you’re driving or walking past your local library maybe break the habit and step inside. It’s even cheaper than Amazon… all of it’s free. No wonder those that use libraries regularly are up in arms about proposed closures of them. It just strikes me as something a nation can boast about – we lend people books for free.” This place will lend you books for free – Sabotage Times. See also the excellent comments (and not just the one recommending Public Libraries News).

Windows on the world, keeping them open: the prospects for public service broadcasting, libraries and arts – Voice of the Listener and Viewer, public meeting in Leeds, 16th July.
Women’s Institute will campaign for libraries – BookSeller.

Change to library services

Camden – 2 more under threat (1 branch, 1 mobile) – 3 libraries to transfer to being run by volunteers, Mobile Library to close, Regents Park Library to close. 10% opening hours cut for all, bookfund cut, 35 jobs lost,

Local News

Bexley – Mobile library service faces axe – Bexley Times.
Brent – Another chapter in bid to save librariesWembley and Willesden. 
Cambridgeshire – Longer opening hours for Linton Library – Haverhill Echo.  3 hours per week more but library still under threat of “divestment”.
Cambridgeshire – Huntingdonshire library open hours cuts planned – Hunts Post 24. ” “I would say I do not see the point in knocking two hours off the opening times. The library should be the hub of the town. It should have the tourist information centre there. In some communities, the town council offices should be there.”
Camden – Library funding cuts: Town Hall approves plan for three branches to be run by volunteers – Camden New Journal.  Camden, Belsize and Heath to be managed by volunteers by mid 2012, or closed, mobile to close, Regents Park Library to close (mothballing may happen).  ““The lack of trust in the management of Camden’s libraries is palpable. We will be holding meetings to discuss our options. One major issue will be having faith in the Town Hall to work with us.”
Isle of Wight – Library campaigners meet officials today – Ventnor Blog.  Meeting appears to have been positive but, as normal, with no guarantees of action. Also covered on Isle of Wight Radio.
North Yorkshire – Council U-turn over village facility – Craven Herald & Pioneer.   Gargrave and Embsay Libraries will not survive without volunteers, council withdrawing broadband “churlish”.
North Yorkshire – Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley libraries saved by people power – Gazette & Herald.  Malton and Norton libraries, though, will be shut and a combined library opened instead.
Northumberland – Cafes could help to keep libraries open, council told – New Post Leader.  Councillors also suggest charging for libraries and suggests German public libraries do this, less management, more opening hours.

208,000 Women’s Institute members to campaign for libraries

Comment

At the AGM of the Women’s Institute, in front of 4500 people at the Liverpool Echo Arena, Annie Mauger of CILIP put the case for libraries.  This was the culmination of months of meetings of WI clubs up and down the country where their members debated whether to support the case for libraries or not.  What was at stake was whether the National Federation of Women’s Institutes would not only lend their support to public libraries but also to campaign actively on their behalf.  It must have been a nervewracking moment for Annie.  The picture below shows the view facing her. If she was worried, she need not have been. 

97.79% voted for the motion that “this meeting urges HM Government to maintain support for local libraries, as an essential educational and information resource.”

This almost unanimous WI vote to campaign for libraries may well be very important, and is certainly at the very least most welcome, in the battles ahead as, rather than maintaining libraries, the government is standing by as local councils cut library budgets by up to 40% and more.

453 libraries (382 buildings and 71 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”) 

 Now, that’s a lot of library campaigners, the WI at the
Liverpool Echo Arena.  Photograph by Annie Mauger.

Annie Mauger’s speech to WI as a
 “Librarians help people discern truth” (Quote from WI AGM)

Changes to library service

Bexley and Bromley – Merger of library services will include halving of staff including sacking of 36 staff, including all (back-office?) professional staff.
Milton Keynes – 2 less libraries under threatall libraries reprieved from closure.
Northamptonshire –  2 more mobile libraries under threat2 mobile libraries (out of 4) to go.  8 libraries will be “community led” (that is run by volunteers) – these are counted by Public Libraries News as closed so they remain under threat.  £287k less professional librarians, £297k less managers/backroom. 17.5 librarians left at end of this years’ cuts, down from 45 in 2008.

News

Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson: ditch the internet and visit your library insteadTelegraph. 
Electric books are still books – Independent (letters).  Second letter is about Brent campaign.  “Brent is perfectly aware of the dreadful effect this will have on children who use their library for quiet study, as is shown by their hasty decision to postpone the closures until the end of the exam revision period.”
Government intervention crucial for literacy: Rosen – BookSeller.   Michael Rosen demand Government arrange for linkup between libraries and schools. 
Julia Donaldson, UK’s new children’s laureate, vows to campaign for libraries – School Library Journal (USA) reports on Julia’s first blog.
Pushy parents can put children off reading for life, says new laureate – Independent.  “I have visited so many libraries in the past 15 years, and while even in the boom years libraries’ belts were being tightened, it’s crucial that their belts don’t get any tighter,” she said. “People say it is better than cutting education budgets but frankly, if you increase class sizes you can decrease them again when times are better. But if you sell a library it is very unlikely that you will ever get it back again.”
Save our librariesCampaign Room (Labour Party).  There is a petition and a chance to comment. 
Women’s Institute to campaign for libraries – Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries.  The WI, with 208,000 members are a “well-respected lobbying force”. 

Local News

“The cuts include deleting all the service managers, all the professional librarians, all the archivist staff, all the IT staff, all the site staff and all the stock and support staff services staff.” Bromley Council and Bexley Council sharing library services will cause “jobs massacre” – News Shopper.  36 jobs (half of total) will go.

Brent – Council is taken to court for closing librariesHarrow Observer.   Council says closing 6 (out of 12) libraries is a “transformation” and that “we have a strong case and that we have came up with the best strategy in the current financial climate”.  Campaigners’ solicitor says that the council has actually “swung a wrecking ball through local services with little regard to the consequences for those who use them.”.
Central Bedfordshire – No whispering, say it loud in library debate – Dunstable Today. Suggestions include different opening hours, library services from other venues and refreshment facilities.
Gloucestershire – Libraries “invoice” row continues – BookSeller.   DCMS sends abrupt reply back to Gloucestershire campaigners who believe they are paying for the legal action to save libraries that the department should do.  Interesting comment about Mr Vaizey’s own expenses where he ordered antique furniture for his office (although strangely it was delivered to his house).

“Dear Sirs,
Three campaigners from the Friends of the Isle of Wight Library Service are meeting with officials from the DCMS tomorrow, 9th June, in an attempt to save the 5 of our 11 libraries due for closure in 23 days time. We would appreciate support in the form of emails to djqhda(at)yahoo.co.uk. All help will be fully appreciated and a news letters will be issued in the next few days. Many thanks.” Isle of Wight.

Milton Keynes – New chapter in library dispute – Milton Keynes Citizen.  New council leaders move quickly to ensure libraries saved.  Consultation on how to save money in other ways launched.
Northamptonshire – Changes to the library serviceNorthamptonshire Council. “Customers are likely to experience some service delays” as more than £500k of staffing is axed.
Suffolk – Public to have say on future of public libraries – EADT.  ““I think the county was surprised by the hostility to their proposals for the library service. I think they had under-estimated the importance of libraries to many communities. The importance was underlined by the 42,000 people who signed petitions and the 4,000 who sent in responses to their original consultation exercise.” but library closures still possible.
Waltham Forest – Proposed library closures slammed – This is Local London.  “It’s strongly the view of the Conservative group that this is deliberately designed to disadvantage Chingford and the report is not worth the paper it’s written on”.  South Chingford Library sits on “prime development land”

Julia Donaldson, Library Campaigner; Ed Vaizey, Woolly.

Comment

Julia Donaldson, the new Children’s Laureate, is to make saving public libraries one of her key tasks over the next two years.  She will be visiting threatened libraries, doing author visits in libraries rather than schools and even, perhaps doing a library tour from Land’s End to John O’Groats.  She sounds like exactly the sort of person that we need doing the job at the moment.  More power to her, especially as the person who should be championing libraries, Ed Vaizey, continues, in the words of the Penguin children’s MD, to be “woolly” on the subject. This, as the next sentence (in bold, with the big number at the start of it) shows, is the last thing we need.
 
453 libraries (384 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

All aboard for National BookStart Week this June – BookStart.
Back from the fieldWalk you home.   Lauren Smith from Voices for the Library about her experiences for the cause at Hay.
Donaldson puts libraries centre stage – BookSeller.  New children’s laureate Julia Donaldson will focus on public libraries, visiting threatened Whithorn Library in ten days’ time.
Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson is new childrens’ laureate – Guardian.   “In recent months she has flung herself into the campaign to save libraries, leading a protest meeting at the Scottish parliament, signing petitions, and turning up at readings in libraries in Scotland and England.”.  Also reported by BBC as Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson is childrens’ laureate.  Her aims in the new job are suggested for her at What should the new children’s laureate do (Guardian).  Julia has been on record for a while in support of libraries, for instance her message at Voices for the Library and her appearance on BBC on 5/2/11 on saving libraries.
John Berger, Julia Donaldson the children’s laureate – Front Row, BBC Radio 4, 1.20 to 6,50 “I’m going to do a lot of library visits, if I get asked to visit a school I’ll tell them to bring the class to the local library…”.  Julia was a writer in residence at a library. 
Libraries are part of the safety net, no wonder governments hate them – Care2 (USA).  “If a community doesn’t feel ownership of its library, it’s going to go away. And if the people at the city and the county aren’t made to understand a library’s value for the community, they’re not going to fund it. It breaks my heart that libraries have to be fought for, that their role and their potential isn’t known by heart by everyone. But that’s where we are. If we want to keep our libraries, our libraries need champions.”

“[Ed Vaizey]  needs to take responsibility for his role. It’s not good enough to come to a room full of children’s experts and have a woolly line on libraries. It’s not endearing.” Penguin children’s m.d. Francesca Dow

Changes to Libraries

Croydon – Full paper to Council on decision to invite private tender for library services. 
Dumfries and GallowayPlus one (previously no cuts known) Whithorn Library, due to close mid June.
IslingtonSome under threat (previously thought all libraries safe) Consultation,  £250,000 cut 2011/12 on top of £330,000 staffing cut already made. May share services with other authorities, may change to a Trust allowing cutting of tax paid by £400k, may use more volunteers or give libraries to community groups.

Local News

Cambridgeshire – Have your say on library cuts – Fenland Citizen.  Consultation starts on cuts, including to opening hours.
Croydon – Labour calls council plans “outrageous”This is Surrey.  “Under the proposals, the council would retain strategic control of the libraries but any contractor would be free to try to raise extra money.”

Gloucestershire – report from Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries on their dealings with the DCMS – “So, basically the meeting Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries had with DCMS policy officials in May 2011 WAS a waste of time. We only were invited, after spending 6mths requesting that someone talk to us, in order to shut us up it seems. The DCMS has said if we had wanted our fees reimbursed we should have said before the meeting and they would have informed us this was not possible. Well, we say to the DCMS that if they had informed us they merely sought to meet with us in order to nod sympathetically in our direction, pat us on the head and send us back to the Shires, then we would not have wasted our time and money making the trip.”.  Also reported in BookSeller.

Islington – Libraries Consultation 2011 – Islington Council.
North Yorkshire – Council set to debate changes to library service – Northern Echo.   
Telford and Wrekin – Targets co-operative council – BBC.   
Nottingham – Children give libraries the thumbs up – My Nottingham.  Survey shows how children use libraries – half used it for homework. “It is wonderful to hear how much children are enjoying their library and thanks go out to all the hard work of the library staff who organise numerous events and activities to ensure the children have fun whilst learning”
Somerset – Fresh fears raised over viability of threatened Highbridge Library – Burnham on Sea.com.   Some of the people who offered to work as volunteers now not available.  Local town council cannot afford the full costs passed to them from the county council.
Warwickshire – Libraries talks set to finish – Coventry Telegraph.  2000 written replies in consultation, 2000 online.  ““This will be the biggest transformation in the history of Warwickshire’s library service”.
Wokingham – Libraries will not close says council – Get Wokingham. 

Croydon and Wandsworth join Wokingham in wanting privatised libraries

Comment
In a week, three different London boroughs have signalled they will probably be privatising their libraries.  They join a fourth, Hounslow, who have had Laing running their libraries for a couple of years.  The manager of Wokingham Libraries welcomes private companies as an exciting new development while, more soberly, pointing out that the alternative would be library closures and that no-one’s job is safe anyway, even in the council.  Such are the times we live in.
452 libraries (383 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)
News
10 technologies that revolutionised libraries worldwide – Online College.  “Libraries form an essential component of human society — they educate, they enlighten, they entertain. But, most importantly, they bring together members of the community in order to keep intellectualism and innovation flowing. And in order to stay relevant, libraries have to open themselves up to emergent technologies, discovering creative ways to apply them in the service of the people. Plenty more than these 10 exist of course, but this list seeks to capture some of the more notable ones throughout all of recorded history — regardless of whether or not they have fallen out of fashion.”
Birmingham City council’s outsources of services a worrying trend – Huddersfield Daily Examiner.  “Those libraries that are still open might only stock books in Vietnamese because of an ordering mistake by head of department in Ho Chi Minh City. Never mind. It will just prove people aren’t borrowing like they used to so more libraries can be closed with a clear conscience, saving even more money and sacking even more staff. Birmingham, what have you started?”
Council wants to book outsiders to run libraries – This is Croydon Today [warning – link broken wen checked] “Too cash-strapped to run its libraries itself, Croydon Council is setting about finding outsiders to do the job at reduced price.  Councillor Sara Bashford, cabinet member for culture and sport, announced on Wednesday that subject to cabinet approval on June 13, a “market testing” exercise would be launched in conjunction with Wandsworth to guage interest in running library services in both boroughs.”
Prisons must by law have libraries – so why don’t schools? – London Evening Standard.  “”All that’s needed is the imagination to connect the officials responsible for schools with those responsible for libraries.” (Michael Rosen)
Pullman’s plea to save libraries – Wales Online.  The measuring everything by cost “approach is tearing apart the invisible bonds of duty and loyalty, belonging and togetherness in the name of an ideology that nothing is more important than money,” said Pullman.
UN declares internet access a human right – Atlantic Wire. It does not say “free”.
Changes to library service
Calderdale Charged introduced for computer use after first hour.
Camden – plus 2 threatened  – Belsize, Chalk Farm and Health libraries to be given to volunteers.  Opening hours of all libraries to be cut by 10%.  £2 million cut.
Croydon – Will be privatised in joint tendering process with Wandsworth.
Waltham Forest – plus 2 threatened – South Chingford and Leytonstone Harrow Green libraries to be closed.  £1m cut (20%) over 2 years.  North Chingford, Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone libraries to have hours cut to 30 hours per week.
Wandsworth  – Will be privatised in joint tendering process with Croydon. 
Local News
Barnet – Friern Barnet Library.  See also
Camden – Library closure a sham says users – London 24.  ““Without using any four letter words, this report is a mish-mash without any real thought behind it, apart from saving the senior officers’ posts. We have a different attitude to the library service. It’s a service for the community which supports literacy in a city which is very deficient in that.” Report produced on Friday, will be voted on on Wednesday.
Cheshire EastNew opening hours for Middlewich Library – Guardian series.  Opening hours extended. 
Milton Keynes – Inviting ideas on libraries – About my area. Consultation on significant cuts.
Waltham Forest – Library closures proposed – This is Local London.  “”Even without the financial pressures that the council faces, this is a timely point at which to review the services provided by libraries to ensure they are modern, relevant, and provide the kind of services that people need.”
Warwickshire – Residents step up library fight – Cotswold Journal.   Shipston to reduce from 30 to 20 hours.  “It doesn’t make sense to offer this extended service then cut the hours of staff. The building will still be there, and the rent and the rates will still be the same.”
Wokingham – Staff fear for jobs as library is privatised to prevent closureHenley Standard.  Library manage argues that jobs would be as secure at a private company as at the council, libraries would be closed otherwise. See also  Private firm could run Wokingham library service – Get Reading.  

“Retired librarians working on a volunteer basis are killing their profession”

Comment

Retired librarians working on a volunteer basis are killing their profession.  Where do they think future retired volunteer librarians will come from if they collude in running libraries voluntarily?  These people will have to give up sooner or later.” Patricia Richardson

This point was borne out by the discussion on volunteer-run libraries on the Jeremy Vine Show where it was pointed out that Chalfont St Giles Library has retired librarians helping out.  While this says a lot for the dedication of the ex-library staff in question and is certainly a help locally, sadly in the current climate, this simply encourages councils throughout England to close more libraries. So, if you’re a librarian reading this approaching retirement or, more likely, facing voluntary or compulsory redundancy, don’t consider going back to the job you love when you are “let go”.  It’s heartbreaking but you would simply be helping to birth a cruel new world of libraries available only in wealthy areas, with unpaid employees – and underfunded/non-existing libraries in those areas not blessed with large numbers of retired professionals.

Library staff up and down the country are facing people who seem to think that they can be got rid of and anyone who who fancies having a go can run a library.  Don’t, for the love of libraries you have worked your life for, be one of them.

448 libraries (379 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

“Do everything you can to support libraries – God knows, they need every bit of help they can get nowadays. I find it incredible and outrageous that public and school libraries are being forced to close – we’ll all pay the price in the long term.” Children’s Laureate: cuts are “outrageous” – Independent. 

Civil servants blow your cash on flowers, booze and gift vouchers – Mirror.  DCMS spends £250,000 via credit card for flowers, expensive hotels, films.
Councils that can’t afford libraries are still recruiting highly paid “sustainability” officers – Telegraph. 
Make it hard to privatize libraries, California Assembly says – Sacramento Bee (USA).  Also reported in the Times-Union.
People versus the cuts (and, as ever, the lawyers will be the winners) – Independent. “Dan Corey, a solicitor acting for library campaigners in Gloucestershire and Somerset, said the level of cuts was behind the rise. “Judicial review is proving a very useful tool to look carefully at these kinds of cuts and to pick up where councils have just had one eye on their balance sheet and have tried to rush cuts through without consulting properly.” 
Rural cuts in Somerset and Gloucestershire bite hard – BBC.  Conservative councils in Somerset and Glos have introduced cuts (inc. libraries) harder than the ones they blamed their Labour predecessors for, citing the global recession, 
Snoring snoozers upset library users – New Zealand Herald. 
Supporters give “hug” to budget-pinched NYC libraries – CNN (USA).
Swingeing cuts give the lie the notion of the big society – Guardian. “We shouldn’t be arguing about whether we need libraries or domestic violence services. We need both.”

Local News

Croydon – Council’s announcement on the future of libraries looms closer – Sanderstead Library Campaign. Less opening hours and more use of volunteers expected. 

Renfrewshire – Keep Lochwinnoch Library in the LibraryFacebook.  “After a sustained 8 month campaign by the villagers of Lochwinnoch they have saved their local library. This was largely down to a clause in the original agreement that the McDowells put into their original agreement when then gifted the building to the Lochwinnoch as a school nearly 150 years ago. This issue had been highlighted by villagers in a public meeting that announced plans for the library back in November 2010.”
 

Milton Keynes – Inviting ideas – Milton Keynes Library Service. 
Oxfordshire – Libraries facing uncertain future – Guardian series.
Warwickshire – “Horrific” plans to cut hours at Lillington library face criticismCourier.  Cut from 37.5 hours to 20 hours per week.  Computer users charged.
Warwickshire – Saturday morning review of the week – JohnnieB’s Blog.  Review of workshop in setting up a community library.
Wiltshire – cutting library positions – Wiltshire Times.  10 smallest libraries will open with help from volunteers.  13 full-time job cuts, self-service machines installed. 
Wokingham – Controversial library plans approved – Reading Chronicle.  No consultation with schools or library users before decision to privatise approved.  Also covered by the BBC.

Volunteers in David Cameron’s local library

It is not clear whether David Cameron has ever been into a public library.  It is clear that the minister responsible for libraries, Ed Vaizey, has been in many public libraries, just not enough to make him actually do anything to save them.  They both have constituencies in Oxfordshire where the council’s initial proposals to close over twenty libraries met with massive public opposition.  This has led the council, against the will of its leader whose words suggest he thinks that supporting one’s local library is a selfish act that will reduce spending on roads or social care, to tone down the proposals to one where many will stay open but become volunteer-run over a three year period.

So, the Big Society will come to David and Ed in the shape of a nearby library run by volunteers or, as one caller to Jeremy Vine called them this morning, “unpaid employees”.  I wonder if either of them have heard of the phrase “be careful what you wish for, lest it come true”?

449 libraries (380 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

Boris defends mayoral record at Talk London debate – Londonist. “I love libraries” said the Mayor, before ducking responsibility for library cuts across the capital: “I’ve got a situation in which councils want to make decisions on spending themselves”.
Communities, cartoons and cheese – Voices for the Library.  Wide-ranging activities taking place in libraries.
Council cutbacks hit blind readers using RNIB scheme – BookSeller.  4500 out of 26000 subscriptions expected to be cancelled by councils. 

“Public libraries have a vital role to play in supporting the ambition to secure a truly networked nation in the UK. They are not only digital hubs which provide people with access to free or low cost PCs but also have a role in supporting people to get online and explore all the benefits that being online brings.”  Martha Lane Fox, UK Digital Champion

Overdue: a shot of the public spirit – Independent (Boyd Tonkin).  Boyd had used threatened Friern Barnet library as a child.  “with every threat to a branch, some people will experience the theft of their past – and of a part of themselves”.
Oxfordshire cuts test “big society” as librarians are replaced with volunteers – Guardian.   6 libraries in David Cameron’s constituency, 2 in Ed Vaizey’s will have paid staff replaced with volunteers. Also reported by i-volunteer.
Parents must pass on their passion for books to children – London Evening Standard.  “That books are available is a right of every child, and his or her way to access the literature of their country”, Michael Morpurgo.
Shared Service Map – Geocommons.  Shows examples of shared services across council boundaries.  Very few library examples at the moment.

“Shoot first” policy over arts funding – Independent.  Sir Andrew Motion decries cuts. On the closure of libraries … “To see this happening now when we are meant to be having a conversation about the Big Society – frankly, it almost defies belief. Whatever we decide that phrase ‘Big Society’ means, we can understand immediately how libraries would contribute to its value.  The same phrase I just used comes to mind again: Shoot first, aim later.” 
Spreading the word – Voices for the Library.  Business cards today, world domination tomorrow.

“… Any author, talking to readers in impoverished parts of the country, will meet children, invariably of exhausted, indifferent parents, for whom a library opens a door of possibility. The problem with Anthony Seldon’s argument for ebooks is that it offers the perfect excuse to those councils currently dismantling and undermining the library service while Ed Vaizey, who paraded as a friend of libraries in opposition, turns a deaf ear to protests. His colleague Michael Gove has spoken bold words about the need for children to read 50 books a year, but, for hundreds of thousands of children, his words are a hollow joke as the very source of those books is closed down.” There’s more to a book than just the text – Independent (Terence Blacker). 

Volunteers to run Oxfordshire Libraries Radio Two Vanessa Feltz Sits In for Jeremy Vine (from 33.33 to 59).  

because one borrowed book
can be better than thousands
of bought ones 
from “Why I love libraries … in 153 words or less” 
Richard Pierce, in Voices for the Library
Words of caution about the great Ebook revolution – London Evening Standard.  Sales represent a mere 6% of total booksales, with cheap/free ebooks skewing the figures.

Cuts to library services

Bromley – Withdrawing from RNIB scheme, replacing with Calibre service.
Camden – Local Studies and Archives to be cut, shared with Islington, and users encouraged to use private researcher (at £26 per hour).
Central Bedfordshire – Consultation.
Hackney –  One-quarter of library staff to lose their jobs (number down from 104 to 76). 
Suffolk – Suffolk capping users of RNIB service.
Westminster – Withdrawing from RNIB scheme, replacing with e-audio service.
Worcestershire –  Warndon and St John’s reprievedUpton under threat.

Local News
 
Barnet – Friern Barnet Library campaigners say consultation document is “slanted”Times series.  “So many friends and neighbours are shocked and angry to hear about the plans to close it and children from local primary schools are really upset. “Many local residents are also discussing the shamefully slanted consultation document, saying how obvious it is that the results are a foregone conclusion. People feel their views will be ignored.”
Brent – Library challenge – Alan Gibbons.   “Brent sought to characterise its proposals as a ‘transformation’ of the borough’s libraries but in reality, it has simply swung a wrecking ball through local services with little regard to the consequences for those who use them.”
Camden – Local Studies and Archives to be “outsourced”Fitzrovia News.  Service to be shared with that of Islington, users encouraged to use private researcher instead at cost of £26 per hour.
Camden – Three librariea are told to go it alone – Camden New Journal.   Three libraries may be taken out of council control, decision expected next week. ““I sent a long list out to our supporters asking if anyone would be prepared to volunteer. The response was total silence.” says one.
Central Bedfordshire – Debate future of libraries – Biggleswade Today. Peaceful protest from 1pm. “Last month when a similar peaceful protest was held at the library, Conwy County Council called the police, who decided not to take action.”
Conwy – Protesters will stage sit in at Penrhyn Bay library – North Wales Weekly News. 
Cumbria – Campaign grows to save more libraries – Times & Star.  Local school planning a rally in half-term to protest closure of Distington Library. [Link not working properly when tested]
Cumbria – Hundreds speak out over Cumbria librariesWestmorland Gazette.  People unimpressed by moves to close 18 libraries and to put some books for lending in local shops. 
Dorset – Charmouth: library land mystery help is needed – News series. Library may have been donated with use thus restricted if council closes it.
Edinburgh – Libraries to promote services at the pubSTV.  Staff to explain library services in pub on Saturday “”Libraries offer a vital service to the community so we’re delighted to get involved” says landlord.

“you have outsourced to the people of Gloucestershire your responsibilities to superintend the delivery of statutory library services” Gloucestershire – Library campaigners invoice DCMS – BookSeller.  £30,000 invoice to be sent to DCMS to cover FoGL legal costs. “the people of Gloucestershire are being asked to pay for both the legal fees to challenge the plans AND the legal fees to defend the plans”.

Gloucestershire – Complaint: Misleading claims from GCC about consideration of deprivation in library strategyFoGL.  Councillor in charge of libraries, Antonia Noble, is alleged to have not used deprivation as a criterion despite claims to the contrary.
Hackney – Jobs cuts spell “slow death” for Hackney’s libraries – Hackney Gazette.  UNISON unanimous vote of no-confidence in head of libraries.  ““There will be hardly enough staff to keep the doors open. This is a slow death sentence for the library service.”
Hertfordshire – Borehamwood Library “read-in” to highlight council cuts held todayTimes series. Demonstration to encourage council to reverse 40% cut in opening hours when finances are better.
Isle of Wight – New chapter as library battle goes to government – IWCP.   “Campaigners are still hoping to challenge the council’s decision to reduce opening hours at many public libraries and transfer others to community groups, despite being told by the Legal Services Commission their case had no realistic chance of success”

North Yorkshire – Library cutbacks ease after review – Yorkshire Post.  Also covered by BBC. Several other articles cover the same thing from different angles – Tadcaster library’s future assured – Wetherby News; Would you step up as a library volunteer?Scarborough Evening News. ““I would accept a percentage cut across the board but not this and expecting people to go to Scarborough Library is just marginalising them.”; County Council to retain Ingleton and Bentham libraries – Craven Herald & Pioneer; MP welcomes revised plans for future of libraries Westmorland Gazette.
Somerset – People asked to help fund Somerset’s libraries legal challenge – This is the Westcountry.  £5,000 needed.

“By threatening things like libraries, we made people consider what they really value. We caught the public’s imagination and motivated them to come out and protest. It’s very exciting.” Jane Storey, interim council leader, Suffolk. [editor’s note – this does not appear to be a joke]

Suffolk – Outsourcing plans shelved at “trailblazing” council –  BBC. 
Warwickshire – Final days for library cuts views – Coventry Telegraph.  
Worcestershire – City libraries safe from closure – Worcester Standard. 
Worcestershire – Library under threat – Shuttle. 

15 libraries saved from closure in North Yorkshire

There’s been some brilliant news for library campaigners in the last few weeks.  A lot of u-turning has been going on (such as in Oxfordshire and Suffolk) as councils are suddenly confronted by how dearly people love their public libraries.  The most recent u-turn is in North Yorkshire as 15 libraries are taken off the threatened list. However, the cut to the libraries budget there has not been significantly reduced (the axe instead will be to library staff and hours in larger branches instead of closures) and there is still a whopping 8 branch libraries and 10 mobile libraries under threat there.  That would have been a horrible total a year ago – but what was horrible then is a significant victory today.  How times have changed.

450 libraries (381 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

Changes to libraries by authority

Camden7 (out of 13) under threat, to be decided on 8th June (previously listed as “some”) 
North Yorkshire18 under threat (previously 33) = 8 libraries still under threat (previously 23 out of 42), 10 mobile libraries to go.  Plans to close 15 libraries scrapped after public outcry – funding to be found by reduced hours and staffing in larger libraries, no Sunday opening. 
Northern Ireland10 under threat (not 20 as previously thought).
West Sussex1 (of 3) mobile libraries to be scrapped (£65,000 “saving”).  £2m to be cut by 2014 (previously listed as “some”).

News

Plugging the gaps – LocalGov.  “Social entrepreneurs” have a big place in helping alleviate the impact of cutd – “It is also not just about the range of the services affected – from children’s services to libraries to leisure centres – but the scale and speed at which change is happening”

“…public libraries, especially rural ones, are the only way for many people to access knowledge, to access the Internet to inform themselves, to apply for jobs, to be a part of the world outside; the only way for older people to get hold of affordable, large print books, and to continue to be enveloped by human warmth and friendships they may not find at home, and, in turn, to keep their minds and bodies active for longer without having to find refuge in the (also underfunded) NHS. They are prime services of civilisation in an increasingly barbaric age.”“Prime services of civilisation in an increasingly barbaric age – Voices for the Library. 

Three in 10 UK children “own no books” Guardian.  18,000 children asked – 4 in 10 boys don’t own a book.  “Douglas stressed that there was “no point at which it is too early” to support children in learning to love books. “It is not just something which starts the first day of a child’s schooling,” he said. “Don’t think it is basically up to the school to get a child reading. Everyone the child has contact with – parent, uncle, aunt, grandparent – has an active role to play in terms of supporting literacy.”  Also covered (front page) in London Evening Standard (see yesterday’s update) and as Boy, 9, tells teacher “The only book in the house is the Argos catalogue” – Mail and BookSeller and Book That – Travelling Suitcase Library.

News by local authority

Brent – Councillor joins runners in bid to save library – Harrow Observer.  £1000 raised in fun run to save Barham Library.  £5000 raised to help run library so far. 
Camden – Report available on the future of our libraries – Camden Council.   Three options (1) close Belsize, Chalk Farm and Heath libraries plus 10% cut in all others (2) Belsize and Chalk Farm to close plus 35% cut in all others (3) reduce number of libraries from 13 to 6. 
Lambeth – Residents to have their say on local libraries – Net-Lettings. 

“County councillor Chris Metcalfe, executive member for the library and information service, said members had listened hard during the consultation exercise and felt “heartened that our outstanding libraries are held in such high regard”. North Yorkshire – Reprieve for libraries after public outcry – Northern Echo.  Also reported as “Libraries vital to the future of North Yorkshire’ communities” says County CouncilHarrogate News

North Yorkshire – New blow in Great Ayton library battle – Gazette.  “Great Ayton campaigner Jennifer Roberts said: “We’re deeply disappointed at being left out. We were the ones who caused the council to have a rethink on the library situation in the first place.”
Suffolk – Ipswich Borough Council invests to save town libraries and school crossing patrols – EADT.   “Residents have demonstrated through petitions, at meetings and through correspondence that these services matter to them and during the current uncertainty we will not stand by and watch them being axed.” £54k committed in 2011, £156k in 2012.  Asking for urgent talks with Suffolk Council about its plans to cut libraries. 
Suffolk – Princess Royal in Kessingland to meet the community – Norwich Evening News.  “Despite today’s celebratory atmosphere, the royal visit was bittersweet for some with Kessingland’s library under threat of closure. While Suffolk County Council’s controversial plans to offload its libraries have been scaled back, supporters fear the village branch could still shut and staged a peaceful protest outside the Marram Green this morning.” 
West Sussex – Mobile library service reduced – BBC.  “The local authority said the mobile service was “convenient but not vital” for many people.” Also reported as West Sussex mobile library vehicles to be cut from three to two – West Sussex County Times. 

City of children who cannot read

“When a teacher asked his pupils to bring in a book from home, one nine-year-old brought the Argos catalogue, saying: ‘It’s the only one we’ve got.'”City of children who cannot read – London Evening Standard.  One million cannot read in London, one in four children are illiterate.

467 libraries (399 buildings and 68 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

Hay Festival: Duchess of Cornwall promotes literacy – BBC.  “The duchess flew in to the book festival by helicopter to read to children… the duchess regularly visits schools and libraries and encourages reading and reading aloud.” Also reported in the Telegraph.
Our libraries, a cherished national institution – Independent (Letters)
Strong libraries can co-exist with new technologies – Scotsman. 

Changes to library service by local area

Cambridgeshire – 7% cut in opening hours.  Consultation ends 18th June 2011.
City of WestminsterPetition to save St James’ Library.
Lancashire – £29k cut by cancelling all magazines apart from Which?
Leicestershire £1 reservation charge for children and pensioners.
Peterborough – Hampton, Orton, Woodston (closed Tuesday), Bretton, Werrington, Dogsthorpe (closed Mondays), Eye, Thorney and Stanground will have cuts in hours.  “However, after two petitions from residents were handed into the council calling for the libraries to open longer, it was agreed by councillors that the libraries should be open for 37 hours instead, after an extra £52,000 was found to add to the library budget.”
Wiltshire – 21 out of 31 libraries will have reduced opening hours, self-service to save £300k p.a. with c.15FTE job losses calculated from £300k figure.

News by library authority

Blackburn with DarwenCouncil staff take unpaid day off – BBC.  “Both Blackburn and Darwen Town Halls will be closed along with children’s centres and all libraries”
Brent – Preston Library Campaign website
Cambridgeshire – Library open hours consultation – Cambridgeshire Council.  Consultation does not give option to oppose cuts, asking instead (for example) which day one wishes the library to be closed early.
Cornwall – Communities demand answers over council’s £9m credit card spending – This is Cornwall. Expenditure includes 5-Star hotels.  “In the last few months parish councils have been asked to comment on proposals to close libraries and one-stop shops and the restructuring of rubbish collections, to name but a few – all of these things are front line services that directly affect every council taxpayer.”
Cumbria – Writers asked to support campaign against library closure – New Writing Cumbria.  Overview of situation in Cumbria.   
Dorset – Finance trouble: Council admits £6m savings are out of reach – Dorset Echo.  “The report lists 10 key areas in which savings are unlikely to be achieved, including controversial proposals to close 20 libraries”
Dorset – Poor response to libraries’ rescue – Daily Echo.   16 out of 20 threatened libraries do not have volunteers willing to run them. 
Lancashire – Magazines to be axed from Lancashire’s librariesCitizen.  
Leicestershire – Library users in Leicestershire hit out at book fees – This is Leics.   Pensioners and children to be charged £1 to reserve books. “The money they will make is just a drop in the ocean of what they need to save, but they have decided they will get that from pensioners and kids. They are probably the people who can afford it the least.” Reservations down 20% since introduction.
Lewisham – Council shuts New Cross library 24 hours early – BookSeller.  “…angry residents posted their own responses, commenting: “Do you want me to study in McDonalds?” and “You’re the vandals, not us.”
Oxfordshire – Libraries consultation delayed for fourth timeHenley Standard.  
Oxfordshire – Villagers support fight to save library from closure Henley Standard.   300 sign petition to save Benson Library last Saturday. 
Peterborough – Cuts to Peterborough library hours to take effect despite opposition Evening Telegraph.  “However, after two petitions from residents were handed into the council calling for the libraries to open longer, it was agreed by councillors that the libraries should be open for 37 hours instead, after an extra £52,000 was found to add to the library budget.”
Wiltshire – Libraries to get automated serviceBBC.  £500k installation of self-service machines in order to save £300k p.a.  “”It will mean that we will lose some staff. Many are part time and we don’t know how many it will equate to.” – Library Assistant = £20k (with “on-costs” of pension etc).  £300k divided by 20 = 15 FTE staff lost.