Librarians second only to doctors in public trust, survey finds
Aug 3rd
News
- Envisioning the library of the future – Arts Council England. Library sector consultation now completed, next phase is “understanding the public”. “We are seeking to explore the public’s appreciation of public libraries in more detail: not as individual consumers or non-consumers of library services, but rather as citizens who fund public library services.” [ they want books and local libraries with reasonable opening times and paid staff – Ian]
Watchdog says PLN figures check out
Aug 2nd
Doncaster case lost … but does Suffolk win?
Aug 1st
Front page of Independent for public libraries
Jul 31st
Comment
It’s not often that public libraries make the front page of a national newspaper but it happened today (Tuesday 31st July – Revealed: the full cost of the cull of public libraries – Independent). It quotes the Public Libraries News figures for libraries closed and under threat.
CILIP, DCMS and Dan Jarvis are quoted and it’s interesting to see their different viewpoints: More >
Dan Jarvis MP uses Public Libraries News figures to attack Ed Vaizey
Jul 30th
Let’s see what Dan says and where he got the evidence: More >
$2.86 of benefits for each $1 spent, library study claims
Jul 29th
News
- Book spend of 31p speaks volumes – Times Educational Supplement. “According to the government, authors such as Dryden, Keats and Dickens should be at the heart of school life. But far from valuing literature, secondaries are spending as little as the cost of a packet of crisps on new books for their pupils each year. A survey by the School Library Association (SLA), which asked more than 1,000 library staff in secondaries about their budgets, found that one academy spent just 31p per pupil each year on books and another only 62p, compared with the £14 for secondaries recommended by charity Booktrust five years ago.” More >
Services “being maintained or enhanced”
Jul 28th
- AAA adds voice to PLR transfer opposition – BookSeller. “n a submission to the consultation launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport into transferring the administration of PLR away from the current Registrar, the AAA has backed the body, praising its cost efficiency. The AAA also criticizes the suggestion that PLR functions should be transferred to the British Library, the government’s preferred choice, arguing that the Library does not have authors’ interests at heart.” More >
Dwindling breed
Jul 26th
- Author Sarah Waters fears an unhappy ending for new libraries – Camden New Journal. “A former Camden librarian who became an award-winning author has criticised cuts to local government services. Sarah Waters, who wrote best-seller Tipping The Velvet, said forcing volunteers to take over management of libraries from local authorities showed contempt”. Also criticised current PLR law regarding volunteer libraries but government says ““Sampling of the books borrowed is undertaken nationally and the payments to authors are administered and funded by central government. “The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have made it clear that payments to authors will not be affected.”” More >
Doncaster, Surrey, Wakefield, Gloucestershire, Brent
Jul 25th
- Doncaster – Donations requested for funding judicial review against libraries being closed / forced onto volunteers.
- School libraries – Mass lobby of parliament October 29th.
News
“Ok devil’s advocate perhaps but…..libraries of all kinds –corporate, academic, schools, special , government etc etc —not to mention the subscription based (public) London Library make loans to borrowers and are not part of PLR. What’s the problem? PLR is just a sampling scheme—it doesn’t cover all public libraries anyway. Perhaps the bigger issue is no PLR (or legal deposit) on ebooks….” Ken Chad on Lis-Pub-Libs. More >
Surrey chooses volunteers over paid staff at the same cost
Jul 24th
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