News

• Future of Library Services – Neil Stewart Associates.  Your chance to listen to Ed Vaizey and others discuss Government and council public libraries policyfor just £168 to £600 depending on your circumstances.  Alternatively, a video of the event will be available for £99. The themes of the day represent some interesting descriptions of the current deep cuts (“innovative restructures”).
• Mark Steel: What do we want? More of the same! – Independent.   “Now that parties supporting cuts are losing elections across Europe, I wonder if the Labour Party will consider a policy of opposing cuts. At the moment, they sort of oppose them, so if the Government announces 200 libraries are closing next Wednesday morning, Labour says: “This is typical of this callous administration. They ought to wait until the afternoon.” Their slogan seems to be “We agree there have to be cuts but they’re doing it too fast …”
• Winners of the Ultimate Christian Library Book 2012 announced – Speaking Volumes.  “The Adult category winner was ‘Faith Under Fire’ by Canon Andrew White with the Children’s title going to ‘The Lion Classic Bible’ written by Andrea Skevington, illustrated by Sophy Williams. Both Andrew and Andrea were delighted at winning the award and with their £1,000 prize money. The books were clear winners in their category and attracted a large number of public votes. ‘Faith Under Fire’ documents the incredible stress of being a leader of a Christian community in war ravaged Baghdad. Yet despite deep heartache there is much joy and peace that only God can give. ‘The Lion Classic Bible’ unfolds the story of the Bible for young readers and shows God’s enduring Love for his people.”

Changes

• Devon – Newton Abbot (Passmore Edwards) Library reopens 25th June in new co-usebuilding  inc. wifi/adult learning/cafe/meeting rooms. 
• Lancashire – Increases in charges, volunteers used to extend hours in some branches.  

• Brent – Politician takes on marathon challenge in aid of axed Barham library crusade – Brent and Kilburn Times.  “Cllr Paul Lorber, leader of the Brent Liberal Democrats, will be running 60km over seven days to raise funds for the axed building, in Harrow Road. The challenge, which he will be undertaking alongside former Lib-Dem councillor Peter Corcoran, will begin on May 30 and culminate in Barham Park on June 5 where residents will be honouring the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which ties in with the 60th anniversary of the buildings opening. Barham Library was shut down last year alongside five other reading rooms in the borough and campaigners have fought tirelessly since to try to have it re-opened.”
• Croydon – Shy to consult in libraries – ElizCro.  “Croydon, the council that professes efficiency embedded in its DNA, has been caught out again for the shambolic handling of another library consultation. The council not only omitted to advertise the consultation on Upper Norwood Joint Library, it actively promoted it on the council website as not yet open for consultation. “. Council finally mentions consultation “less than a fortnight before the consultation ends and over a bank holiday weekend when the furthest thing from people’s minds in checking the council website.”
• Devon – Newton Abbot library prepares to move into revamped Passmore Edwards Centre – Newton Abbot People.   “The landmark building is currently undergoing an extensive multimillion pound redevelopment to turn it into a new multi-service facility that will house a modern 21st century library, adult and community learning facility, and services that are supporting people with learning disabilities, as well as an IT suite, WIFI technology, café and meeting rooms available for local groups to use.”

“Newton Abbot residents will be delighted to see the Library, the most prestigious building in the town, re-open on the 25th June and I would encourage people to attend to special preview on the afternoon of the 23rd June to see for themselves the work that has been done to restore the building to secure its future for another 100 years, along with the new facilities that are on offer.”

• Gloucestershire – Decision to reduce library service in Gloucestershire will not be overturned – Gazette.   “Gloucestershire County Council’s overview scrutiny management committee has confirmed that it will not accept attempts by Liberal Democrat councillors to overturn the authority’s decision to proceed with cuts to the library service.”
• Greenwich – Libraries: workers show fighting back can win – Socialist.  “The most likely attack would have been an attempt to drop council library workers’ pay and conditions to the level of staff employed at GLL. But, in response to the campaign, GLL has now offered to come to an agreement that will confirm they will not do this. In GLL’s original bid to win the contract they said they would “harmonise” pay and conditions. So an agreement to stop this would be a tremendous victory for Unite members.”
• Harrow – Library users asked what improvements should be made – Harrow Observer.   “Harrow Council’s consultation for modernising its 11 libraries, which runs until May 31, seeks views on all aspects of the service including the appearance and facilities, in-house events and activities. Councillor David Perry (Labour), portfolio holder for community and cultural services, said: “We know Harrow residents love their libraries and the services they provide. It is important that they continue to contribute to building the service for the future.””.  Four roadshows.
• Hertfordshire – Popular talking books service could be scrapped – Times series.   “Hertfordshire County Council local and libraries cabinet panel will meet this afternoon to discuss whether to scrap its Cassettes for Blind People service over concerns about format and cost.The service currently has 378 regular users in the county and is described in council documents as “running at capacity” but costs the council £51,000 per year to operate. The use of cassettes for the service also has “no viable future” due to advances in technology and the declining availability of cassette players.”
• Kirklees – “Just how will our libraries be run?” – Hudderfield Daily Examiner (letters).  The writer poses a series of questions about how volunteer-run libraries will work in the council.  Points still apparently unclear include who owns building, responsibility for maintenance, who buys books, what computer system will be used, health and safety, CRBs … 
• Lancashire – Library prices up to plug gap – Lancashire Evening Post.  “A review of library services recommended a series of price inceases, including raising the cost of hiring orchestral sets from £5 to £20 and play set hire from £2 to £10 per set.  Charges for overdue items has increased from 11p to 15p and a £1 charge has been introduced for the loan of language sets. But the age at which people will have to pay overdue fines and charges has been increased from 16 to 18 and the cost of children’s DVDs has been halved from £2.” … “Coun Calvert said he is also hoping to extend library opening hours after a successful recent trial using volunteers. He said: “In Pendle volunteers came forward and if we can make sure they are responsible for manning it at certain times and using the self service, as well as borrowing more books at a time, we think we can extend the opening times.””
• Staffordshire – Road-sweeping volunteers next? – This is Staffordshire (letters).  “I’m concerned by the trend towards unpaid staff in public libraries. There was a time when councillors were unpaid and didn’t even get expenses. Now, well remunerated, they dictate that libraries are to close unless manned by unpaid volunteers. What next? Voluntary staff for refuse collection, road repairs and street cleaning?”

“Reporter: Are you or the council persuadable that this plan for volunteer-run libraries should not go ahead?
Councillor: Our minds are always open but nothing has come back and told me this isn’t a workable and a really brilliant idea. We are not going to stop wanting to deliver community partnership.
Reporter: Can you envisage being persuaded by further consultation?
Councillor: Probably not.”

Surrey – Library cabinet member: “We were disappointed with the judicial review” – This is Surrey today. 

Further reviews and comments on the report

• Call Kaye – BBC Radio Scotland (3.49 to 9:52 plus other pieces throught programme).  Liz MacDonald, author of report, interviewed, says Trust coming from “library loving” perspective.  Says Trust can do nothing about Carnegie libraries which are under threat.  Some library services are “a little bit stagnating” but others are good.  Danger that services will die by a thousand cuts so there is a need for a strategy.  “We do have this fantastic network of libraries across the country, they are really important community spaces … there’s huge potential there.”.  Assistant Director of Scottish Libraries Council says libraries are having technologies being introduced and that Scottish libraries are increasing in visits (up 2.5% last year). 
  
• Carnegie UK Trust warns libraries “must adapt” – BBC.  “Chief executive Martyn Evans said: “It’s clear that people in Scotland still love their libraries, but library services need to develop innovative ways of attracting visitors and providing a new range of relevant services, along with a re-think about how the buildings are used as community hubs. “Libraries need to be able to demonstrate the impact they have on a wide range of social indicators such as health and wellbeing, employment, and digital inclusion.””
• Libraries are “essential” to communities, according to majority of Scots – STV.  “The trust said a number of councils have shown examples of “good practice”, including Orkney’s use of social media, South Ayrshire’s e-publishing initiative and the City of Edinburgh Council’s smartphone app, which shows library locations, events, bus links and other information.”
• Libraries may adapt or die, says report – Herald Scotland.   “Crime writer Ian Rankin also backed the calls, saying it was crucial that Scottish libraries move forward. The Rebus author said: “Technology and changes in the way we live are impacting hugely on what communities want and need from libraries. “It’s crucial the services they provide adapt and evolve so they remain as treasured in the future as they are now, providing a free yet invaluable service that underpins education, creativity and lifelong learning. “It’s heartening to see this work by the trust give us a sound starting point for a critically-important debate about the role of libraries.”

• Ebook lending and libraries – Society of Authors.  Letter to Ed Vaizey: “libraries are an essential resource and should receive sufficient funding to update, maintain and augment stock and ensure that an exciting and comprehensive range of books are available for reference and loan. We believe that books, whether physical or digital, must be at the core of any library. We believe that access to ebooks within the library and the ability to borrow them from the library will be increasingly important. However we remain strongly of the view that remote lending of ebooks is not at present an essential or primary role of an efficient library service and that plans to allow remote e-lending must be carefully thought through and managed”.  Problems inc. undermining book prices, piracy, lending limits, PLR must be implemented for e-books.”

“We also wish to remind you that section 43 of the Digital Economy Act 2010 extends PLR to audiobooks and ebooks “lent out” from library premises for a limited time and that these payments have never been implemented. This is patently unjust and we urge that this provision be brought into force and that extra funds be made available to cover PLR payments for such lending. We note also that there is an argument that PLR should not be paid where libraries are being run by volunteers. This would again be unfair and we should be grateful if you would confirm that PLR will continue to be paid, whoever runs the library.”

• Fight privatisation: save our libraries – Socialist.   “GLL threatened legal action against the strike. Strike action on 30 April and 1 May had to be postponed. But this is only temporary. A new notice will be issued and strike action will begin again. This is a campaign that Unite is determined to see through.” … “GLL have made clear that following the transfer, there will be a “harmonisation” process, in reality to bring library staff down to GLL levels. GLL negotiators have confirmed that new library staff will be employed on poorer pay and conditions.”
• Maternity leave, libraries and mobility scooter – Vanessa Feltz on BBC London Radio (1.29 to 1.33).  [I have not listened to this myself as the player constantly crashed on my machine.  However, I understand Vanessa was very supportive, with the subject being Upper Norwood Joint Library – Ian.]
• Murdoch and News Corporation scandal wasn’t about Conservative Party sleaze: but it is now – Telegraph.  “Here are the News International crowd: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson, David Miliband, David Blunkett, John Reid, Tessa Jowell, Michael Gove, George Osborne, William Hague. David Cameron, John Whittingdale and Jeremy Hunt (as well as Mr Hunt’s brainless sidekick, Ed Vaizey) should also be added to this list.”

Changes

• Cheshire East – 2 (out of 3) mobiles to be closed (£95k p.a.), 50 stops “scrapped”, no stops within two miles of a library.
• Cornwall – New volunteer-run library in cafe in Roche. 
• Milton Keynes – Council advertising for volunteer shelvers at Milton Keynes Central Library.

Local News

• Buckinghamshire – Time or cash needed to save libraries – Buckinghamshire Advertiser.  “Gerrards Cross Library is next in line to become community led, but the people in charge of the change have said more volunteers are needed.” … “85,000 people used the library in 2010. In future, it is proposed that there will be only two permanent members of staff, funded by BCC, as well as the volunteers.” … “The library will cost the town £8,000 a year to run, which will be made up from donations. Gerrards Cross Community Library working party has already raised £23,000, £19,000 of which came from Tesco, as part of the £100,000 donated to the community after opening in 2010.” … “BCC has also given a £30,000 grant to be used over five years to keep the library open.”
• Cheshire East – Budget cuts hit “lifeline” mobile library service – This is Staffordshire.   2 out of 3 mobiles to close.  “Conservative councillor Brian Silvester, below, who represents the Willaston and Rope ward, near Crewe, said: “The mobile library is an important service and it needs to be retained with the maximum coverage possible.”Labour councillor Sam Corcoran, who represents Sandbach Heath and East, said: “Cutting the mobile libraries from three to one would save £95,000 a year. The Conservatives claim the cuts to services are necessary because of lack of money, but they can find £80,000 for a temporary chief executive for three months.”” … “Consultation on the cuts is taking place until Wednesday, May 23. Residents can respond at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk.”
• Cornwall – New chapter begins as library opens in cafe – This is Cornwall.   “On Friday the ribbon was cut on the new community library based inside the Rest and Play Café in Roche.” … “The community library is a collaboration between Cornwall Council and the café, which was opened inside a former church hall in December last year.” … “The café will also be holding Story Sack sessions on Monday, May 14, 21 and 28, which give youngsters the chance to use their favourite stories and get creative. Villagers will continue to receive visits from the fortnightly mobile library and will also be able to view and reserve books from the library catalogue and have them delivered to the café.”
• Croydon – Trouble in Greenwich with GLL – Save Croydon Libraries.   GLL is a contender for taking over services in Croydon.  The strike in Greenwich against it is noted. “The article claims that the council refused to accept a potential compromise whereby staff would be seconded over to GLL, rather than transferred, which would give staff staying as council employees a better safeguard against attacks on pay and conditions. Unite assert that this dispute has highlighted the limited protection offered by TUPE. The legislation only gives protection at the point of transfer. “
• Dorset – Portland: mobile replaces Underhill service – View Online.   “The island’s Underhill Library closed at the end of April and the mobile library service began visiting the area on Monday, April 30th. ” … “With the library service needing to reduce its annual budget by £800,000, county council members last year agreed to retain 25 libraries and offer up the remaining nine to be managed and maintained by local communities. Portland Underhill was the county council library which issued the lowest number of books and other items.  Talks with community representatives failed to spark any interest in taking over the running of the building from Dorset County Council. “
• Gloucestershire – Library challenge dismissed – Wilts and Glos Standard.   ““The committee did not accept the call-in and found no grounds to overturn the decision taken,” she said. “Therefore the decision stands and will be implemented.”

• Milton Keynes – Volunteering with MK libraries – Milton Keynes Council.   “We are initially looking for volunteers to shelve returned library stock at Milton Keynes Central Library. Here’s how you can get involved: “You will shelve library stock and assist in the tidying of our stock. You should have an interest in library work and ideally be able to give a commitment of at least two hours each week. The duties of a Volunteer Library Shelver will involve standing, pushing trolleys and reaching up to high shelves and therefore a good standard of fitness, mobility and stamina is required.You are required to have good skills in English and numeracy.Applicants will be asked to undertake a shelving test.”
• Staffordshire – Call for thousands to be spent extending library – Express & Star.   “Local politicians are keen to see Great Wyrley Library at Quinton Court Shopping Centre expanded into an empty adjacent unit. South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson and county councillors Kath Perry and Mike Lawrence have called for major improvements to be made at the library, in Wardles Lane. Mr Williamson believes a cash injection would be a great boost for the library and wider community.”. Community cafe, in particular, needed.
• Surrey – Judge quashes Surrey Council library move – BookSeller.  “Surrey County Council’s decision to remove paid staff from 10 of its libraries has been quashed. Mr Justice Wilkie made a Court Order yesterday (2nd May) to quash the decision, which would have meant the libraries would have to be kept open by volunteers. The order brings to a close an application for judicial review brought by Surrey residents Lucy Williams and Nicholas Dorrington, alleging that the council had failed to discharge its public sector equality duties under the Equality Act 2010.”

I was very pleased, and slightly awed, to receive an email today which said:

News

• Are co-operative councils the future of local politics? – Guardian (Professional).   “Whether empowering public sector workers, charities, service users or voluntary groups, such as those now running Lewisham’s libraries, the co-operative model has the potential to improve service focus, generate customer satisfaction, create a sustainable delivery model and even produce efficiency savings. That no two councils are following an identical path is a sign of strength, evidence that the drivers are bottom up and not top down.”

Hyperlinked libraries –  Michael Stevens – “What trends and technologies are impacting public library service? What does the evolution of library physical and virtual space look like? This presentation explores the hyperlinked library model through a lens of participatory service, transparency and emerging technologies.”

• Library adventures in Latvia – Wikiman.   “The Latvian libraries system is pretty amazing; they’ve done some great things in the past 5 years. I learned a lot – it was great to talk to people who’d surmounted some of the problems we have in the UK and the US, and have different issues. It was eye-opening: normally when I talk to librarians we all seem to be going through exactly the same stuff! But this was a little different … They have 874 public libraries. For a population of around 2 million! I think that works out at around 7 times as many libraries per member of the population than we have in the UK.”
• Library of utopia – Technology Review.   “Google’s ambitious book-scanning program is foundering in the courts. Now a Harvard-led group is launching its own sweeping effort to put our literary heritage online. Will the Ivy League succeed where Silicon Valley failed?”
• Room of one’s own: why the Women’s Library should not be made history – Guardian.   “It is ironic that at the very moment when there is an embryonic renaissance of feminism, the archives of the women’s liberation movement are at risk of losing their final destination, if London Metropolitan University unloads its responsibility for the Women’s Library. It is a damned shame that the current custodian sees it not as a national treasure, but as a burden; not as a resource to be enriched, but as an administrative problem.” … “less than 1% of 19th century journals are digitised” 
• Cutback threat to London’s Women’s Library – BookSeller.    “A petition calling on education secretary Michael Gove to prevent severe cutbacks to the Women’s Library at London Metropolitan University has attracted over 7,500 signatures.” … “Campaigners have called the library “one of the most magnificent specialist libraries in the world” and “a national asset” attracting visits from women not just all over Britain, but internationally. “Whatever the university’s problems—which we hope will be resolved—under no circumstances should the Women’s Library suffer in any way,” say the petitioners.”

Changes

• Hertfordshire – Cassettes for Blind People service may be closed, with its funding transferring to the RNIB.  

Local News

• Buckinghamshire – How long are we going to let volunteers run the show for us? – Bucks Free Press.  ““Not everyone in Flackwell Heath is delighted by the new Flackwell Heath community library. No amount of flag waving or spin alters the fact that BCC closed our professionally-run library at the end of March, and the prospects that it will ever again reopen as a proper library service are remote indeed. However hard they try, volunteers (mostly retired people) doing perhaps half a day per fortnight are never going to achieve the competence and continuity provided by trained, professional staff. Standards and service will inevitably suffer greatly as a result.”” … “The volunteers exist because Bucks is an affluent county with plenty of pensioners who can afford to help society. But we all know about the state of the economy and the fact that Wycombe in particular has been facing up to a dire jobs crisis.” … “sometimes, I think Governments and councils appreciate them – and take them for granted – a bit too much. And one day soon, this is all going to come back to haunt us.”
• Long Crendon library gets ready for community launch – Bucks County Council.  “The library’s facilities include new chairs, new mobile shelving and a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities. In addition, Friends of Long Crendon Library plan to improve the library’s opening hours to reflect local need, offer a toy library and extend the range of activities to include film nights and educational classes. They will also work in partnership with Surestart to provide a range of activities for parents and carers.”
• Green light for Haddenham and Wendover community libraries – Bucks county Council.   “As one of the largest community libraries, Wendover will become a community partnership with a phased approach towards a self managed community library.”
• Gloucestershire – A serious case of deja vu: libraries call-in rejected – Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries.   “We are disappointed but not surprised about the call-in decision. The last time the administration were attempting to push through almost identical, and deeply unpopular cuts, we witnessed a similar farcical “scrutiny committee” in which members voted according to party politics, rather than what was best for the electorate. With a committee that was largely made of up Conservative members we were under no illusion that the outcome would be any different.”
• Greenwich – Striking library workers win support in Greenwich – Socialist Worker.   “More than 25 strikers and supporters joined the picket line at Woolwich library on Friday of last week. Solidarity delegations from other groups of workers at the council, Greenwich Community College and Greenwich and Bexley Trades Council joined strikers. Supporters handed over around £400 for the strike fund.”
• Hertfordshire – Cassettes for Blind People service to be handed over to RNIB – We Heart Libraries.   “Cassettes for Blind People (CfBP), an in-house postal service which currently supplies talking books on cassette to 378 people at a cost of around £50,000 per year, is set to be wound up and its budget used to fund subscriptions to a RNIB service under a three-year agreement. This would ensure that users had access to a much more up-to-date service including a wider range of formats and a specially-designed player. However, it will only be funded in future for those people who meet stricter sight criteria than are currently applied, and who are on low incomes.”

See also: 

“Cap elderly care funding or close libraries” – Public Service.  “Elderly care funding needs to be capped or councils will have to close discretionary public services such as libraries, parks and leisure centres, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.”

“The LGA should be ashamed of regurgitating this old chestnut to justify library closures. Please note, it is nothing new : Feb 2009 Swindon | “hard decisions have to be made between libraries and social care“. Needless to say, a way was found to keep the library in question open — with paid staff (which shows it is possible). The LGA should not, either implicity or explicitly, encourage councils to give residents the stark choice between ‘neglected elderly’ or ‘public libraries’. As an official line, it offers a lazy, cynical, easy way out. ” Shirley Burnham, via email.

News

• Boris victory if the only thing that can save the Tories now – Daily Mail. DCMS may move further away from Culture and Libraries in the unlikely event it and Jeremy Hunt survive: “Friends of Hunt are  stressing that he still has things he wants to do at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. If he survives this scandal, he plans to turn it into a technology office promoting digital investment in Britain. If the Prime Minister does decide to reshuffle sooner rather than later, allies say he is particularly likely to promote Cities Minister Greg Clark and Housing Minister Grant Shapps. Disabilities Minister Maria Miller, left, is also tipped for a seat at the Cabinet table.”

Changes

Scottish Borders – Cuts in opening hours at Jedburgh and Selkirk  (down 8 hours per week),  Kelso (down 3 hours per week)

Local News

• Barnet – Authors and actors sign petition to reopen Friern Barnet library – Times series.   “Since the council closed the library on Thursday, April 5, 283 people have signed the online petition. These include David Nicholls, author of One Day, and actress Prunella Scales, who is best known for her role as Sybil in the British comedy Fawlty Towers.”.  “Miss Canning has also collected signatures from author Paolo Hewitt and actor Timothy West.”
• Bolton – Election fight over axeing of libraries – Bolton News.  “The decision to axe one third of the town’s libraries — including his own local branch — could be a major issue for Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris in the local elections. Voters go to the polls on Thursday and the Labour leader is defending his Halliwell seat, a position he has held for the last 20 years. A major thorn in his side during the long-running libraries saga, which eventually saw five branch libraries closed, was Ian McHugh, secretary of the Save Bolton Libraries campaign. Now, Mr McHugh, a Green Party candidate, will stand for election against Cllr Morris in Halliwell, where Oxford Grove Library closed in February. He said: “I have lived in Halliwell with my family for more than 20 years.”
• Brent – Pickles to decide on fate of 1894 library – Keep Willesden Green.   “Eric Pickles passed it to his National Planning Casework Unit, who have discussed the matter of who has authority to give consent for the demolition of the 1894 Willesden Green Library building with Brent Council. The letter confirms that if the planning application for the new Cultural Centre includes demolition of the Willesden Green Library (which we now know that it will), and if the Council are minded to approve that application, Brent intend to refer the Conservation Area Consent application to the Secretary of State for his consideration under Section 74, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990. “
• Buckinghamshire – BBC star opens community library in Flackwell Heath – Bucks Free Press.  “A village library was officially handed over to volunteers this afternoon, with about 200 people turning out mark its rebirth. Flackwell Heath’s library has been redecorated and refurbished over the last month in preparation for the handover, which was formally announced by Antiques Roadshow star Eric Knowles.” … “After the opening speeches the crowd crammed inside, where Patricia Greene, from BBC radio show The Archers, was reading for children.”.  Five ex-librarians are volunteering at the branch.

• Haddenham and Wendover Libraries turn over new leaf – Mix 96.  “For Haddenham Library – the plans are to become a self managed community led library later this summer.  In Wendover, as one of the largest community libraries, Wendover will become a community partnership with a phased approach towards a self managed community library.”. Haddenham: “A paid member of staff from the County Council will be seconded to the library, and supported by local volunteers. In addition, Haddenham Community Library, who are set up as a charity will actively raise funds to support the library.”
• Cornwall – Donation enables Penzance’s Morrab Library expansion – BBC.  £600k from benefactor.  Library founded in 1818 “and is run primarily by volunteers”.  “Mr Myner has donated the money which was from his sister, Patricia Eschen, who died in 2010.”  £27 per year membership fee.
• Croydon – Spends £40k on library consultant – Save Croydon Libraries Campaign.  ” We need to ask ourselves why is Croydon Council so shy to share any details of their plans. The council only consulted on six libraries, ignored the “do nothing” option and admit it was mainly the users of only those libraries who responded. They have denied residents the breakdown on 412 responses they say informed their decision and are outsourcing the whole network without consulting users of the other libraries. There is also the plight of Upper Norwood Library @SaveUNlibrary and the announcement that New Addington Library will close and move to a yet unknown part of the cramped accommodation within the CALAT centre.”
• Greenwich – Library workers in Greenwich strike over privatisation plans – ITV News.   100 on strike. “They claim the new company will pay them much less than the wages the currently earn as employees of Greenwich Council. They claim staff who work at GLL do not receive the London Living Wage of £8.30 an hour.” … “Unite recently petitioned library users in the borough, with 1,600 people signing postcards saying no to the transfer of library services.”
• Oxfordshire – Library Wars Episode IV: A new hope – Question Everything.   Incoming leader of council, Cllr Hudspeth,  spoke out against libraries cuts.  “The idea behind it [the cuts] came from a meeting with David Cameron and Cllr Mitchell when Cameron intervened when the threat to the City libraries caused a lot of negative publicity involving celebrity authors. I don’t think the staff in the library service itself had very little to do with it nor the flawed and misquoted data used to support it. Sixteen of the twenty one cut libraries are in Tory divisions.”.  Current leader of council Keith Mitchell “is speaking at a “Do we need libraries” debate in Liverpool next month”.
• Scottish Borders – “Undue haste” claim over £360,000 libraries and contact centres merger – Southern Reporter.   “It has now emerged that on April 16, the council published the layouts for all the integrated sites, except Selkirk where a decision of whether the town library or High Street contact centre should host the service is pending.And the public has only until this coming Sunday – April 29 – to submit its view”.  Cuts in opening hours at Jedburgh and Selkirk  (down 8 hours per week),  Kelso (down 3 hours per week). 
• Surrey – Interview on libraries plan – BBC Radio Surrey.  Recording of radio interview.  Council decided to drop opposition to judicial review:  SLAM say clear public did not want to run libraries.  Council says trying to keep all libraries open and judge ruled only on technical issue of equalities training of volunteers. Decision had to be made due to cut of funding.  However, Chief Executive got 40% pay rise over last two years. Claim that withdrawing funding from the ten smallest libraries would be most cost effective option.
• Judicial review pass notes – SLAM.  Summary of SLAM’s position on the judicial review.
• Telford & Wrekin – Telford library hours to be cut in £330k savings drive – Shropshire Star.  “The borough’s nine libraries open for an average of just over 32 hours a week, which will now be reduced to an average of just over 27 hours a week. Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet met last night and approved the move and said its priority was to ensure no libraries closed.”