428 libraries (339 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below. 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.

• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December.
  

News

• California must value librarians, libraries can’t run themselves – Los Angeles Times.   “California paid for my master’s degree in library and information science. While I am grateful to have had the grant and the opportunity to go back to school, I wish now that I had instead trained to be an electrician, a plumber or an auto mechanic. California does not value librarians.”

• Jeremy Hunt to receive library petition – BookSeller.   “Secretary of state Jeremy Hunt will be presented with a petition of more than 12,000 signatures tomorrow (27th October), demanding he intervenes to reverse the closure of six libraries in Brent, north London.” …the minister is still silent on all things library related.
• Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Annual session with Committee – www.parliament.tv.  “The session will be a wide ranging one but issues of current interest likely to be covered include …” [no direct mention of libraries].  In response to an email seen by Public Libraries News, a relevane spokesman responded “The Members of the Committee choose their own questions, but I am certain that they will be asking Mr Hunt about library closures.”. Session to be broadcast live on Parliament TV.

• Libraries need designers – Tara Robertson.  “Librarians often complain that people do not respect our professional skills, yet we often believe that we can do our own design work, even though we are not designers. This is as stupid and offensive as people saying we don’t need libraries because we’ve got Google. Google is a tool and not a replacement for a librarian. Adobe’s Creative Suite and a suitcase full of fonts do not make you a designer, it just means that you have some tools.”
• Library Campaign Conference – from local to national – Information Overload.  Summary of the conference from a librarian / campaigner. 
• March on the DCMS! Open public meeting – Library Campaign.  “One of the chief actions to come out of last Saturday’s conference was that we should organise, in February, a national demonstration for public libraries in London, route to include Downing Street and/or the DCMS. One suggestion is that at DCMS, or in Trafalgar Square, we might have a read-in. This is not in opposition to 4 February, 2012, which is National Libraries Day. It could take place later in the month, so that the local activities on 4 February are an opportunity to build for the march.”.  
• National Library Campaign Conference – Walk You Home.   “I think it helped to put campaigners in touch with information and resources they can benefit from. It’s hard to get the message out to everyone about what we do in Voices for the Library, the resources we have on the site that might be of use, and the network of people with experience of library campaigning that we can put in touch with each other, so the event and subsequent publicity has helped. At the same time, it can be hard to be obvious about our limits to manage expectations – we’re all volunteers working full time jobs, and Voices isn’t a funded organisation. We can’t save libraries all on our own and we need a national network – which is why the day was organised in the first place!”.  Two action points are (1) organise national wiki for campaign groups and (2) arrange a national protest event.
• Providing a service – BookSeller.   Looks at volunteering in libraries – they provide an excellent service, sometimes the only service, but at what cost?  “I think where people feel short-changed is the idea that libraries can be run exactly as before, but instead of paying people (after all library staff are known for their profligate ways) we will get unpaid volunteers to do it for nothing. Why should the government take advantage like this? And can the service provided really be as good? As a commenter on The Bookseller site recently asked: “Would you be happy to be treated by volunteer doctors and have your children taught by volunteer teachers?”. On the other hand, most people would rather have some sort of library service than nothing at all.”

“We are extremely concerned that the Government is currently consulting on whether existing statutory protection for public libraries should be retained.

We believe that libraries provide a valuable service for local communities, access to books for those who cannot afford them, the provision of business information and opportunities for self-directed learning, education and literacy. Not to mention somewhere quiet for homework, or access to the internet. Many libraries give children their first introduction to the world of books and learning.

The Labour Party is running a campaign with a petition to save our libraries which can be found here: http://www.campaignengineroom.org.uk/save-our-libraries.”

Changes

Bolton – The five libraries slated for closure have now been made open for groups to take over, business plans need to be with council by 5th December. 
Central Bedfordshire – Consultation until 18th January 2012. 

Local News

• Bolton – Councils throw libraries a lifeline – This is Lancashire. “Volunteer groups are being given the chance to run one of the five closing libraries in the town. Finance chiefs at Bolton Council are inviting people to submit business plans for each of the libraries.Application forms go online today and groups have until December 2 to draft their initial proposals.”.  However, groups will need to pay rent and pay for all costs, including in one case £57,000 in repairs.
• Central Bedfordshire – Don’t keep your voice down – About My Area.  “Residents across Central Bedfordshire are being encouraged to get involved in shaping the future of libraries, following the successful Big Library debate over the summer. The council received over 2000 responses from local residents and stakeholders, and is using all the feedback collected to inform the future direction of local services.”
• Dorset – Hope for threatened libraries in West Dorset – Bridport News. “Dorset County Council agreed to have a second vote on the future of the service … Coun Dover has used council procedures that allow the vote to be retaken after she submitted an application signed by ten fellow councillors, all members of her party.”  
• Hertfordshire – Out-of-hours library plans a step closer for Hertfordshire – Watford Observer.   More on plan to allow charities to use library out of hours as long as they help if someone wants to take out a book. ““We hope this innovative and exciting initiative will make libraries more like community hubs than simply learning resources. This will benefit our communities and help build stronger links with voluntary groups in Hertfordshire.”
• Northern Ireland – Local politicians condemn library closure – Mid-Ulster Mail.  “During the so-called consultation process and other subsequent meetings with Libraries NI representatives it was increasingly obvious from their attitude that they were intent on closing as many libraries as possible in order to save money and resources.”
• Waltham Forest – Leytonstone: library closure petition voted down – Guardian series.   “Harrow Green Library in Leytonstone will close within weeks despite a full council debate on a petition against the move” … 5000 name petition.  “The petition was voted down by the council’s Labour majority, who agreed to press ahead with the closure, with the Conservatives abstaining and the Liberal Democrats voting in support.”
• Wandsworth – Join us on 1st November when we reopen – Save York Gardens.   “York Gardens Library and Community Centre will be hosting a reopening event on Tuesday 1st November from 6pm to 8pm. The Mayor of Wandsworth will be joining us to formally reopen the library, which was due to close over the summer. Fortunately, the community campaign to save the library means that the doors of the library will once again be open to readers and the community rooms will be available to hire at new reduced rates.”

428 libraries (339 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below. 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.

• Pressure your local MP to write to John Whittingdale, the Chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Committee, to ensure that the issue of DCMS intervention is brought up at the Autumn evidence session.  Someone in Parliament needs to start advocating on libraries behalf and your letter or email could be the spur that gets them to act.
• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December.
  

News

• Book to the future – BookSeller (John Pateman).  Analysis of the Future Libraries Programme, mixing criticism with sympathy, due to the great demands made from it (and the size of the cuts expected).  “The Future Libraries report has been dismissed by many commentators as being both simplistic and limited, but I have a more sympathetic view. I know how difficult it is to try to square the demands of politicians, service users, local communities and staff. It is very hard—if not impossible—to please all of these stakeholders and build a library service that is fit for purpose, affordable and sustainable.”
• Debates in libraries fight – Socialist Worker.  “The largest workshop of the day looked at the use of volunteers in public libraries. Although there was unanimous agreement that libraries should be run with paid staff, many campaigns felt they would reluctantly resort to volunteering to keep their library open. But many argued that this would mean affluent areas getting a service while deprived areas couldn’t.  As one Unison rep said, “Volunteer-run libraries are the silent death of public libraries.” The whole logic of cuts needs to be challenged.” …“Volunteer-run libraries are the silent death of public libraries.”
• Frontline: A library assistant on the effects of government policy on a public library – Civil Service Live Network. “Library customers grumble about having less space, until we point out that it has helped to keep the library open. I think that if you see the library as a place where you get information, there is no problem with mixing the two and it brings new people into the library. However, library staff fear that in the next round of cuts managers may try to merge the library and council workforces, to the detriment of the library service.” … “Unfortunately, team morale has been severely affected by fear of what’s to come and by the money-saving measures and initiatives that have already been put in place. We are aware that these cuts will go on for years, but we don’t know how they’ll affect budgets so we don’t have any real confidence in the future or in our jobs.”

“For those existing on a weekly jobseeker’s allowance of £90, it is one of the items that they have to forgo. It is vital, therefore, that our public libraries are open and available to such people so that they can have access through the public library system.” Baroness Sharp of Guildford on Education Bill

• In defence of libraries – Geeks shall inherit the Earth.   “libraries suddenly seem to have become expendable in the eyes of many local councils, not only in the UK but also America and who knows where else. It feels like a crime that we’re even in this situation, but here we are.” … “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.”
• In praise of the big library – Sintoblog.   In responding to a remark in the Philip Pullman speech that “It would be far more sensible to close the big libraries and open even more small ones”, points out that larger size means more facilities (which are needed but perhaps not possible in a small one) and books.  “Of course, what we want is both and I genuinely believe that the benefit to a community of such a library system far exceeds the cost. However, we all know that many library managers are being faced with the reality of having to deliver a quality library services with inadequate funding. I believe that as professionals we do need to come up with a realistic way of maintaining a service in the face of unreasonable cuts and that keeping a large number of small libraries open is not of itself better than a smaller number of bigger libraries. First develop the service, then deliver it as appropriate.”
• Libraries Fortnight – Library Wales.org.  Over 100 events on the database… “During Libraries Fortnight, events for all ages and interests are taking place across Wales. Events include family fun days, storytelling and animation workshops, open mike night, circus skills, author events, quizzes and competitions, rapping, craft events, zumba and street dance classes. Many of the events will be filmed and footage will be available for you to watch online.”
• Save the Libraries – MySpace page, @weneedlibraries (Twitter).   “Many British libraries are now facing closure because of council cutbacks,this will rob the people who need the libraries the most ,not everyone can afford to buy computers or buy books,and if the proposed closures go through many wont even be able to afford to travel to the nearest libraries…”

Changes

Devon –   Extension for Newton Abbot Library. 

Local News

• Croydon / Lambeth – Labour livid over Tory termination of Upper Norwood library agreement – This is Local London.  ““Despite 20,000 people signing petitions and marching against Coun Fisher’s plans and in a move that has even horrified other Tory councillors, Coun Fisher seems to be prepared to see UNJL future threatened and is hell bent on selling off all of Croydon’s libraries.” … ““Councillor Fisher is holding a gun to the head of UNJL and holding every library in Croydon hostage.”
• Devon – Newton Abbot New Community Library – Devon County Council.   New library being built, interesing competitions including one for the name.  “the building is to be officially named ‘The Passmore Edwards Centre’, in honour of the Victorian philanthropist who gave it to the town at the turn of the 20th century.” … “The extension allows the library to expand to cater for the growing population of the town and surrounding areas. Refurbishment also means that the local support service for adults with learning disabilities will be based in the building, without loss of library space, an addition that John Passmore Edwards would surely have supported.”
• Gloucestershire – County Council and the digital divide – FoGL.   “Recent research has shown that four in ten people in the Gloucestershire and Bristol region do not have access to the internet.” … irony is “Cllr Antonia Noble, Cabinet member for libraries, said: “The internet is a great way of getting information. It’s also good fun and makes staying in touch with friends and family really easy.”The county council already supports getting people online through weekly First Click courses in libraries. And around the county, library staff help around 170 people get online every day.”.  The council is withdrawing support for ten libraries and drastically cutting funding to others.
• Hertfordshire – Borehamwood library could be used out-of-hours by voluntary groups – Borehamwood and Elstree Times.   “The idea comes three months after drastic cuts were made to the opening hours of libraries, including an almost 40 per cent cut in the time Borehamwood Library is open to the public.” … “it would be a step towards making libraries into community hubs.” [This last phrase can mean either what it says or, more increasingly, “entirely volunteer-run” – Ed.]
• Northamptonshire – Volunteering in Libraries – Northamptonshire Council.  “There are many interesting opportunities for volunteers within the Library service. Details of our current opportunities are listed below.” … jobs include, somewhat ironically, “Job Seeker Session Leader”.
• Warwickshire – Warwick estate boosted by the return of a mobile library service – Courier.  “At the moment there is a case for it. A lot of people living in what is known as a deprived area do want to read a lot of books and I thought it would be a good idea for them to come and have a browse. “It’s something for the betterment of the community.” … described as during the time of a library “cull”.

428 libraries (339 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below. 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.

• Pressure your local MP to write to John Whittingdale, the Chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Committee, to ensure that the issue of DCMS intervention is brought up at the Autumn evidence session.  Someone in Parliament needs to start advocating on libraries behalf and your letter or email could be the spur that gets them to act.
• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Email Justin Tomlinson MP for Swindon about your concerns.  He is the chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group for libraries to be launched in December.
  

News

• Key Blairite John McTernan has tried to justify Osborne’s cuts to shut our libraries.  Here’s why he is wrong – Green Benches.  Excellent riposte to infamous Telegraph article using evidence not previously seen.  There are some great graphs in this post, including:

• The % of adults who have volunteered at local libraries has grown 60% in 3 years. This is evidence that, for the 392,000 who volunteered in the last year at least, Libraries are still very much a crucial part of society.
• Library usage among the best well off in society is in sharp decline. There are plenty of technological reasons for this not least the arriving of the electronic tablets and the great strides in digital archiving. However, these technological benefits have not reached the poor in the same way. Also, of course, people avail of a library for lots of societal reasons (poetry reading, book fairs, debates etc.). And so for both of those reasons, library usage among the worse off in society has held quite steady in recent years and actually marginally increased.
• Library Usage has been declining in the south of England. This may well be linked to higher economic status or equally the cost of petrol commuting in less urbanised parts of the South East for example. But this has not been the case in the North East. Library usage in the North East of England has held fairly steady in recent years and indeed marginally increased. More than 40% of the North East/West of England still use their library services. In fact, more than 100 million books were borrowed last year. In this parliament alone half a billion books are set to be borrowed. Evidence suggest that the poorer areas of England still benefit enormously from their Library services. Evidence also suggests that people are still willing to give their time free of charge to maintain the library network.

• New doomed and the dirty past – Bibliothekpolizei (USA).  “When I started to work in a public library, I started to meet the people who did not have a computer at home. I met the people who really need the library. I didn’t hang with these “low income” people http://www.gatesfoundation.org/learning/Documents/LowIncome0209.pdf until I worked at a public library.” .. Library worker explains how important libraries are for low income people, from someone who knows.
• Philip Pullman Speech from Library Campaign Conference  – Bambuser #savelibraries.  Video from the conference of 22nd October.  Taken with a mobile phone so quality is variable.

Changes

Warwickshire – Harbury and Kineton libraries will not be council-run from March 2012.  Harbury volunteers will receive £8k grant in order to seed library/cafe.  Kineton will be taken over by parish council for 8 hours per week.

Local News

• Angus – Library laughter and smiles – Forfar Dispatch.  “Where’s Wally Day” attracts 60 children.
• Cambridgeshire – Petition: Stopping the 25% rise in councillor’s allowances – Cambridgeshire County Council.  Council wants at least £2m cut in libraries budget.  …. massive increases in councillor pay ((e.g. from £22k to £28k basic for council Leader) “in the current context of pay freezes, redundancies and cuts to frontline services including those affecting the least well off and most vulnerable, this is not appropriate”.  Councillor remuneration is now nearly £1m per year.
• Croydon / Lambeth – Re-run AGM farce as Croydon refuses to honour joint agreement –  Upper Norwood Library Campaign.  “The current administration in Croydon have a history of misrepresenting the Joint Library’s value for money, as a means of justifying low levels of funding and the scrapping of the library’s popular independent status. Independent studies have shown that the Joint Library service is proportionately around 50% cheaper than the Croydon library service.” … “Croydon Council leader, Cllr Mike Fisher, knows that by meeting the terms of the Joint Library agreement he would be obliged to nominate two opposition members to the Committee. This would remove his ability to force through the sort of damaging measures that are being inflicted on Croydon’s own libraries, such as significant staff redundancies, reduced opening, privatisation or closure.”
• Croydon Council terminates Upper Norwood Library agreement – Crystal Palace Magazine.   No prior warning to staff.  “Croydon’s move is bound to cause absolute uproar in  the area.”.  Described as a “coup”. 
• Mock the Week have covered Upper Norwood in July 2010. See also Casualties of Croydon Cuts – Inside Croydon (15/7/2010).

• Gloucestershire – “Should the mobile library be cut, it will be the end of a lifetime’s education” – FoGL.  Letter from mobile library user brings home the impact of its possible loss. “The library van is a vital link with the wider world. Cutting that link to save a few pounds will only increase social isolation and rural intellectual poverty.”
• Northamptonshire – Library launches new service to help people through tough times – Northampton Chronicle.   “…an official launch event at the Central Library in Abington Street, Northampton, on Friday for the new library Change! zones, which bring together a collection of titles covering topics such as job seeking, skills improvement, volunteering, financial advice and confidence building.”.  This may need to include former library staff as council is going forward with major cuts – £300k cut in staffing costs, with this being made up by including increasing number of volunteers from 400 to 1600.
• Warwickshire – Hope for some in fight to keep Warwickshire libraries open – Weekly News.  “Officials reported “disappointing” numbers of volunteers, with numbers varying between areas. Whitnash had only six potential volunteers compared with 17 in both Leamington and Warwick, nine in Lillington and ten in Kenilworth.”
• Closer to the reality of Bulkington Community Library – Jonnieb’s blog.  Volunteer-run library (supported with money and free building by council) preparations continuing.

• Pressure your local MP to write to John Whittingdale, the Chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Committee, to ensure that the issue of DCMS intervention is brought up at the Autumn evidence session.  Someone in Parliament needs to start advocating on libraries behalf and your letter or email could be the spur that gets them to act.
• Please sign the national petition in support of public libraries.
• Attend the Library Campaign conference, 22/10/11
  

News

• Ann Widdecombe is right: Christianity in Britain is under severe persecution – Daily Mail.  “Public libraries have been instructed to place Bibles on the highest shelf – as if they were some sort of pornography likely to deprave and corrupt.” [This relates to 2009 MLA advice to Leicester and is so rare in practice that it caused a long discussion on the LIS-PUB-LIBS librarian message board about where the article had got it from – Ed.]
• Let’s zip up the unreadable trash – Independent (Boyd Tonkin).   “But the law, which turned against the protesters when a judicial review of library closures last week found in favour of Brent, still holds out hope. They have leave to appeal the judgment authorising the closures; it will be heard in early November. This swift re-match suggests that at least someone at the High Court values local libraries. In the meantime, the campaign has gained an injunction preventing the council from further action to wreck the suspended branches.”
• Liberal whingers are wrong: we should close our libraries – Telegraph.   In a deeply wrong and embarrassing piece that is full of arrogant assumptions that everyone has the middle-class resources of the writer, an ex-public librarian claims libraries are no longer used and middle-class people are campaigning to save them simply due to misplaced guilt.  The argument is that (a) Libraries no longer fill a unique gap as everyone now has the Internet and digital TV and mobile phones, (b) Library computers are too old and slow and are so are not used (c) everyone has the money and access to buy any book they need by the internet and (d) every child has a quiet study space at home and so libraries are not needed as study areas either.  Each and every one of these assumptions is wrong, making the piece ironic.  [One suspects it of being a lampoon. I really hope it is for the sake of the author – Ed.]
• Philip Pullman: Using the internet is like looking at a landscape through a keyhole – Telegraph.  ““A fight by middle class liberals? I’ll plead guilty there. But, firstly, what on earth is wrong with that? And, secondly, how does he know it’s condescension and guilt that’s moving us?” he says.“And I notice he doesn’t mention the needs of children at all except to say that ‘virtually every kid has a desk at home’. What the hell does he know about it? It’s absolutely bloody nonsense to say every child has a desk to study.”
• Just another liberal Whinger? – Walk You Home.  Lauren Smith demolishes the article above.
• Colm Linnane: John McTernan Is Wrong About Libraries – Scottish Book Trust. Another excellent rebuttal piece.
• Iain Dale – LBC 97.3 (Radio).  Friday, 9.30pm to 10pm.  Conversation on McTernan article.  Largely very favourable to libraries.  Annie Mauger (chief of CILIP) was first on, saying libraries had 322m visits last year and that the 1964 Act set up by a Tory government. She did not deny cuts had to made but said that they needed to be proportional, with substitute services being provided.  Iain Dale was largely very pro libraries but said that they had to take their “fair share” of the cuts. Several times.  All public comments were favorable including from children, teenagers, jobseekers, students, accountants and senior citizens. Most said “I love my library”. Even the Director of the Libertarian Alliance was pro.  He said that they were a very useful as a boy but were an easy target.  Powers that be would rather cut any service rather than their bloated salaries or Town Hall employees.  However, he did not like some modern libraries as they had loud kids and too many computers.  He was far more pro quiet useful reference placed with “improving journals”.  He was very keen on “browsing up and down the shelves”.  Many callers made that the point that libraries are an essential part of our community.  Some callers said that libraries should be expanded, with more cafes and larger spaces.  There was not a single person suggesting that libraries were not relevant or should be closed.

 “Most vigorous response to any piece I have ever written: http://tgr.ph/oyQV0t Because of time zones I will respond over the weekend.” John McTernan (Twitter) author of “Liberal Whinger” article [obviously being messaged by a lot of said whingers – Ed.]

“My attention has been drawn to an article in the Daily Telegraph purported to be  by John Mcternan in which it is  suggested that libraries are not be used and should be closed. I taught John at Sheffield University when he was on our MA Librarianship programme and, to say the least , find his views surprising. Moreover I know that he subsequently became  involved in Labour politics and was an adviser to Tony Blair and often appears on television to present Labour views. As a lifetime Labour supporter  I hope this article does not in any way represent Labour Policy. In fact it echoes the views from right wing think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute et al.. Given that there is a major meeting on library cuts in London tomorrow I hope that the Labour Party will publicly  refute the views in the article. If it is indeed by John Mcternan, who many people regard as a Labour spokesperson it will do the party great damage. Perhaps Ms. Harman who now shadows cultural affairs would comment?”  Bob Usherwood, ex tutor to John McTernan in open email to Labour.

• Library cuts “threaten child reading project” – London Evening Standard.  “library closures in government spending cuts risk damaging the scheme, which accounts for a fifth of all books issued to children in a year. Figures show 780,000 children took part this year in the national Summer Reading Challenge organised by the Reading Agency – a 20,000 increase on last year.” … “Miranda McKearney, the agency’s director, said skilled librarians were key to the challenge’s success, and emphasised the importance of having libraries as dedicated reading spaces. “Those who say we no longer need libraries should get real and take a long, hard look at the huge public response to the programme,” she said.”
• Summer Reading challenge numbers rise – BookSeller.   “”Children who use libraries are twice as likely to be above-average readers, and we can’t afford to lose the creativity, passion and massive community mobilisation libraries bring to the task of turning children into readers for life.”
• 2011 Summer Reading Challenge results – BookTrade Info. “The scheme looks set to account for 20% of all books issued to children in a year. 53,000 children have newly joined their local library to take part, and boys look set to account for 44% of the total who have participated. Many were supported by teenage volunteers from secondary schools,”.  Includes quotes from children and teenagers.

Changes

Somerset – Bishops Lydeard library will be taken over by volunteers in April if judicial review fails.  Users will be charged £3 per year for membership

Local News

• Brent – MP demands “grown up” conversation over libraries – Harrow Observer.   “Ms Teather has written to Gareth Daniels, the chief executive of Brent Council. She is urging the authority to properly consider the library campaigner’s proposals for keeping the six libraries open. Ms Teather, who is also Children and Families minister, said: “Everyone I talk to in Brent wants the libraries to stay open and I hope that the Labour Council can take this opportunity to reflect on their actions, see sense and start talking to local people.” … ” the MP also wrote to Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, to urge the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to instigate a local inquiry into the closure of half the libraries in the borough”
• Children’s Minister asks Hunt to intervene in Brent – BookSeller.  
• Teather urges Brent Council to have a grown up conversation with Library Campaigners – Sarah Teather and Brent Liberal Democrats. “A negotiated solution at this point would also mean that Brent Council could stop wasting tax-payers money fighting its own residents and start protecting the services treasured by the community.”
• More cuts: library closure challenge fails – UK Human Rights Blog. “a resounding defeat for the campaigners” but appeals and other actions may take place.  “Meanwhile the campaign gathers pace, with high profile supporters such as Philip Pullman – and possibly low profile supporters like my toddler –  set to join the demonstration outside Kensal Rise library at the weekend.”
• All Souls in library dispute – Cherwell. “It is believed that, owing to the covenant under which the library building was given to the community, ownership of the building will pass back to All Souls if the building ceases to be a library.” … “if ownership were to revert to All Souls they would be unlikely to keep the library running, telling Cherwell, “All Souls is an institution committed to funding world-class research in Oxford. We cannot justify funding a library in Kensal Rise: that is the ambit of local government.”  
• Camden – Muswell Hull Library celebrates 80 years service to the community – Ham & High. “Muswell Hill, remains for many residents a beacon of public learning.” … “Nowadays the library is relied upon by “people from all sectors of the community, and that’s how it should be,”
• Croydon – Upper Norwood Library is an embarrassment – Timothy Godfrey.  Jointly run library is run for £400k per year rather than the £658k average for a purely Croydon library. Council has broken agreement and is seeking to divert attention away from its “unpopular” plans to privatise its service.  45% of Croydon libraries budgets is on “back office contracts”.  Councillor Godfrey wants Labour to agree to take over any libraries privatised by the current Conservative-run Croydon Council.
• Lambeth seeking urgent meetings with Croydon Council over Upper Norwood Library – Croydon Guardian. Croydon has “pulled out” of running Upper Norwood Library.  Croydon unhappy that Labour-run Lambeth refused to attend joint committee meeting because two Conservative councillors from outside of the area were nominated onto it, rather than local Labour Croydon councillors.     Lambeth suspects Croydon simply wants to shift full cost of service onto it, especially as the Library is sited in Lambeth territory.
• Council forced to pull out of library arrangement – Croydon Council.  “This breach has been caused by Lambeth refusing to attend the last Annual General Meeting and failing to co-operate at the 2010 meeting. This means that there has been no effective oversight of the management of the library for almost two years, including no effective oversight of financial management and staffing issues. Lambeth also continues to insist on Croydon putting local councillors onto the committee, despite the fact that the council is advised that this would be illegal under current government legislation concerning executive committee structures.” 

 
News

• Future of local libraries: new ways of delivering services – London Councils, 26th October.  “This seminar will present members with options to consider when planning the future public library services. It will give you the chance to assess what might work for your borough and the opportunity to hear about the support Arts Council England, London region will give to libraries as they take on their new responsibilities following the closure of the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council.”

“I had worked in a factory, too, done all the menial jobs, had the easy cash. And I could have done so for the rest of my life, but I was too intelligent for that. I’d also had the public libraries, the libraries in London. To go into these public places, for free, and realise by reading books that there was so much more – it had a massive effect on the feelings of helplessness.” Michael Caine

• Shelve this, Bill Maher – Huffington Post (USA).  Millionaire Bill Maher says “”We have the Internet. We don’t need a library at all.” Article takes issue with him.
• Stephen Fry on public libraries – Planet Word, BBC2 (Full text).  

Local News

“We will join forces with library campaigners in other parts of the country in seeking intervention by the Department for Culture Media and Sport to ensure the proper implementation of the Public Libraries & Museums Act 1964. This is still a very wealthy country, where money can be found for huge salaries – in the public and private sectors – and for overseas wars, Olympic Games, and NHS reorganisation. The sums of money needed to keep our libraries open are small change in comparison. It is simply a matter of making the right choices.” Bolton – Ian McHugh, Save Bolton Libraries Campaign. See also Resolution of Save Bolton Libraries Campaign 18.10.11

• Brent – Go-ahead for library closures appeal – Yorkshire Post.   “On Wednesday Lord Justice Elias ordered that an appeal to the Court of Appeal should be expedited, and attempts are being made to arrange it for two days early next month. Meanwhile, Brent Council has agreed to take no irrevocable steps to prevent the libraries reopening if the appeal is won.” … “The court heard that, as part of Wednesday’s interim agreement, the council has agreed not to board up Kensal Rise library, on the condition campaigners agree to cover the costs of providing security for the site pending the appeal. A round-the-clock vigil had been set up to stop the boarding up, while a “library outside a library” has also been set up at Kensal Rise in defiance of the closure plans, using books donated by residents.”
• Council reuqired to leave libraries alone until Appeal in November – Preston Library Campaign. “The valiant campaigners who have braved the cold outside Preston night and day since Monday can breathe a small sigh of relief.   You have made national news and we salute you.”
• Go-ahead for Brent library closures appeal – Independent.   “The case is being watched by other campaign groups around the country who also have libraries threatened with closure as cash-squeezed councils seek to reduce spending.”.  Council will not pay protester’s costs.  Campaigners will also not receive legal aid for the appeal.

In Brent they came
With boards
To turn a door
Into a wall,
A wall
Into a final chapter

• Injunction granted to prevent Brent libraries board-up – BookSeller. “Brent council had agreed “not to do anything physically” to Kensal Rise Library, and “not to do anything that can’t be undone” in connection with any of the six closed libraries. The court of appeal hearing into the closures will take place within a fortnight of 7th November, it has been confirmed.”
• Interim protection agreed for Brent’s threatened libraries ahead for appeal –  Harrow Observer. “Mr Halford said Brent SOS Libraries is appealing on three points of law such as that the council did not properly assess the impact of the closures on the Asian community and children, and how unfairly the voluntary organisations willing to run the libraries were treated in the process.”
• Legal ruling on Brent library closures – Guardian “…shocked above all that here is a council and a high court judge who don’t begin to understand the huge role public libraries, particularly small local branches, play in the lives of the old and even more, the young.” (Penelope Clark) … “Since Labour wants to close the library, the solution is simple: hand over the Kensal Rise library building to the local community to run the library themselves. It’s not as if the council built or paid for the library originally.” (Cllr Barry Cheese, Brent)
• Library closures: judge fast-tracks appeal – Guardian.   “They feel very strongly that Brent has got away with far too much already in the immediate aftermath of the high court ruling and that things should go no further. And that their library should remain there, ready to be reopened if their case succeeds. That’s why they have been willing to put up the money to make sure that doesn’t happen.” … “campaigners were very grateful to the court for acting so swiftly. “Normally it takes months to get the court of appeal to get to the stage it’s taken this court of appeal to get to in 24 hours. And the campaigners would like to articulate their appreciation to the court for dealing with it so rapidly, so that their appeal doesn’t become academic because of what Brent has done in the meantime.”
• Parents and children continue to camp outside library in protest – Save Kensal Rise Library.   “Protests are continuing outside Kensal Rise Library, as residents hold vigils and defend the library day and night – including these photos taken between 4 and 6.30am. If you’re in the area, please come and join!”
• Buckinghamshire – Little Chalfont Library – NatWest CommunityForce. Last chance to vote for Little Chalfont volunteer-run library to get much needed funding for its maintenance and repair.