Gloucestershire cuts libraries while putting £1m into reserves; Somerset

397 libraries plus 48 mobiles currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
-minus 1 – Dulverton Library (Somerset) reprieved

News

Tomorrow is a big Westminster day for libraries – there’s a debate in Westminster Hall about the future of libraries in the morning. Later on in the day, Voices For The Library report that Ed Vaizey is having a meeting on the Big Society and Libraries which seems (from the agenda) to be focused mainly on how to transfer endangered ones to volunteers. We find out also tomorrow what Somerset’s new proposals are for their library service – it seems two Somerset libraries have been reprieved already and it seems likely more will be, although details are not yet officially clear as to where the money will be found.

Getting back to today, more details on Gloucestershire suggest that there will be almost no qualified librarians or managers left (25 managers to go, 3.5 librarians meaning only 10 left) to cope with a service cut by 11 libraries. Campaigners claim Gloucestershire is putting £1m into its reserves at the same time as cutting frontline services. This is going to not going to please the Government who have advised raiding reserves to help pay for the cuts, not adding to them. More details on North Yorkshire suggest that the surviving 18 “core” libraries (out of 42) could have their funding cut to help support any community-run libraries that are established.

Buckinghamshire – Little Chalfont Community Library is a national model – Bucks Free Press

Buckinghamshire – Rotarians look on the bright side – Bucks Free Press

Doncaster – closures confirmation delayed – South Yorkshire Times

Dorset – Popular library at risk – Salisbury Journal

Gloucestershire – 40 FTE cut (down to 100) 43% budget cut, managers down from 36 to 9 – This is Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire – Robin Ince supports campaign “Libraries are for everyone. Excessive bonuses and Cayman Island tax havens are not.” FoGL

Gloucestershire – Support pours in from authors – FoGL

Gloucestershire – Council adds £1.2m to its reserves, despire protests and Pickles – FoGL

Hounslow – Any questions on the cuts? – Hounslow Chronicle

Leeds – closing 20 libraries is not about cuts but making service sustainable – Guardian

Liverpool – libraries not a statutory service – provide a discretionary “reasonable service” only – BBC Radio 4 (37.19 in) (Paul Brant, deputy leader of Liverpool)

North Yorkshire – Protests as “Leyburn is a service centre for the whole dale”, even “core” libraries may have funding cut – Northern Echo

Northamptonshire – residents bid for library survival – “They are cutting off a lifeline to a lot of people, people live for their books” – Evening Telegraph

Oxfordshire – 120,000 visits per year Summertown Library could become Autism Centre – Oxford Mail

Oxfordshire – protesters in song – Henley Standard TV

Oxfordshire – library cuts are “divisive an unfair” says council – Henley Standard

Oxfordshire – running a volunteer library could cost £200k per year – Oxford Mail (Comment)

Oxfordshire – Closing library is wrong, says ex-manager – Henley Standard

Oxfordshire – Buoyant meeting against closures – False Economy

Somerset – Wiveliscombe victory – This is Somerset

Somerset – announcement imminent on all closures – Somerset County Gazette
Somerset – Dulverton very likely to be reprieved – This is the West Country

Southampton – Blogs about the cuts – Dolphin’s Blowhole

Wakefield – Council calls giving libraries to community groups, including faith groups, would be “a fairytale end” – Wakefield Express

Wakefield – save both out libraries – Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express

Cuts hitting the wrong targets (like front-line services) – Daily Mail / Iain Duncan Smith