369 libraries plus 27 mobiles currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
– Blackburn with Darwen – reduced opening hours (hours not part of headline count)
– Sandwell – some libraries may be closed (not added to count as numbers unclear)

News
37 separate articles in the press, local and national, since the last post.  The plus side to this is that libraries have probably never received this much attention.  The down side – well, the down side is fairly obvious. Still, today, New Year’s Day, let us focus on the bright side.  There’s a lot of love out there for libraries.  Here’s to the harnessing of it in 2011.

Blackburn with Darwen – libraries to have reduced opening hours – Lancashire Telegraph
Buckinghamshire – Govt spending cut in line with council plans so more volunteer libraries – Bucks Advertiser
Buckinghamshire – Winslow library – second meeting announced – Buckingham Today
Bury – Saddened by loss of Unsworth – Bury Times
Croydon – libraries moved to different department – This is Croydon Today
Dorset – Charmouth faces closure – View Online
Gloucestershire – 4000 sign petition, and rising – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – instead of a library, have some books in a doctor’s waiting room – Stroud News & Journal
Gloucestershire – sign up to campaign or lose libraries forever – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – petition to save Hester’s Way – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – (long) list of media coverage so far – Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries
Herefordshire – misjudging the volunteer role – Kidderminster Shuttle
Isle of Wight – Closures plan in detail – Ventnor Blog
Isle of Wight – Save the libraires by paying fee? – Isle of Wight County Press
Lancashire – fines amnesty for returned books – Burnley Citizen
Middlesbrough – young people like libraries, will be consulted on cuts – Gazette Live
North Yorkshire – fight to save Ryedale libraries – Gazette & Herald
North Yorkshire – Friends of Easingwold Library
Nottingham – concerned over future of Booktrust – My Nottingham
Nottinghamshire – opening hours cuts affect least affluent areas the worst – Eastwood Advertiser
Oxfordshire – Philip Pullman and Colin Dexter call closures “Shameful” – Oxford Mail
Sandwell – some libraries may be closed –  Halesowen News
Sheffield – Central Library plans in spotlight – Sheffield Telegraph
Somerset – 5000 petition being collected – This is Somerset
Somerset – Glastonbury closure unfair – This is Somerset
Somerset – Ilminster closure being fought – View Online
Somerset – MP Tessa Munt waiting for answers about libraries – This is Somerset
Somerset – have say on libraries closures – This is Somerset
Somerset – Stand up for Shepton group warns about vital library meeting – StandUp4Shepton
Stoke on Trent – “Talking Tots” owner wants libraries to be saved – This is Staffordshire

Democracy’s failures – resources in common like libraries are being forced into the free market – Guardian
Ed Vaizey – no hidden agenda, volunteers are for expanding hours – Witney Gazette
Letter attacking North Yorkshire closures – Times (behind paywall) 1st Jan – link to most are here
Libraries important in areas of social deprivation – Voices for the Library
Our society is not big enough for Cameron – Independent
Several letters in support of libraries – Times (behind paywall) 31st Dec
TUC – it’s going to be a horrible year with cuts in “high profile services such as libraries will cause widespread anger” – Politics

(USA) Library Renewal – a new group fighting for libraries in the online age