Changes to Library Authorities
Barnet – 2 threatened (out of 16) – 1 to go as merge North Finchley and Friern Barnt libraries at “Artsdepot” site;  Hampstead Garden Suburb to close (books with self-service machine to be placed in local Institute); Bookfund up by £10k; £3m raised by selling off buildings (Finchley Hill, Church End, Child’s Hill and Grahame Park – to be moved into presumably cheaper buildings); 16FTE lost; £350k saving joint backroom services

News – The Wider Picture
Authors raise doubt over Gove’s 50 Book Challenge – Guardian “children’s laureate Anthony Browne has said Gove’s aims are at odds with the library closures happening under his government’s watch. He declared himself “surprised” at Gove’s comments, “given that the government is cutting library budgets, and that programmes giving free books to children, such as Bookstart, are also being cut.”
Future of librray services in the Big Society – Conference, 21st June.
Marching for public services March 26th – UNISON
Michael Gove: pupils should read 50 books per year – Daily Telegraph
Mountain to climb on deficit is threat to growth budget – London Evening Standard “The squeeze will become increasingly visible to voters as touchstone services like libraries and Surestart centres shut their doors”

News –  By Local Authority
Barnet – Councillor Robert Rams speaks out on library review plans released today – Barnet & Potters Bar Times
Flintshire – £635k benefits blunder – Flintshire Chronicle “This money could be better spent on protecting our libraries and heads should roll for this.” 
Leeds – Parish outraged by library gaffe – Yorkshire Evening Post
North Yorkshire – Library lifeline – Yorkshire Post “The proposed closure of many libraries in North Yorkshire is of concern to many people. Of greater concern to people who live in the smaller villages is the proposed death of our mobile libraries, about which we hear very little in the press or on television.”
Northern Ireland – Lionel Shriver will bequeathe money to libraries after her death – Culture Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland – Author’s generous legacy to beloved Belfast libraries – Belfast Telegraph