Archive for April, 2011
Apr 5th
The eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed that the number of libraries under threat has stabilised and even gone slightly down recently. Although it’s gone down even more today as I have taken out those that have closed before the start of the 2011 financial year, it may also have something to do with the 5th May local elections. The widespread fear is that councils are waiting for that date to pass before announcing more cuts. Voices for the Library are trying to make sure that this does not happen and that those councillors who have advocated closing libraries are called to account. Let Voices for the Library know who is advocating library cuts in your area.
480 libraries (413 buildings and 67 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1st April 2011 out of c. 4517 in the UK
– most recent closures = 4.4 Shropshire 3 mobiles , 2.4.4 Foggy Furze Library
Changes
Shropshire – weekly mobile library stops are now fortnightly (previous article suggest 3 mobiles will go so have extrapolated that these are what have been cut)
Somerset – Highbridge Library to be volunteer-run
News
BookSeller’s Association and Publisher’s Association in library plea to councils – BookSeller “”UK PLC needs a literate society. Books feed the mind, and libraries play a key part in making books available to all sectors of society. We urge councils to provide to their communities a comprehensive and efficient library service”.
Future of libraries in the Ebook Age – National Public Radio (USA)
Local Elections – Voices for the Library
LSSI on privatising libraries – Radio Merseyside (24.11 to 28 Stuart Fitzgerald, boss of LSSI – “offer a more cost-efficient service”, making a profit “raises some sensitivity in the library sector”, cut back-office by giving all its work to suppliers, use economies of scale, not necessarily cut staff (just move staff from back to front office), good enough for 16 clients (70 branches) in USA.
Making music to save our libraries – RabidGravy
Michael Gove replies, or rather he doesn’t – Lynnlibglamtwin’s Weblog
Save our libraries! – Tribune
Three ways to challenge the cuts – False Economy
Visit to a library – John Redwood MP “Maybe at a time of tighter spending controls we need to think again about how many libraries we need in each community, where they are best placed, and how the educational libraries can be used by those who do not go to those institutions.”
News by authority
Croydon – Save Sanderstead Library – Campaign group
Oxfordshire – Words of support in fight to retain libraries – Oxford Mail
Shropshire – Shropshire mobile library services reduced – BBC (900 responses to consultation)
Somerset – Highbridge Library saved – Mercury
Somerset – Saved! Future of closure-threatened Highbridge Library is secured – Burnham on Sea.com
Liking your library is not a party political statement
Apr 4th
Changes
Bath and North East Somerset – Conservatives “pledge to protect libraries” in May 5th Manifesto.
Brent – Central Library will move to new Civic Centre building in 2013; the 6 libraries not being closed will be open seven days, with longer hours during exam periods, more ebooks and more audio.
Lewisham – New Cross Library closing on 28th May, to be taken over (with 3 others) by “social entrepreneur”
News
Child of the Library, revised song – Just a Summary
Defending libraries against cuts? It’s too little, too late – Spiked (see this response)
Historic buildings could be at risk as councils sell them or abandon them to cope with budget cuts – Mail
Historic buildings sold off by public sector to meet cuts shortfall – Guardian
I didn’t steal books from library, says mother of Zadie Smith – Mail “She said she held on to books only when her library was closed, and returned them to Willesden Green Library when it began collecting books from libraries that had shut down.”
Labour can’t criticise ConDem library closures then close libraries themselves – Alan Gibbons
Library Futures Programme – Good Library Blog “Should we take it seriously? No.”
Popular, empowering and free – that’s why the Tories hate libraries – Right to Work (from 1st Feb)
Private benefactors won’t be enough to balance the books – Observer “Councils trying to sell off public libraries to reduce their deficits may not be allowed to do so, because in many cases the property must revert to the landowner who donated it. That’s the kind of thing that happens when you replace public with private”
Statement by Michael Rosen and Alan Gibbons [on reading in schools]– Alan Gibbons
Toby Young on Zadie Smith’s “propaganda” – BBC Radio 4
Up all Night – Walk You Home
Up all Night – BBC Radio 5
News by authority
Bath and North East Somerset – Tory pledge to protect libraries and weekly waste collections – This is Bath “The issue of library closures has proved to be one of most emotive in the debate over public sector cuts”
Brent – Brent Council recommends closing six libraries – BookSeller “”Local libraries, to which children, teenagers, elderly people and those with mobility issues can walk, and whose sole purpose is to lend books and offer information are not a priority [for the council].”
Cambridgeshire – Friends unite to protect [Linton] village library’s future – Haverhill Echo “But there were concerns an effective group could make handing over management more attractive to the county council.”
Dorset – Council protest: More than 1000 take to the streets – Dorset Echo “Mike Chaney of the Ad Lib campaign group also gave a speech to call on the proposed new £5million library to be scrapped as other libraries need to be saved from closure.”
Dorset – Council protest: Full support given to Dorchester march – Dorset Echo
Island of Wight – Island libraries on reduced timetable – Isle of Wight Radio
Leeds – Leeds council cuts come under scrutiny: libraries under spotlight – Guardian
Lewisham – [Conservative Group Leader] Britton asks Government to protect Lewisham’s libraries – East Lewisham Conservatives
Lewisham – News from Save New Cross Library – Alan Gibbons
Suffolk – Hundreds join library protest march – EADT
Suffolk – 500 at Suffolk libraries demonstration – Country Standard
Sutton – Sutton residents and staff invited to have their say on the future of libraries – Local Guardian
4 in 5 town halls plan cutbacks to libraries
Apr 2nd
Changes
Barnet – Council papers on cuts,
Blackburn with Darwen – Darwen library to close every Tuesday and Thursday, newspapers/magazines no longer stocked
Warwickshire – Warwick Library may move to Shire Hall and have its hours reduced to 35 hours per week.
News
4 in 5 town halls plan cutbacks on libraries – Daily Mail (83% plan cuts to libraries, 16% said libraries would be the first to be cut, a quarter will transfer them to “community or mutual ownership”)
Big Society Blues: the stuttering of David Cameron’s vision – Eurasia Review “British libraries are set to fall into the hands of American companies. LSSI, the key participant in what will become an important feature of Cameron’s Big Society program, has a goal of taking control of libraries across eight districts. What exactly this means for services is a big mystery.
Budget Survey 2011 – LGA
Campaign for the Book April Newsletter – Alan Gibbons
DCMS Taking Part survey shows another decline in library use – Good Libray Blog
Frank Field response to constituent – Alan Gibbons
Future Libraries Programme Final Report – MLA
Lefties not Etonians are closing libraries – Telegraph
Loud Library Voices: Campaigning, the web, journalists and the offline world – (slideshow)
Michael Gove should become “champion for libraries” says Patrick Ness – Guardian “Children, especially poorer children, rely on libraries as not just places to read, but to see possibilities for the world ahead,” he said. “Libraries are vital gateways to future education and future careers, as places to learn to wish and dream and strive and achieve. I hope that the minister for education recognises this and will become a vocal champion for libraries and library services.”
Natalie Haynes: I hope this generation doesn’t notice it deserves our sympathy – Independent “Then there’s the Local Government Association survey released this week, showing how cuts disproportionately affect young people: closed youth clubs and libraries and parks and Sure Start groups, for example.”
Ness and CILIP in school libraries plea – BookSeller
Nine leading poets call for Arts Council rethink on Poetry Book Society cut – BookSeller
Public libraries and services for young people at the sharp end of cuts – CILIP “we’re in danger of failing the next generation.” “Public library services and services for young people are set to see the greatest budget cuts of all frontline services, according to the Local Government Association (LGA)..”
Read and Shout – Voices for the Library (about the Read and Shout gig)
Replying to Zadie Smith on the Today programme – Telegraph (cuts to public services are, apparently, 3%)
We must teach children to love books again – Telegraph (by Education Secretary Michael Gove – there is not a single mention of libraries in the article)
Young people bear brunt as councils reveal cuts to services – Guardian “Dramatic reductions for libraries and children’s services will take effect at start of new financial year”, cuts in grants this year alone of up to17%. LSSI has “set up in Liverpool”.
Zadie Smith writes in defence of libraries – Mirror
News by Authority
Barnet – Strategic library review report – Barnet council
Blackburn with Darwen – Darwen library to close two mornings a week – Lancashire Telegraph
Buckinghamshire – Over a third of people in Bucks don’t want community libraries – Mix 96
Cambridgeshire – Have a say on plans to save cash at libraries – Evening Telegraph
Dorset – Give your views on library cuts – Salisbury Journal
Gloucestershire – Hawthorne Hypocrisy – FoGL (Councillor Hawthorne will be speaking against the WI motion that “This meeting urges Her Majesty’s government to maintain support for local libraries, as an essential education and information resource”)
Gloucestershire – Lifeline for Hester’s Way library and youth centre? – This is Gloucestershire
Lewisham – Ed Vaizey’s letter to Lewisham campaigners – Alan Gibbons
Lewisham – legal letter, what to do – Alan Gibbons
Oxfordshire – Councillord complete fact-finding library mission – Oxford Mail (visited Hillingdon)
Oxfordshire – authors support Oxfordshire libraries – Alan Gibbons
North Yorkshire – Bentham Library march to Settle – Bentham Library
Redcar and Cleveland – Minister refuses Redcar Library’s Grade II listing – Gazette
Richmond – We put new Heathfield library “access point” to the test – Richmond Twickenham Times
Richmond – Library Story – Youtube (short video, no words, about cuts in Richmond)
Shropshire – Shrewsbury libraries to be “under one roof” – BBC (reference library and central library to be merged)
Suffolk – Ipswich [300] march over Suffollk library closures plan – BBC
Suffolk – Public foots bill for top hotels – EADT (for library-closing chief exec already under fire for £220k salary, counselling sessions, PR shoots …)
Surrey – “It will be the death of the [Warlingham] community” – This is Surrey Today “”Supporting the Big Society should include supporting and campaigning for the survival of our local library.””
Surrey – Cobham library set for complete overhaul – Elmbridge Today (Surrey has applied to knock down existing library to make way for houses, build new library)
Warwickshire – Council is accused of trying to close Whitnash Library – Courier “staff now leaving had to sign confidentiality agreements and said the service wanted to close Whitnash library”
Warwickshire – Bridget cuts leave Warwick Library with an uncertain future – Courier
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