Archive for November, 2011

Gloucestershire and Somerset Judgement

Coverage on Points West this evening (17th) and likely to be on Politics Show on Sunday 20th, although it is unclear as to whether this will be the regional or national edition.

“Judge Martin McKenna ruled that, as the closures would hurt disadvantaged groups such as the elderly and the disabled, which is contrary to the conditions laid down in equalities legislation, the councils would just have to scrap their plans and think again. And he also made it crystal clear – as he quashed the closure decisions and told the councils to pay campaigners’ legal costs – that he was sending a message to other local authorities intent on restructuring their library services. The councils had claimed “hyperbole, exaggeration and hysteria” on the part of the campaigners. But Judge McKenna, reflecting on how the case had been conducted, described the campaigners’ approach as “perfectly reasonable” and “proportionate” even in the areas where their legal claim had not been successful… a clear line has now been drawn on equalities law, and up and down the country, local authorities will now be closeted in urgent meetings with their legal advisers to review their library plans” Campaign against library closures has scored a vital victory – Guardian. 

• DMBC must take equalities duties seriously – Save Doncaster Libraries.  “The council should not force its own citizens to take it to court for failing to address their needs and legal rights. The council knows that these library cuts will impact those most in need – young people, the elderly, unemployed, the poor and those unable to travel, for example – so why is it taking such a risk? The council must scrap its volunteer plans and take responsibility for the provision of a library service across the whole borough, not just the lucky half. The law takes public sector equality duties seriously – DMBC can’t afford not to.”
• Donaldson: Gloucs/Somerset ruling “best news all year” – BookSeller.  In a statement given to Somerset group Watchet Library Friends, Donaldson hailed the ruling “a triumph for the all those committed campaigners, for libraries, and for common sense”. But she added: “While it is admirable that the residents of Gloucestershire and Somerset were determined, organised and brave enough to go down the route of litigation, it is shameful that they had to do so. This costly process could have been avoided if the councils had listened to the arguments and above all if the government had fulfilled its statutory requirement to superintend library services.”
• Dorset library campaigners cheered by Somerset court statement – Dorset Echo.  “In Dorset there is no current legal action by campaigning group AdLib but a spokesman said it was still considering it after seeking detailed legal advice. Graham Lee, the chairman of AdLib, said the judge’s decision that Somerset County Council needed to pay more attention to the needs of dependent people meant that the decision to cease funding to nine libraries in Dorset was ‘rushed and ill-considered’.He said: “The parts of Dorset where most of the threatened nine libraries are located is much more rural than many parts of Somerset.” 

“The authority said extra research would now be done into how closures could affect vulnerable people. Council chief Peter Bungard said the judgement had shown that community-run libraries were perfectly legitimate. “We had a fantastic response from the community on all 10 libraries that we were asking them to run,” said Mr Bungard. “We have had some brilliant offers, which in all honesty could be better services that we could ever afford to run, and I really do want those community groups to stay around.” Gloucestershire Council “committed to library plan” – BBC. No real acceptance by Council that they did anything wrong. Council Leader Mark Hawthorneays that £2m would still need to be cut.  “”Some people might disagree with me and think that I should be cutting social services to protect libraries but I don’t think that is right and I am willing to stand by that.”” 

• Landmark victory in Gloucestershire libraries battle – This is Glos.  “Gloucestershire County Council is now expected to draw up a fresh plan for library cuts. But it is understood the council will proceed with its plan and any consultation is likely to lead to a similar or identical scheme. Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries (FOGL) member John Holland said: “Quite frankly, the people have been treated with disdain by the county council. The proposals were deeply flawed and from the beginning many of us told the council they were likely to be breaking the law.” … “The decision will come as a hammer blow to the Conservative administration, which had insisted its plans were legal, despite repeated warnings from opponents.”

“But, despite the judgement, Councillor Mark Hawthorne (C, Moreland) said the council’s plan for community-run libraries was still “sound”. He said: “The most important thing here is that the judge said there is nothing wrong with our plans to transfer some libraries over to communities. We are very disappointed for the community groups who are lined up to take over their services, but our promise to them is that we will continue to work with them on delivering successful community-run services.” [NB. none of these community groups want to run libraries in preference to the Council.  To an uneducated ear, that does not necessarily feel like being sued, Cllr Hawthorne may here sound suspiciously like a man in denial – Ed.]

• Library cuts stopped in their tracks – Counterfire.   “Gloucestershire and Somerset Councils may well take the case to the Court of Appeals but for the time being this is an anti-cuts victory that has the potential to scupper the destructive plans of Councils across the UK.”
• Save Bolton Libraries Campaign Statement – via Alan Gibbons.  “We welcome yesterday’s High Court ruling that planned library closures in Gloucestershire and Somerset are unlawful and call upon Bolton Council to reconsider its own planned closure of one third of our library network … We have made a strong case to Bolton council that older people, families with children and disabled people will all be adversely affected by these closures, especially where they do not have a car, or access to the internet at home, and we still do not feel these concerns have been properly addressed.”

Other News

• Daunt: Booksellers face same “crisis” as libraries – BookSeller. “Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s “Four Thought” last night (16th November), Daunt said both bookshops and libraries have an important role to play in tackling illiteracy in the country. He said the benefit of libraries was “inestimable” in comparison to the “tiny amount” of money that would be saved by local councils closing them down. He said: “We are facing a particular and rather dramatic moment of crisis which we share with our fellow purveyors of the written word, librarians, for quite different reasons but coincidentally at precisely the same moment.” Radio interview here. “James Daunt argues libraries and bookshops should be vital social and cultural spaces.”

“”It seems to me a point of national scandal that element of our community is being imperilled and I think all of us should encourage our political masters, in whom obviously the decision ultimately resides, to recognise that this is a tiny cost to keep this inestimable benefit within our communities….You can be part of an ecosystem which has digital, which has this very impersonal internet offer which is highly efficient if you know what you want—bang it can give it to you, but it doesn’t give you discovery of a physical bookshop or [the] physical interaction a library gives you.”

• Election Ehustings – CILIP.  Now on Youtube, edited so one can play answers to specific questions.  The one on librarians being at least partly to blame for closures due to keeping a low profile is here.
• Middle classes love libraries, says Dame Joan Bakewell – Telegraph.  “The baroness told neighbours she was a regular library user and her two children and six grandchildren had also signed up as members of Chalk Farm library. “It is crystallising part of this community, which is really not just about buying, shopping and eating, eating, eating,” she added.”It is about the people who live here and I will be appealing to everyone to do everything they can to help.”
• Questions for political parties with responses – Lianza (NZ).  The professional library organisation in New Zealand wrote asking questions of all poltical parties prior to the general election there.  Here are the questions and responses.  All parties replied. 
• Surefire, can’t fail way to prove your library’s relevance – 21st Century Library Blog (USA).  Forget quantitative or anecdotal, go straight for qualitative day one 9am.  “The only way to collect these data is to get up-close and personal with your customers, constituents, partners, stakeholders. You should be already, but in order to prove your value to the community – it is essential.” 
• Why the NYPD are kidnapping books – New Statesman.   “It would appear that the New York Police Department has finally jumped the shark. One day after the eviction of Occupy Wall Street, the image that has shocked the world most profoundly — and I mean image in a purely theoretical sense, since a solid wall of state heavies, now part-financed by JP Morgan Chase, stopped the press getting near enough to take photos — was of police and sanitation workers tearing up the tent of the encampment’s extensive library, and reportedly tossing the books into dumpster trucks. I mean, books.”

 Local news

• Bolton – January start for book collections – Bolton News.  “Neighbourhood book collections, which are to replace five closing libraries in Bolton, will start as early as January. Bolton Council has said no libraries will be closed until their corresponding collections are up and running.”. 300 books for each collection point, self service other than one visit per week.  79% of online poll don’t think scheme will work.  Council wishes to charge rent, and repair costs, to any volunteers who wish to run endangered libraries.
• Brent – Classical concert for libaries –  Save Kensal Rise Libraries.  28th November.  “Each Razumovsky member may be king of their chosen instrument, but they scale the heavens as a team. England’s sport teams could learn a great deal” The Times. TICKETS: £10 (£5 unwaged/children) from Queens Park Books Salusbury Rd, L’Angolo’s deli College Rd, Minkie’s deli Chamberlayne Rd, The Pop Up Library, Kensal Rise Library Piazza. Refreshments thanks to Mionetto Prosecco”
• Buckinghamshire – Cafes bid to help preserve Great Missenden Library – Bucks Advertiser.  Local cafe wants to be based in threatened local library in mutually beneficial relationship.  Great Missenden is likely to become volunteer-run but will be bigger than any previous Bucks example, hoping to retain some paid staff.
• Bury – £17.7m savings to be made before 2015 – Guide.  £540k cut to libraries. “The draft programme of savings is now subject to a 12-week consultation before the budget is set in February. More than 3,500 people took part in a Choices consultation to identify their most important priorities.”
• Hammersmith and Fulham – Barons Court Library to house Citizens Advice Bureau – Chronicle. £400k to upgrade/add a CAB to previously endangered branch.  “Initially the council was set to shut Barons Court Library last year, but abandoned plans after an outcry from residents and civic groups.  Welcoming the decision, chairman of the Hammersmith Society, Melanie Whitlock, said: “We welcome any money being spent on a listed building provided that core library services are being preserved. There’s no reason not to have other services provided in the same building, as long as the provision of books is protected.”.  However, fears that books will be shoehorned into corner.
• Kirklees – Council plan casts doubt on future of village libraries – Huddersfield Daily Examiner.  Several smaller libraries feared under threat.  “A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “At this time of year the council embarks on the process of setting the budget for the coming year as part of the three-year budget plan to balance the books. “The financial situation having not improved, there is a continuing need for us to achieve efficiencies from across the whole range of services and councillors will have some difficult decisions to make. As part of last year’s budget settlement, there was all-party agreement to continue to fund the library service whilst requiring officers to review provision.”
• Leeds – Village will decide library’s fate – Morley Observer and Advertiser.   “Following public consultation, it was said that Drighlington Library would stay open to allow talks over the possibility of it being run by the community. A steering group, The Friends of Drighlington Community, has now been formed and two meetings will be held this week where everyone will be welcome to given their views.”

“We have asked people around the village what they want to see at the library and they have said everything from coffee mornings to a computer club. But to make it a success, we need the community’s help. We would need staff – from people working on the counter to cleaners – even if people can only spare an hour or so a week, even a month, it will all help.”

• Middlesbrough – Pupils launch campaign to save Marton Library – Gazette.  “Marton Library is earmarked for closure by the council under plans unveiled by mayor Ray Mallon to reduce its annual budget. The children of the school’s own council are now writing to Mr Mallon and council officers to highlight their concerns. Chairman of the school council 11-year-old James Wood said: “The library is so important to us. Lots of the children at school go there to get books to read and help with homework and projects.”
• Oxfordshire – Save the back offices at all costs – Question Everything.   Oxfordshire is surrounded by other Conservative-run councils so the defence of the back office to the expense of branch libraries is not political.  Big savings can be made by merging behind the scenes officers/management but is not doing so.  Suspicion council is protecting its own officers and also keen to promote Big Society libraries even if other ways are there to save the money.
• North Yorkshire – Libraries to lose 36 jobs – Whitby Gazette.   One-fifth of library workforce to be cut. “County councillor Chris Metcalfe, executive members for libraries, said: “We have listened to what people have said about how they want to become involved in the provision of this service, we have examined the proposals they have put forward for achieving those aims and I’m delighted to say that the result is a set of proposals designed to ensure a viable and sustainable future for our libraries.””
• Surrey – Concerns raised over future of Hersham Library – Elmbridge Today.   “However, in the village itself, there are fears that volunteers will be asked to take control of the facility and that it may even close if nobody comes forward. The friends of Hersham Library have now organised a protest march on November 23. A public meeting is also being held on November 30 to discuss the library and its future. Local resident Roy Green said: “This is the third time in 25 years that we have had this problem in Hersham and had to fight to keep Hersham Library open. “It is a vital asset and a community centre. We are very proud of the staff we have got there. Some of the staff have been there for more than 23 years.”.  Estimates 100 volunteers needed to keep branch open.
• Wokingham – Libraries’ future to be debated – Get Wokingham.  “The council’s executive approved proposals in June this year to seek a private organisation to take over the running of the libraries in a bid to save £170,000 a year. But the move prompted a huge backlash from library users and a campaign and petition were launched by Liberal Democrats Anthony Vick and Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey.”

“We are currently in a competitive dialogue process with potential library partners and cannot discuss details of these discussions. But many exciting and innovative ideas have come forward that could build on what is offered at our libraries.”  UllaKarin Clark, Councillor, Wokingham.

News

• CALIX responses to library privatisation and LSSI – Pacific Library Partnership (USA).  Fascinating exchanges on privatisation of libraries between LSSI employees and non-LSSI employeers.  For whatever reason, all non-LSSI remarks are negative, all LSSI employee remarks are positive.  Good to read to get some idea of the issues involved.
• End of Borders and the future of books – Bloomberg BusinessWeek (USA).   Half of Borders stores were profitable, right up to the moment they closed.  Borders made a lot of mistakes. 
• February march planning meeting details confirmed – Library Campaign. “The planning meeting for the national demonstration to save libraries will be at 11 am on Saturday 19 November, in Room G16, Birkbeck College. Use the entrance in Torrington Square: Birkbeck College’s interactive map.  The meeting will end at 1 pm, to allow time for a lunch break before the meeting of the Library Campaign Executive Committee at 2pm. EC meetings are open, so do stay if you can.”
• Number of children’s centres by local authority –  Department of Education.  124 less SureStart Centres in one year has implications for libraries, literacy, all sorts of things.
• Public libraries: a briefing paper – Carnegie UK Trust.   “This short briefing paper sets out the history of the Trust’s involvement in public library provision, and outlines how the Trust may re-engage in the policy debate on access to knowledge and the future of the public library service in the UK and Ireland.”
• Public library standards in Wales – Alyson’s Welsh libraries blog.  “The analysis of the last three years provided some very interesting findings. It appears that spending on staffing and materials is crucial in influencing how well a library service does overall in the standards. Well that’s obvious, you say. Possibly, but there were also additional qualifiers and deeper analysis that showed a more complex picture. It was agreed that social, economic and geographical factors can also play a part in how well a library service does in the standards, as well as the ‘culture’ of the local authority. It may not be a perfect model, but it’s a good set of indicators.”
• Recession-proof library funding? We’ll drink to that – Bethlehem Patch (USA).  “Public libraries are among the unsung heroes of our age. At the Emmaus and Allentown libraries, I’ve joined scores of regulars and blackout refugees using the computers and Internet service for work, job hunts, school and leisure. These places virtually hum with activity.” … “If libraries had liquor licenses, they’d never have to worry about funding again! A round of gin and tonics and Proust for everyone! Alcohol might actually make some of us more ambitious readers — there are authors I’d hesitate to tackle without a glass of Chardonnay.”
• Six amazing, and possibly unexpected, things about life as a cataloguer – High Visibility Cataloguing.  [Including the classic “Cataloguing is fun” claim – Ed.]
• Urgent: Raid of Occupy Wall Street – Occupy Wall Street Library.  Last few hours of the Occupy Wall Street protest, from the perpective of the People’s Librarians. “This shouldn’t be happening to a library.”.  More from Library Bazaar with links to yet more.  “Matthew Battles, author of Library: An Unquiet History,  compares the libraries of the Occupy movement to the reading rooms of the Chartists of 19th-century Britain. A timely discussion given today’s removal of the Occupy Wall Street library.”

Changes

Greenwich – Moving towards being run on a 15 year contract by GLL (Greenwich Leisure Ltd) on top of leisure centres etc.

Local News

• Birmingham – David Cameron visits Birmingham’s new library and science park with Dutch counterparts – Birmingham Mail.  “Then we moved onto the Library of Birmingham where both Mr Cameron and Mr Rutte were impressed by this incredible Anglo-Dutch project.” Dutch premier also present “As part of the tour of Aston Science Park, the two leaders were given a virtual tour of the new library before visiting the construction site.”.  [Unclear if drastic cuts to libraries in city mentioned during visit – Ed.]
• Coventry – Fears for future of Coventry’s historic library building – Coventry Telegraph.   “Concerns have been raised about the future of Coventry’s historic library buildings. They include landmark buildings at Earlsdon, Stoke and Foleshill built by the great industrial philanthropist Andrew Carnegie – one of the world’s richest men at the turn of the 20th century.”  Councillor said “said many library buildings were old or not suitable for modern facilities for families, with some requiring roof repairs, toilets and disabled facilities.”.  Locals not impressed – “Earlsdon library for example is not just a fine building, but a key piece of social history”
• Croydon/Lambeth – Lambeth Council tells Croydon to “put down the gun” in library row – This is Croydon Today.  “Cllr Steve Reed, the Labour leader of Lambeth Council, said: “It is clear that Croydon’s Conservatives have long been seeking a way to kill off the Upper Norwood Joint Library after years of failure to meet their funding obligations. Now, instead of coming clean about their true intentions, they have tried to create a smokescreen of false allegations to cover their decision.”
• Essex – Libraries launch Youtube channel – This is Total Essex.  “Launching on Thursday, the Essex Libraries channel will feature “playlists” updating readers on the latest adult and young-adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as a “book of the month” recommendation.”
• Gloucestershire – “Library loans plummet in county”: a response – FoGL.  “This comes as no surprise to us given that there was a 40% cut in the book budget in 2010 and a cut of 30% in the library budget overall. The county council administration is running down our libraries and using the subsequent decline in usage to justify yet more cuts.”  … “Councillor Noble goes on to champion an eBook service that does not even exist yet, and when it does, is not going to be compatible with the use of Kindles.”
• Library loans plummet across the county – This is Gloucestershire.  Council says “popularity across the county is declining rapidly, with 25,000 fewer books being borrowed from Cheltenham town centre a year.” … “”People have more access to books and they are much cheaper to buy. We are also seeking to modernise our service by improving access to electronic library services and we will have a good collection of e-books available in the new year.”.  “Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries member John Holland, who was assistant head of Gloucestershire County Council’s library service until July 2010, said: “We are talking about a service that has been asset-stripped. They cut the service and then fewer books are taken out, so they use that to justify a further cut and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
• Greenwich – Moves closer to hiving off libraries – 853.  “Tuesday’s cabinet meeting is likely to rubber-stamp a new contract for Greenwich Leisure Limited to carry on running its leisure centres, which includes provision for GLL to take on the borough’s libraries as well as its swimming baths and gyms.” … “But unions are nervous – while GLL is a social enterprise, they say there is little union recognition there, and they fear jobs could be put at risk. GLL was set up to take over Greenwich’s leisure centres during cuts in the early 1990s, and has expanded across London and beyond.”

• Newcastle – Genealogy service at Newcastle City Library – Chronicle.  “The city is to become one of only seven sites across England and Wales to offer a full set of records from the General Register Office (GRO).
• Oxfordshire – Yet more places to look for savings – Question Everything.  “Now here is a mad idea: why don’t you use the five million and put those same lights in all the libraries? That way you could save money each year on the library budget and would be using the money in a way you suggested. This one off money would make savings each year and decrease the councils carbon output. The prices are only going to continue to rise so it is a very sound investment.” … “When the volunteer thing doesn’t work and you come to close my library down,  I will be the one handcuffed to the heating pipe in the toilet in our library. You send your boys down and try and move me.”.  Structure chart of library staff also appears to show quite a top-heavy management.

• West Sussex – Bid to save West Sussex libraries – Bognor Regis Observer.   “Axing a personalised library service to residential care homes and sheltered housing would be ‘another nail in the coffin’ for vulnerable people, it was warned this week. Members of the county council’s community services select committee called for a rethink on proposals to axe the service in order to save £75,000.”

• Many think the internet has replaced the enquiry desk and that E-books,  entering the mass market at just the wrong time, are vying for the other core purpose, that of book lending.
• Lack of leadership. The MLA, the quango most responsible for the sector even advocated closures and was, anyway, abolished in October.  CILIP, the professional body is undergoing restructuring and divided.  The local library services themselves, over two hundred of them, are hopelessly divided and, anyway, bound to accept the decisions of their councillors.
• No national marketing or promotion, with the exception of the wonderful Summer Reading Challenge.
• Unlike other “statutory” services, the 1964 Act making libraries compulsory is vaguely worded.
• A general lack of understanding by councillors of what libraries and library staff do and their value.

• Volunteers can run libraries.  After all, if they don’t, it’s the community’s fault, not the councils.
• Opening hours and bookfund can be cut. 
• Another body can be given the job – be it a Trust or a private company.  The council is not to blame if they do any cuts.

News

• Clive Thompson on why kids can’t search – Wired. “students aren’t assessing information sources on their own merit—they’re putting too much trust in the machine.”.  Students are never taught how to judge information. “Librarians are our national leaders in this fight; they’re the main ones trying to teach search skills to kids today”
• If politicians won’t pay for libraries, don’t assume that publishers will – Good Library Blog.  In which Tim Coates points out something that is obvious: universal free downloadable library ebooks would destroy the book market and so it ain’t going to happen – unless something like Public Lending Right was extended to ebooks, which is unlikely as it would cost money.  “Publishers will not make ebooks freely available – why should they? At present 80% of publishers both here and in the US are refusing to supply the public library service through the various models that are currently available. Why should they give away content so that two thirds of reading can be free and authors of the works are not paid ?” 
• My thoughts on #savelibraries – Monsieurledan.com.  The author’s local library is underused. From this basis, he suggests libraries go online, acting as archives for all locally produced digital content.  However, he admits he has no idea where the funding would come from.
• On National Gaming Day, libraries encourage children to put down book, pick up joystick – Press of Atlantic City (USA).  “I practically grew up in the library myself, so it is a little odd for me to see people playing video games in library. But with the way CDs and movies have been brought in over the years, I guess it was bound to happen,” said Woerner, 29, of Forked River. “My daughter is in enjoying this. But she is absolutely leaving here with books.”

Local News

• Oxfordshire – Keep calm and remember the date – Friends of Benson Library.  Council will decide fate of libraries on 12th December. 
• Warwickshire – Shipston residents among those asked to give their views – Cotswold Journal.    “The majority vote from the public will decide the future opening hours of the library which will be introduced from March 31, 2012.”.  Users decide which set of reduced opening hours they prefer, rather than (as is implied) if they want them to be cut or not.

Brent – Council discriminated against Asians when it closed six libraries, court hears – Brent and Kilburn Times.  “twenty eight per cent of Brent’s borough is Asian, but 46 per cent of active borrowers at its libraries are Asian. The reasons why Asians were particularly heavy users of libraries were never considered or investigated,” she said. Ms Dinah Rose presented two maps before the three judges, Lord Justice Pill, Lord Justice Richards and Lord Justice Davies, which were printed off the council’s own website.”

Brent appeal concluded yesterday afternoon; the judges said they would “take their time” to consider it before giving their decision. Likely to be a few – but only few – weeks. (Twitter)

I spy … an update on the Appeal – Preston Library Campaign.  “We have a new barrister – Dinah Rose – and she was very impressive.  She opened the case yesterday with the complicated indirect discrimination point – but she explained it so well that I think all 50 or so supporters – (the court was packed and folding chairs had to be brought it!) may now be able to explain it to someone else.” … “In fact the Asian community have been disproportionately affected because a new witness statement showed that Ealing Road library is now overcrowded, with children (mostly Asian) sitting on the floor to do their homework and great pressure on the computers.”

“Brent conceded that it wasn’t considered at all, but argued that giving no regard to it could nevertheless amount to “due regard” under the legislation.“

Council failed to investigate whether library closures indirectly discriminated against Brent Asians, QC claims – Wembley Matters.  

News

Librarian’s words are binding – Los Angeles Times (USA).  “A New Orleans librarian says that even in the Internet age, libraries perform a vital service to society.” … “I even got married in a library. And it’s no fun watching the profession and the institution take hits these days, with libraries shut or scaled back and in some cases privatized. Meanwhile, I’m struck by the number of people who see no tragedy in this and think society no longer has much use for libraries.” … “More than 1 million Californians visited a library on a single day in October 2010,”
Perkins – Good Library Blog.  Tim Coates, well known library consultant and ex chief of Waterstones, appears (article is written entirely about a cat) to be announcing he is moving to the USA.  “The Good Library Guide Blog is very proud to announce that Perkins has a new job. She is to be the library cat of a famous and presitgious library in California.”
Will your town’s library soon be privatized? – Blog for Iowa (USA).  “In many towns libraries are the hub for the elderly and the local school kids and for other groups. They often add that ambiance that makes a town more attractive to new citizens and a reason that old citizens do not move. Yet when faced with budget crises ambiance is at the bottom of the totem pole when looking at reasons to save a service.”

Local News

Calderdale – Library cuts under scrutiny – Brighouse Echo.  “Around 2,000 people have had their say over plans to reduce Calderdale library services. During a consultation period, people across Calderdale had the chance to come up with suggestions for saving money in libraries. The full results will be published later this month.”
Croydon/Lambeth – Croydon offer three options for future of Upper Norwood Joint Library – Croydon Guardian.  Article describes background then fails to describe what the three options may be, although none include partnership but two (only two) ensure library stays open.
Hertfordshire – Shhhh! Silence over Hertford Library asking price – Mercury.    “A council spokesman told the Mercury that the authority was not prepared to release the value of the library so as not to prejudice the views of the market because it has a duty to get the best price.” … New Hertford Library due to officially open in January. … “Julie Goodwin, who owns health shop Natural Health in Old Cross, said: “A lot of people come to this side of town for the library, so there’s going to be less footfall when it goes as there will be less reason to come.””
North Yorkshire – Great Ayton villagers in favour of tax to save their library – Gazette Live.  “
More than 2,000 households in Great Ayton received a questionnaire in July proposing an increase in the Parish Precept of £20 on an average Band D property as a way to save the village library. The results have shown 85-90% of residents who returned the survey agree to the increase.” … “After a long fight the Save Great Ayton Library Group (SGALG) believes that now, the only way the facility could be saved is by an increase in the parish precept.”
South Ayrshire – Council library service achieves worldwide first – Ayrshire Scotland Business News.  “The e-book, ‘The Record of the Ayrshire Militia 1802-1883’, is now available for sale on Amazon, making South Ayrshire’s local history information accessible to a global audience for generations to come.”

Surrey – Woking town centre revamp moves to next stage – Get Surrey.   “Hoardings are set to be installed around the closed Woking Library as the latest stage of the town centre renovation work begins.” … “It is anticipated that the refurbished Woking Library and the Peacocks Centre’s restaurant will be open to the public by next spring, with negotiations at an advanced stage with a “popular national restaurant operator” to fill the space.”

The decision on the Brent appeal should be made tomorrow afternoon.  Elsewhere, Bury, Coventry and Tameside have announced big cuts, with some closing and some just being hollowed out.  Coventry is boasting of not closing any libraries but seems happy to close some buildings and call moving some of the books into a doctor’s surgery as equal.  Oh dear.

I don’t cover much about CILIP (the professional association for librarians and some others) on this blog to a great extent, due to the sadly low amount of coverage it receives, for whatever reason, in the local or national media.  However, a question was put at the online hustings debate for its election of Trustees today (Thursday 10th) which may be of interest to campaigners, many of whom I know are disappointed by the lack of general overt support from librarians for their cause.  The question (1:02 to 1:10) was whether public librarians are to blame for the current state of affairs by keeping too low a profile.  These, in summary (please note the text is not verbatim), were the answers:

• Mike Hosking.  There are high profile librarians everywhere who “make a tremendous impact”.  Public libraries have been badly served by MLA, by the DCMS and by ministers who have not “put their heads abover the parapet”.  Despite tales everywhere of library closures, behind the headlines, one of the clear things is we have a huge amount of public support.  Some libraries will close in the future and “I am not personally averse to some libraries closing”.  I have closed fifteen myself.  We do have to change and deliver things differently. It’s going to be a tough decade.
• Sue Cook.  I have met some colourful characters that are putting their heads above the parapet.  We have been let down by politicians like David Lammy who used their position in the DCMS as a stepping stone, councillors too.  “I was disappointed in the MLA” – it did well in the museum sector but not in libraries.  Some librarians do believe that making no trouble will allow them to survive. The new generation of librarians don’t agree with keeping heads down. “We do need a higher profile, we do need a very very strong brand”.
• Liz McGettigan.  “Yes, I do think we are to blame, to be honest”.  Anyone high profile is doing it in an isolated fashion. Even if we are high-profile, we don’t lobby and sell to the right people.  Our sector does not make it easy for us – we fall between the stools of Culture and Education, and libraries are changing rapidly.  However, librarians are getting better at advocacy.
• Sue Westcott.  “I think we have to take some of the blame because we take some of the credit for some of the amazing things public libraries do”.  Sue uses public library as a user, not as a worker.  She has seen excellent use of imagination in local branches that boosts them.  However, “we have to stop being so politically naive”, CILIP needs to be less trusting of ministers (no minister, especially junior minister, is there to do anything else but to serve their own political career), need to be like professional lobbyists.  We can draw on the experience of CILIP members in political environments to help us.
• Marie Cotera.  “I think we are to blame, yes, I do”.  We don’t know what we are and what we do so how are going to communicate that to other people? “We have too many names”.  How many people do we know not in the profession that know what we do?  What’s a “knowledge manager”?  We’re not politically savvy. We need to show how we contribute to a politician’s agenda. “I don’t think we understand how really important we are”.  Knowledge and information transforms lives so we are very important and we need to push that. “We are to blame and we need to sort it out sooner rather than later”.

If you are a CILIP member, vote with care. 

• 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. 
• Vote for public libraries to be campaigned on by the highly successful 38 Degrees group, you can vote three times.

News

• Calculating the value of a community’s library use – Swiss Army Librarian.  Type in usage statistics in left-hand box, provides the value to comunity in right-hand box.  Needs to be converted from dollars to pounds and some of the formulae may be different in the UK but a very useful.
• Volunteers are only a stay of execution – Infoism.   “This policy does not present a sustainable solution and creates a two-tier system whereby those with access to a so-called ‘community’ library have access to a second class service when compared with those privileged to live near a fully funded public library”

Changes

Bury – £540k cut plus £60k school libraries cut.  Some libraries may close. 
Coventry – “Many” library buildings could close and transfer into “schools, shops, or doctor’s surgeries.”. Canley, Stoke, Radford, Earlsdon and Hillfields mentioned [not counted as “under threat” as yet until more information is received – Ed.]
Tameside – £900k cut from £3.5m budget, of which £200k already found from job losses.  At least one branch, such as Dukinfield, may be closed.  May use volunteers. Consultation starting November 17th until mid February.

Local News

• Brent – Judges hear library closures appeal – Press Association. “Three judges are being urged to overturn a decision of a High Court judge who recently rejected the claims of campaigners that the closure decision was “fundamentally flawed and unlawful”.”
• Appeal for Brent libraries to be heard today in High Court – Harrow Times.  
• Library closures: Councils “shirked duties” – BBC.  “Ms Rose said they would be querying “whether Brent breached its duty under the Equality Act by failing to give any regard at all to the risk that its policy and the implementation of its policy would discriminate indirectly against Asians, Hindus and Muslims”. She continued: “It is is clear that there was a very significant risk that the implementation of this policy would give rise to indirect discrimination against Asians.”
• Campaigners return to court in fight to save six libraries in Brent from the axe – London 24.   “Ms Gee said: “We have to be hopeful. “If we lose the ball it will be in All Souls court. All Souls will have to speak up. It has to show that it believes in books and libraries.”
• Council tells residents to use libraries in another borough – Preston Library Campaign.   “The Brent Council spokeswoman said it was “nonsense” that the council has been misleading anyone.  She said: “It is true that everyone living in the borough is no more than a mile and a half from a library, either in Brent or a neighbouring borough, and many residents choose to use a library in another borough. This was clearly explained in the proposals.’’
• Bury – Libraries may shut as town hall wields axe in bid to save £23m – Manchester Evening News.  Survey of all cuts in Bury gives main prominence to libraries. “A full review of the library service will start next year. The council wants to save £540,000. A similar review in Bolton, to save £400,000, led to the closure of five of the town’s 15 libraries. Libraries services in schools will also be ‘re-modelled’ to save £60,000 more from the budget. The council stressed that a public consultation would be launched before any savings are confirmed in libraries.” 
• Conwy – Library service one of the poorest in Wales according to new report – North Wales Weekly News.  “The annual report by CyMAL (Museums Archives and Libraries Wales) on behalf of the Welsh Government reveals that Conwy only achieves six of the 14 Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS).”…”The report sternly concludes that the Welsh Government expects to hear that the libraries modernisation process has been completed by the next annual return in July 2012, and that ‘firm decisions have been made in relation to future library provision’.” [Wales has Library Standards – England does not – Ed.]
• Coventry – Libraries would share premises with other services – Coventry Telegraph.  “Many” libraries could move [reduce? – Ed.] into other buildings such as doctors’ surgeries but overall number of libraries will not reduce.  “She said Coventry would not be following Conservative-run Warwickshire County Council’s “disgraceful” plans to hive off nearly half its 34 libraries to community volunteers, whom she said would be unlikely to keep running services in the long-term.” … “She described Canley library as “grotty”, and Stoke, Radford, Earlsdon and Hillfields were among those deemed unsuitable for modern use or lacking facilities.”
• Cumbria – Library service looks to councillors for help – North West Evening Mail.   Library usage has changed so service needs reviewing, “The committee had been asked to form a working group to assess how to modernise the area’s libraries. But at yesterday’s meeting, it was decided that the issue was so important that all 12 councillors from the group would examine the options. Cumbria County Council is aiming to revamp the county’s libraries and held a consultation this summer to discuss their future. More than 4,000 responses were received, and now the county council is taking the next step.”
• Dorset – Charmouth: Residents in last ditch attempt to save library – Bridport News.   “I think the Conservatives have set their faith against it and although they base their arguments on what has turned out to be completely wrong information, I don’t think they will admit that and go back on it.” … may turn into withdrawn library “Proposed uses for the building include storytelling sessions for pre-school children, and working with the WRVS and Dorset POPP to run Wayfinders, a scheme for befriending isolated people.”
• Civic leaders vote again for future of Dorset’s libraries – Dorset Echo.   “Only within the last few days have our communities finally been given some hint of what the council will offer us if we take over the running of our libraries.However, they have not told us enough for us to be able to make proper plans.”
• Herefordshire – Future Libraries Programme: How this might affect Herefordshire – Hereford Library Users’ Group.   Worries over volunteers taking over libraries, loss of statutory protection, “hiving-off of libraries” to Trusts.
• North Yorkshire – Library jobs to go – BBC.   36 FTE jobs (one-fifth) to be replaced with volunteers.  If not enough volunteers, libraries will close.  “Children’s author Emily Diamond has been campaigning to keep Bilton library, in Harrogate, open. She said she was “really sad” about the job losses, but added: “I’m pleased we can keep as many open as we can. However, running a community library service would be a “massive job”, she added.”
• One fifth of North Yorks library staff to go – BookSeller.   “Scarborough borough councillor Nick Harvey, from the Green party, criticised the plan. He said: “Running a library is exceedingly complex, how many of these community solutions will be here in a few years’ time?”
• Suffolk – “New Strategic Direction” alive and well – Rosehill Readers.   “Bemused and angry library campaigners watched yet another farce unfold before their eyes at the Suffolk County Council Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday 8th November. The Cabinet continued on its path of divesting the Public Library Service in Suffolk, despite claims to the contrary by Cllr. Judy Terry, who seems intent on turning a loved public service into groups of competing businesses staffed increasingly by volunteers.”.  Funding may be for only two years, increasing reliance on volunteers, cost may be more than in-house option.
• Tameside – Some Tameside libraries could face axe in shake-up – Tameside Advertiser.  “”Earlier this year the council undertook a voluntary severance exercise and the library service took the opportunity to reduce staffing as much as reasonably possible. We are now reaching the limits of what further efficiencies can be achieved, without a reduction in the overall portfolio.”