Wales has standards

• At the CILIP 2012 hustings – WordShore.  “Looking around, we peaked at 10 people in the physical audience, about the same number as last year. “.  Online video has been watched by 150.
• Cutting funding to libraries equals a decline in usage – Infoism.  “Local authorities have a choice: invest in libraries and encourage them to grow and prosper to benefit future generations?  Or hasten their decline and dismantle a service that so many people rely on?  At this moment in time they have chosen the latter, but it is not yet too late to buck the trend.”
  Florida Library Makes 34,000 Ebooks Available at International Airport – Digital Shift (USA).  Local library provides free downloads of older free titles – only 30 per month though.  ““People think about books when they think of the library, but they haven’t really made the connection between the library and ebooks yet. This raises their awareness,”” [Not by much – Ed.]
• In depth: LibScan charts – BookSeller.   CIPFA figures analysed.  “Spending on books, in particular, was down across the board.”, concentrates on authors being borrowed.
• New research shows libraries in Africa are “essential” – All Africa.   “Six-country study examined use and public perceptions of libraries in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe; most see libraries primarily for educational purposes but recognize potential for much more“
• Romanian libraries in forefront of e-Government – IREX (Romania).  “This year, 400 public libraries in Romania helped 17,000 farmers successfully receive farm subsidies of over $54,000 per library.”
• Welsh libraries are top performers – News Wales.   “In 2010-11, the total number of visits to libraries increased slightly by 0.9% from 14,717,000 to 14,850,000, the only one of the home nations to show an increase, reflecting the ongoing partnership between the Welsh Government and local authorities in investing in modernising public libraries. The number of borrowers who actively use their library increased in Wales by 8.3%, from 681,000 to 737,000, once again the only nation to register an increase.”

Changes

Local News

• Birmingham – Community Libraries Update – Birmingham Council.  Large cuts (28″% over two years), approaches examined.
• Cuts at Birmingham libraries but none will close, says council – Birmingham Post.  “Head of the library service review Chris Jordan said that about 10 per cent of UK libraries are currently under consideration for closure, but there would no closures in Birmingham. He said: “We have a substantial budget cut which needs to be achieved without closing any of our 39 libraries.”

• Brent – Library closures: council “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”.”
• Day one of the appeal – Preston Library Campaign.   “The public gallery  of Court 63 was crowded with Brent library campaigners today as the first day of the Appeal was being heard.  The Appellant’s QC made it clear that the library campaigners’ case was based on the process that Brent Council followed in its consultation and decision to close the libraries, rather than whether it was right to close libraries as such.” … “A further argument was that the Equalities Impact Assessment, as required by legislation, had been done at the last minute, and after the decisions about closure had already been made for all practical purposes.”
• Residents fight library closures – Independent.   Brief (two paragraph) summary.

 

“In October 2011, Brent Council boarded up our library, local residents have made their feelings known on the hoardings!”  See a fully zoomable and high quality picture of the wall outside “the great wall of shame” here.

• Dorset – Fight for libraries to continue as funding is cut – Dorset Echo.   “A highly-charged Dorset County Council meeting saw councillors vote for a second time to take away core funding from nine of the county’s 34 libraries.”.  First time revote had been forced in this way for 20 years.  Councillors voted rigidly on party lines, with Conservatives voting for refusing funding.  Tory Cabinet member says ““I think this gives villagers a great opportunity.” [Seriously, this is what she said – Ed.]. Lib Dems point out over £200k already spent in withdrawing support to nine libraries.  Campaigners not happy they will be able to run branches themselves.  “Campaigners said they would be arranging a meeting with Dorset MPs and taking the decision to the Secretary of State. Graham Lee, chairman of Ad Lib, said: “We’re not down and out and we’re not giving up.”” 
• Big names fail to save Dorset libraries –  This is Dorset.  “Library campaigners including Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes and novelist Minette Walters have failed in a last-ditch bid to save nine of Dorset’s 34 libraries.”
• Motion to save Dorset libraries defeated – BBC.   “Spokesperson for the Ad Lib campaign group Mike Chaney said: “We’re very disappointed, but it was predictable. We will continue to work as hard as we can to get the best deal for these libraries.” The group told the council meeting that the statistics used by the authority to show public support for the changes were “flawed and biased”, and that community groups were not making progress with taking over the nine libraries.  
• Council rebuked for £5m Dorchester library scheme – Dorchester People.   KPMG: “The auditor criticised the county council for failing to look at alternative sites which might have been better and for not carrying out an assessment of the needs of the library service before committing to spending £5million on a new library and adult education centre in Dorchester.”
• Jersey – UK “right to plug the hole” – This is Jersey.   Lord Digby Jones says tax loophole for Jersey will not be tolerated by England as … “When the UK government is closing libraries and cutting back on services and they see a genuine assistance which has been abused and exploited, they would want to plug that hole and make sure that revenue that has been escaping comes into the British exchequer. For Britain, that can only be a good thing,’ he said.”
• Kirklees – To close seven libraries – Voices for the Library.   Anonymous source says “Public libraries at: Denby Dale, Golcar, Honley, Kirkheaton, Lepton, Shepley & Slaithwaite will be ‘offered’ to residents, communities, charities or private organisations as an opportunity for them to run an essential community resource. Offered on the table of financial cuts and political cowardice, Kirklees council have quite simply decided to close seven libraries.” … “There are no examples of volunteer-run libraries delivering an inclusive service of such quality and breadth as those currently staffed by committed and professional people.”
• North Yorkshire – Ryedale libraries may merge in bid to save £1.7m – Gazette & Herald.   “The plans would see a new branch library created to cater for Malton and Norton, which currently have separate branches. All the region’s other facilities would remain and either be run by the council, community volunteers or a combination of both.”
  • Mixed response to North Yorks libraries plan – Northern Echo.   “From April all libraries will see a reduction in their opening hours, with libraries in Northallerton and Catterick Garrison each losing more than 10 hours of staffing time, while Richmond will lose six hours, Stokesley eight hours and Bedale five hours.” … “The authority originally proposed axing 22 of its 42 libraries, but after a huge public outcry it cut the number of libraries which would no longer be staffed to eight, which instead will be run by community groups.”
• Suffolk – Council offers only two years funding guarantee to run libraries – Suffolk Wordblog.  Compares poor deal for libraries with long deal for recently privatised hospital. “ith only two years of funding (we are still waithing for details) I am finding it very difficult to envisage any business plan that I could be a part of recommending to the community here in Debenham.” 
  Waltham Forest – Leytonstone: bid to save library with voluntary staff – This is Local London. “The library is due to shut in December but residents are hoping to take over its management as soon as possible afterwards and run it in the same building at no extra expense to the taxpayer for at least one or two days a week.”