Deep Ealing cuts inc. 9% hours cut, one sixth of workforce

• Guest Post #10: Publishers and libraries must work together – Envisioning the Library of the Future (Arts Council England).  Emma House (Director of Trade and International) at the Publishers Association says Ebooks are important and growing.  Libraries can engage users through digital means like skyping/posting author interviews and book reviews.  However, some public libraries prevented from using social networks due to council restrictions. 

“Publishers hold a wealth of skills and knowledge in the digital sphere and matching that with librarians’ knowledge of their own community will assist in building a modern service offering. There is a long way to go, however, in overcoming the challenges facing libraries in the digital world, which will require investment, a good look at social media policies and continued support and training of staff.”

• How not to tweet: for library and information services – Library Marketing Toolkit.  This great guide to how to use Twitter is part of one of the most promising websites for public libraries this year.
• UNISON and the Welsh Government: still loving our libraries – UNISON Cymru Wales.  “In the meeting Huw Lewis recommitted himself to ensuring that the Welsh Government will continue to invest in our libraries and ensure that they publicly owned and controlled and that Wales remains at the forefront of innovative library developments in the UK and farther afield; he also highlighted the Welsh success in raising the number of users of public libraries. The meeting then went on to focus on the real pressures still being felt by UNISON members in libraries in regard to the tightness of funding affecting training provision; the concern around inappropriate use of volunteers; the need to mainstream library services in the delivery of key education and literacy initiatives and the ongoing problems of maintaining health and safety particularly in a lone working environment setting.”
• Winkworth Sherwood – Stop the privatization of public libraries.  Legal firm specialises in outsourcing council services.  One partner, Joanna Bussell, wrote a letter in South Wales Evening Post advocating outsourcing library services but her professional link was not reported.

Changes

• Durham – £1.5m cut.  Reduced opening: ten branches to be cut to 36 hours per week, smaller libraries to be cut to 20 hours per week, mobile library service to be reduced.  Final decision to be made in July.
• Ealing – £430k cut.  9% cut in opening hours (that is, 57 hours per week less): Northolt loses 10 hours a week, Southall more than seven and Hanwell and Perivale more than six. 20 full time staff lost (one sixth of workforce) leaving 98 staff left.  1 mobile lost in June 2011 (this is now included in 2011/12 closure figures).

Local News

• Doncaster – Mood low … – Save Doncaster Libraries.  “We have learnt that of the 25 original volunteers in Rossington Library, only 10 remain, a mere 3 months after re-opening as a ‘Community-run’ Library.  Reasons are unknown but perhaps the vounteers realised the magnitude and responsibilities required of them, and recognised this to be the remit of paid, trained, experienced and qualified Council employees.” … “Please help us to match the Legal Aid funding granted to our campaign regarding a Judicial Review, which continues making its course.”
• Dorset – Outrage is IT manager costs Dorset County Council £167k – Dorset Echo.  “Mike Chaney, spokesman for the Association of Friends of Dorset Libraries (Ad Lib) which has been campaigning to protect libraries in the wake of council cuts, said: “It’s a terrible irony that our libraries have to be closed to save money yet the council is using, if not wasting, money in other ways.””
• Durham – Thousands in bid to save library – Teesdale Mercury.   “With the consultation now closed the council has revealed that more than 6,000 people took part in the exercise.  Robert Stenlake, from The Friends of Barnard Castle Library, a group opposed to the cuts, said: “I’m not at all surprised at the response. You only have to go into our library to see how busy it is. “All we can hope is that the council will look at the response and take notice.””
• Ealing – Library hours cut in money saving shake up – Ealing Gazette.  “The council scrapped plans to shut Northfields, Hanwell, Perivale and Northolt Leisure Centre libraries last June after campaigns by residents. But it did axe the mobile library. It says the changes are being brought in because savings still need to be found to help tackle £85 million of government funding cuts. And the new opening times were chosen following a review which showed when the libraries were least busy.”