Responses to George’s speech and the rest of the day’s news

Changes

• Ealing – £454k refurbishment for Greenford and Pitshanger libraries for installation of self-service and increase space.

Ideas

• Camping equipment, life jackets – Perham (USA).  Donated by local shop and government department.
• Fishing pole loans – Erie (USA).  Equipment donated by charities and angling shops.
• Puppet loans – Canton Public Library (USA).  Puppets come with related books to help in reading stories.

News

“2.78 In response to the growth in e-lending in public libraries and the recommendations of the Sieghart Review, the Government will consult on plans to extend the Public Lending Right scheme to cover on-site borrowing of e-books and audiobooks with effect from July 2014.” Spending Round 2013 – HM Treasury. [Not it says “on-site” meaning only at the physical library building itself – Ed.]

• Library values and the growing scholarly digital divide: In memoriam Aaron Swartz – Bibliographic Wilderness. “libraries are just about the only ‘information institutions’ whose business interests are centered on aiding our users, not in commodifying our users as demographic data, ‘eyeballs’, or paying customers.” but digitisation is increasing the difference between have and have nots.
• Moreno Valley: Private company to run public library – Press-Enterprise. LSSI will cut staffing while increasing opening hours and services. “The library currently employs 11 full-time and 12 part-time workers. Some current positions would be eliminated and performed elsewhere by Library Systems staff.”.  Lower salaries.  “Friends of Moreno Valley Library are concerned about library employees’ morale and their chances to remain employed, Friends Board President Emily Paul said. +“From the outset, it seemed it was going to be a done deal because the city is intent on saving money,” Paul said. “For the city’s sake, I hope they can.””
• SCL response to Spending Review – Society of Chief Librarians. “it is clear that the extent of future budget reductions will require new thinking and solutions for a whole range of services, including public libraries.   As leaders and managers of public library services, SCL will continue to work with national partners to develop and implement new and innovative solutions.  Although times will be tough, SCL will continue to be ambitious and optimistic about the potential of public libraries to deliver better outcomes for people of all ages.  SCL’s existing four universal offers position public libraries positively in a changing policy and financial landscape and provide a solid base from which to grow cost effective and innovative national services responsive to local need.”
• Survey of Library Virtual Shelves: 8 examples – Musings About Librarianship.  Looks at different ways library users can “browse” the shelves of a library online.
• Weird Public Library Stuff: Check It Out – Protojournalist (USA).  Some interesting non-traditional loans listed and linked to.
• What the Government’s Spending Review means for library and information services – CILIP. “Public libraries have fared worse than most other local government services under the first two years (2011/12 and 2012/13) of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review and commentators predict this will continue throughout the remaining period of austerity. The public library network is a national service that greatly contributes to literacy, learning, skills and employment, citizen engagement and individual and community wellbeing. It is in danger of dismantlement.”

“Further cuts in grants to Councils are especially unwelcome and the likely impact on public libraries very concerning. We call yet again for national and local political leadership to ensure the public library service is sustainable for the fair and prosperous society that we need. It’s extremely remiss that, unlike in Wales and a growing number of other countries, England does not have a national library strategy embracing libraries and information services in all sectors that optimises the social and economic benefits for the country.” John Dolan, chair of CILIP Council

Local news

• Bexley – Library users to benefit from improved services – Bexley Times. “Customers can now receive notifications about overdue items or books they have requested in four different ways – by post, email, automated telephone call or text message.”
• Bradford – New book facility for children opens in city centre – Telegraph and Argus. “Plans are gathering pace for Bradford’s new City Library with the arrival of a new temporary children’s library in City Park today. The opening of the new Park and Read facility coincides with National Bookstart Week, the national initiative supported by Bradford Libraries to encourage children to get into books from an early age.”
• Ealing – Council to spend £454k on library refurbishments – Ealing Gazette. Greenford and Pitshanger: “reception areas at both locations will be remodelled to maximise space and develop access to services and new self service units will be installed to reduce queuing times.”
• East Sussex – Library is given the go ahead by district council – Sussex Express. “District councillor Carla Butler (Newhaven, Denton and Meeching, L.Dem), who is also a county coucillor, added: “I’m very pleased that the library is still planned for Newhaven. “It is long awaited and I hope that the residents will be able to enjoy their facilities at the end of this year. It is good news.””
• Gloucestershire – Cotswolds author Joanna Trollope cuts the ribbon at Lechlade Library – Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. “The facility looked doomed when Gloucestershire County Council announced last year it was cutting funding for libraries across the county. The decision sparked a furious campaign in communities across the district and the fight gained high profile when the Gloucestershire-born author became involved. In Lechlade an army of volunteers was formed to take over the library last November. Cllr Sue Coakley spearheaded the fight but paid tribute to the 30 volunteers who she said was helping the library go from strength to strength.”
• Kirklees – Up to £33m cuts puts Kirklees libraries, sports centres and galleries at risk after Spending Review – see what Kirklees political leaders think here – Huddersfield Daily Examiner. “Libraries, art galleries and sports centres in Huddersfield may shut because of spending cuts.”
• Lincolnshire – Hope for future of library service after committee tells council to scrap plans – Market Rasen Mail. “Lincolnshire County Council’s community and public safety scrutiny committee met to look into proposals by the council to cut £2m from its library budget … [and] … has put forward a recommendation to the executive that it goes back to the drawing board and scraps plans to go out to consultation.”  see also Links, press & media – Savelincslibraries.
• Lincolnshire – Libraries under threat – This is Grimsby. “”If this library closes, it affects not only the book-borrowing public, but also the people who use the computers on the site. “Another public amenity will be lost to the town, and travelling to larger centres is not the answer due to the lack of public transport.”
• Lincolnshire – “We will fight library cuts” – Boston Standard.  Kirton parish council: ““It is something that we need to keep – it’s an important part of the village. The people that do use it are so dependent on it – it is part of a day out for some people.””
• Lincolnshire – Libraries face axe to cut costs after chiefs brand them ‘inefficient’ – Boston Standard.
• Lincolnshire – Louth Library safe from cuts but rural villages look set to be hit – Councillor fears ‘destruction’ of Lincolnshire’s library service – Louth Leader. ““I have huge concerns that what we are seeing here is the destruction of our library service,” he said. “We know large number of people still don’t have access to cars or public transport and feel isolated.”
• Tri-Borough – Director of Libraries and Archives – Lisjobnet. David Ruse leaves the merged London library service.  Vacancy exists for new librarian to “make a noise” about the libraries, £95k salary.
• Waltham Forest – First-time community project organiser aims to tell inter-generational Waltham Forest story and save libraries in one fell swoop – Guardian series.  ““Libraries are a community hub that’s on the way to being lost and they’re a valuable place in the community.” Ms Robertson, who is undertaking postgraduate studies in drama workshops with young people, said she had been thinking about a community quilting workshop but when she saw rooms were available at Lea Bridge Library she was spurred into action.”
• Wiltshire – Library service being run into the ground, warns union – This is Hampshire. “Funding cuts have been directed at library services but in Wiltshire, where there has been a successful campaign to recruit volunteers, cracks are now appearing. Last week it was revealed that Ludgershall library, which is run by volunteers, has had to close on Thursday afternoons for the next six months because the number of volunteers has dropped off.”

“Last week it was revealed that Ludgershall library, which is run by volunteers, has had to close on Thursday afternoons for the next six months because the number of volunteers has dropped off.”

• Wolverhampton – Community hubs: debunking the myth – Save Wolverhampton Libraries.  A look at the claims of the Council and the evidence of the campaigners e.g. “The introduction of self-issuing machines at Tettenhall Library has been hailed as a success by Wolverhampton Council. In fact only 10% of issues/returns have been made via the machines. This leaves 90% of users rejecting the use of machines – hardly a success! Elderly users in particular have shunned the self-issue machines.”