News

I’ve seen for the last couple of years loads of people complaining about how ineffective Mr Ed Vaizey is.  There’s even a rather good song about it. People are especially annoyed that his pro-library comments (like this 2011 and this whole list ) compare so badly to his actions (or inactions).  It’s no surprise then that the recent BMA vote of no confidence in Jeremy Hunt has got people thinking. I’ve had three separate groups of people mention to me the possibility of a vote of no confidence in him, and this appears to be finally getting off the ground with an email sent to me today,  If you are a member of CILIP, therefore, have a read of this below:

“Motion of no confidence in Ed Vaizey to go to CILIP AGM

We are calling on CILIP’s Annual General Meeting in September to support a motion of no confidence in Ed Vaizey, following the example of the British Medical Association, who passed a similar motion of no confidence in the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt. The motion, in draft form reads as follows:

“In view of his failures to enforce the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act, this Annual General Meeting of CILIP has no confidence in Ed Vaizey, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, and instructs Council to work with all other interested parties to protect library, information and knowledge services”

CILIP members interested in supporting the motion are invited to contact noconfidenceinvaizey@gmail.com for more information.

In other news, the very same Mr Vaizey has confirmed that, pending a consultation, Public Lending Right will be extended to library e-book loans but only those “borrowed on site”.  Quite apart from seeming to miss the whole point about e-books, this will represent a tiny proportion of e-book lending and is likely to be seen as a crumb at best.  More welcome to the Society of Authors is the news that the overall amount their members will get next year will not be cut.  Such is what passes for good news these days.

Finally, I have received confirmation from Herefordshire that their decision to stop all interlending requests was cancelled after advice received from Arts Council England.  This was, presumably, that the new ban contravened the 1964 Act but this is not explicitly stated, Whatever the reason, the  breakdown of the councils’ estimate of £46 per interlending request makes scary reading. The Council inform me that they are reviewing the interlending charge, along with all of their services.

More >

Editorial

The DCMS abolished the Advisory Council for Libraries for England (ACL-E) in 2011 during the Bonfire of the Quangoes.  It’s a shame that they did not check the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act at the time which made such a body compulsory and its abolition therefore illegal.  When it was pointed out (by a campaigner to the libraries minister Ed Vaizey) that this was so, it became clear that he had not realised what he’d just done wasn’t allowed by the Act.  Shortly after, the DCMS appointed a part-time advisor to do the job instead.  Sadly, it now turns out that the cost of ACL-E was just £2,500 per year and so cost far less than the advisor appointed to replace them.  Oh dear. Furthermore, the DCMS is planning to “consult” on the abolition of the already informally abolished ACL-E shortly and then formally end  it next year.  This is all fairly unedifying – rushed, with little regard to the Act, expensive and with a side order of dodgy consultations thrown in – but that’s not the important bit. The key here is that such a move would require a change to the 1964 Act that makes “comprehensive and efficient” public libraries statutory.  One fears that the DCMS may be tempted to “consult” on other changes to the bothersome (to them) Act at the same time.

In other news, a whole bunch of library campaigners have come together to look at the figures of libraries closed and those under threat and come up with the not unreasonable estimate of 1000 libraries likely to close.  They ask for the Minister (the same one behind the ACL episode above so the odds are not good) to intervene. Such a number of closures isn’t exactly going to help people accessing computers for vital Government services and jobs. Keeping with that theme, the Society of Chief Librarians have produced the biggest survey for a decade on library workforce skills which suggests it is a “reality check” to what can be provided with existing training and infrastructure.  The chances that the same Minister will intervene to help with that are, again, shall we say, slim.  Finally, over in Calgary, it appears that the first thought of many citizens caught in freak flooding was to return their library books.  Many are now raising funds for the Library to recover from the storm.  If only such energetic action could come from the Government in the UK for the metaphorical storm being experienced here.

Changes

• Doncaster – Cafe reopened in library due to popular demand.
• Glasgow – Knightswood £300k repairs and refurbishment. Woodside £40k repair/refurb.
• North Somerset – Winscombe library reopens after refurbishment (extension, more computers, wifi, seating, self-service)

More >

Editorial

The CILIP rebranding took another step on Monday with the defeat of a motion to stop it.  The vote was close, 804 against and 752 for, showing that CILIP has no great mandate for the change.  The vote was also largely decided by proxy as the mood in the room, from most reports, was decidely against the rebranding.  Moreover, CILIP have lost some credibility amongst its membership by its reporting of the issue.  Those opposing the rebranding were given only minimal space (two paragraphs) in the magazine sent out days before the vote, as opposed to two whole pages in favour.  CILIP also took advantage of its mailing lists to email all members arguing for the rebranding – something the opposition simply could not match.  So, it seems, that the chiefs of the professional organisation consider the matter so important that it can afford accusations of apparent bias.  Let us hope it is so.  Reaction from everyone I am in contact with who are not CILIP chiefs has been almost universally negative, with one very senior librarian and several others  telling me that their subscription may be cancelled soon.  Bridges need to be rebuilt, and quickly.

Other news includes a community buying out its closed library from Tameside Council because they valued it so much.  Imagine being willing to pay £30,000 plus an apparent six-figure sum for something that you already effectively owned.  That’s how much people care for libraries.

Changes

• Bury – 20.25 of 70 FTE staff to be lost, replaced with self-service machines.
• Dorset – £1.2m new Dorchester Library opens next week (twice current floorspace, inc. classrooms, wifi, Co-located with adult learning centre.
• East Ayrshire – Libraries transferred to East Ayrshire Leisure Trust.
• Gateshead – 5 libraries to volunteers (with separate library card). £900k cut in budget 2013/14.
• Tameside – Dane Bank Library taken over by volunteers: purchase building off council for £30k and “six figure” loan.

More >

Editorial

5000 people have signed a petition to save a library in Leigh.  This is a quarter of the population of the town, which is amazing and I wish them well.  Now, if libraries can harness the power of those people before the library was under threat, that would be truly quite something.  The estimable (it means “worthy or respect – I had to look it up) Mick Fortune has pointed out that the “Save Libraries” message should only be used when libraries actually under threat.  Because when people say “save x”, the mental switch in their heads moves onward to “x = the siberian tiger and is probably doomed”.  It’ll get to “doomed” quickly if they see the message repeated again and again, everywhere.  It’s a powerful slogan but needs to be used in extremis only. Of course, with 50% cuts 2010-2016 likely then one could say that all libraries are in extremis.  But let’s not jump the gun in those authorities where no-one has reached for the trigger yet.  Let’s get people to love libraries as well.

Changes

• Redcar and Cleveland – Skelton Library to close :  Service to move into Civic Hall as part of co-located service.
• Wakefield – Stanley Library being refurbished.

More >