News

  • Diary of a strike – LocalGov. Diary of Lindsay Martin, library assistant at Cheltenham Public Library, recalls the 10th July Unison strike. “At the rally, I am the last to speak. I have my speech with me but when I am given the microphone I am so overcome and so moved by all the people who I have met, worked with and marched with over the last few days, that I don’t look at the paper – I can see my colleagues, those who were on the frontline with me today and feel so proud of them and want to make them proud of me in return.”
  • Doctor Who trailer reveals Peter Capaldi’s new Tardis library – Radio Times. “The new trailer for Capaldi’s debut series gives us a brief glimpse of what the new Doctor’s been up to, and among the DIY it looks as if he’s installed some floor to ceiling bookshelves and basically turned the Tardis console room into a library.”
  • Duchess of Cornwall officially opens Exeter Library – Includes Summer Reading Challenge artist and activities.
  • Farewell to CILIP Council – Tom Roper’s Weblog.  Several comments on the post regarding Tom Roper’s resignation from CILIP Council yesterday, most much in support.  The following is an extract from Martyn Wade, Chair of the Council, with rest being available on Tom’s blog:

“• The governance proposals are not undemocratic – it is quite normal for a professional body to have a minority representation of co-opted members.  In this case the proposal is only to add one more co-opted position to the existing tally of 3.
• The governance proposals have not been carried out in secret – quite the contrary.  There have been regular articles in Update since August 2013, and they have been the subject of a very active and transparent programme of discussion, engagement and consultation for more than 6 months.
• CILIP is not in “crisis” – the most recent unqualified audited accounts show an organisation that has managed its expenditure carefully to account for changes in income resulting from a rapidly changing sector …” Martyn Wade, Chair of CILIP Council

“… What on earth is happening to Cilip? To miss quote a well know TV series ‘Who on Earth do they think they are’? Can they not see what they are doing with membership down to an all-time low of 13,342, and I would think after this dropping even more. Do they ever ask why? Of course with the multitude of closures of public libraries, and the replacement of qualified staff by volunteers and the ‘silence of the Cilip lambs’, it is obvious membership will drop, but what on earth are they doing to give help, courage and practical assistance to those of us who pay their wages …” Frances Hendrix on LIS-PUB-LIBS

  • Library campaigners: Judicial Review verdict to be announced tomorrow – Lincolnshire Echo. “The judge presiding over Simon Draper’s  Judicial Review against Lincolnshire County Council will announce his verdict at 10 am tomorrow, the Royal Courts of Justice have announced. Mr Justice Collins will announce his decision in Court One after hearing all the legal arguments in a two day hearing earlier this month.”
  • Roper resigns from CILIP Council following row – BookSeller. “Tom Roper has resigned from the CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) Council after six months, in protest at planned changes to the body’s governance. Roper, a clinical librarian at Royal Sussex County Hospital, appeared on The Bookseller‘s list of Rising Stars earlier this year, and has previously campaigned successfully against CILIP’s planned rebranding and name-change, and helped push the organisation to cast a vote of no confidence in library minister Ed Vaizey. However, he is now stepping down from his role on the council, after being the only council member to disagree with proposed changes to CILIP’s governance. The changes, which will be voted on the groups’s AGM on 20th September, would see a third of council seats appointed, rather than elected by the membership, and see the president elected by the council rather than by all members, as it is currently done.”
International news
  • Breaking the gender barrier – China Daily (Hong Kong). Debate about banning children’s books in public libraries that portray homosexuality in a positive or neutral light. “The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), which manages Hong Kong’s public libraries, resisted public pressure to remove the books from library shelves. The department said the books were made available in accordance with the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto in support of balanced and diverse collections of books. The department also cited that it was adhering to the principle of freedom of expression.”
  • Judge bans man from all libraries in Tewksbury prostitution case – Lowell Sun (USA). “A judge has banned a 41-year-old homeless man from all public libraries as a condition of his probation after Michael Crosby admitted he posted an ad on Craigslist offering sex for a fee in the Tewksbury Public Library’s bathroom last year.”
  • Libraries Are Not a “Netflix” for Books – Book Riot (USA). “It is not the goal of the library to make money. Nor is it the goal of the library to create levels of service so that those who can afford to indulge will receive more while those who can’t, don’t. Instead, libraries work to ensure their services reach as many facets of their community as possible. Libraries want to offer what they can to those who have nothing and those who maybe have everything. The library is the center and the heart of community.”
  • Library Tent at the Rose Festival – Dublin City Council (Eire). “‘Bibliotherapy’ a book collection being promoted by the Dublin City Libraries in conjunction with the HSE will also be part of the installation. It will be enjoyable, accessible and thought provoking. Light and sound therapies; colour, touch, smell and taste will be the medicines and art advice on prescription. Participants will be able to perform surgery, make music and compose their own cures. All aspects of the installation are artist led, non invasive, optional and are appropriate for people of all ages and children under adult supervision.”
  • You may never have to buy another book again – Market Watch (China). “Screen grabs of a page testing Kindle Unlimited, which were before being pulled down, offer “unlimited access” to over 600,000 titles — including “Life of Pi,” “The Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter” series — and thousands of audiobooks on any device for $9.99 a month. Amazon already has a “Kindle Owners Lending Library,” which permits Amazon Prime members to borrow one book a month (membership costs $99 a year). “
UK local news by authority
  • Dorset – Library centre of community – Dorset Echo. “Dorchester’s Library and Learning Centre is ‘putting the library back at the centre of the community’ as it celebrates its first anniversary. The facility in Charles Street opened its doors for the first time on July 19 last year and during the last 12 months has welcomed an influx of new members and run courses for hundreds of people. The new building brought together the library and adult learning services under one roof in a move that both sides say had a whole range of benefits.” … “Library services manager Tracy Long stressed that the library was still somewhere people could come to take out books, but it now offered so much more than that. “
  • Leicestershire – Plea over libraries shake-up – Leicester Mercury. “Councillors have handed in a petition signed by hundreds of residents calling on the County Council to withdraw planned changes to Barwell library. A consultation has just ended on proposed changes across Leicestershire, which would see County Hall withdrawing funding from the library and volunteers taking over from professional librarians.”
  • Staffordshire – Acclaimed author slams library cuts as he plans Kinver Library visit – Stourbridge News. “”I was deeply saddened to read that Kinver is one of the libraries facing job cuts and being turned over to be volunteer run. “This is unfair on rural communities who rely so much on their local library. “A library needs to be run by a qualified librarian – it’s that simple.”
  • Westminster – The top 5 myths about Westminster revealed – London 24. “Westminster is steeped in history and magical stories, some of which are real- others of which are nothing more than fantasy. Now, Westminster City Council has released the top five legends it hopes might inspire young readers to head to their local library this summer in search of more stories. Their Summer Reading Challenge this year carries a mythical theme – the aim of which is to encourage children aged four to 11 to read a book a week over the summer holidays, maintaining their literacy levels through to the start of the new school year in September.”
  • Westminster – Twinned’ Library celebrates Bastille Day – Westminster Council  (press release). “To mark the day, Church Street Library, which is also celebrating a year of its twinning arrangement with Place des Fetes library in Paris, put on music by Edith Piaff, Serge Gainsbourg and Charles Aznavour and a small sample of croissants, brioche, cheese and  baguette, small Madeleine cakes and galette, a type of French biscuit. A number of books donated by French residents were also available for library visitors to take home and keep, and the day also included a general knowledge quiz on France.“