ACE strategy, Instagram and Bromley

Editorial

It’s good to see Arts Council England emphasising public libraries in its new strategy. As the major “extra” funder of the sector, its influence has been felt over the last decade too often in the form of promising but, ultimately, quickly forgotten one-offs and innumerable small theatre shows. Recently this has changed with longer term and larger scale funding. Whether the new focus will mean more of that or, simply, we get yet more such flashes in the pan remains to be seen.

It’s also pleasant to see Libraries Connected moving forward with new appointments. I was lucky enough to attend training at Broadcasting House on Wednesday, as part of an ACE funded partnership with the BBC. The main takeaways from me from it was in terms of social media (it’s engagements not follows that matter, Instagram is the third platform we need to get into) and that we need to, gosh, think of the target audience when promoting events. By the way, if you’re looking for good library Instagram accounts, a quick enquiry on Twitter told me that plymlibraries, Bolton_library, toonlibraries, manclib_archives, dokk1aarhus, greenwichlibs, Christchurchlib, Redbridgelibs, Eveshamlib and leedslibraries are worth a glance. And also you can’t go wrong with BookFaceFriday pictures.

Finally, possibly the longest library strike in recent times is now over, with the Unite union claiming victory in Bromley.

Changes by local authority

• Bromley – Strike ends.
• Northamptonshire – Volunteers take over Rothwell library, local academy pays lease. Volunteers take over Wollaston Library.
• Plymouth – St Budeaux new library opens.
• Portsmouth – Fines-free pilot extended after returns go up 12%.
• Solihull – Meriden Library refurbished for co-location with parish council.
• West Berkshire – Town Council reduces subsidy to Newbury Library.

National news

• Arts Council England commits to library investment boost in 10-year plan – BookSeller. “: “We believe that England’s network of public libraries provides a vital resource for the development of creativity and the promotion of culture across this country. They are the country’s most widespread and well-used cultural spaces, sitting at the heart of communities and often providing the first point of access to cultural activity. They help to build stronger, happier communities, support social prescribing, develop readers and promote digital literacy. They will be central to our delivery of this strategy, and over the next 10 years we will increase our investment in them.”
  • Arts Council England rebrands artists as ‘creative practitioners’ because people making art feel uncomfortable with the ‘non-inclusive’ label – Mail. “As part of the ten-year strategy for ‘inclusive economic growth’, there will also be more investment in libraries, as well as other more traditional places. Since 2010, public library funding has been cut by 25 per cent with almost 10 per cent closing.”
  • Arts Council England’s 10-year strategy (2020-30) in detail – The Stage.
  • Can libraries deliver culture for all? ACE’s new strategy unveiled – Arts Professional.
  • Please don’t turn our libraries into trendy arts hubs – Arts Professional. “It makes complete sense for libraries to now become a key priority for ACE. Investing in their revival can bring much-needed resources to an ecosystem that has been devalued and ignored in recent public policy. But this can’t be another culture-led regeneration mission, based on professionalised programming that leaves many alienated.” … ” Outside the professional arts sector, libraries have engendered a trust that has eluded many traditional arts venues – and this must not be lost.”
• CWA Dagger in the Library – Crime Writers Association. Your chance to nominate. “The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by a crime writer that users of libraries particularly admire. Only librarians can nominate authors for the award. It is one of the most prestigious crime writing awards in the UK …”
• Radiohead launched an online ‘public library’ with rare tracks and a printable library card – Verge. “… the clever touch emphasizes how much the Radiohead Public Library (henceforth RPL) does feel like browsing a particularly chaotic research archive. And just like a library, it can point you toward some of the band’s lesser-known work — including its debut album Drill.“
• We’re growing – Libraries Connected. “We’re delighted to announce the appointment of three new roles within the Libraries Connected team to help us to deliver these pieces of work. The new roles are all home-based, which has allowed us to attract talented people from around the country.”

International news

• Canada – Advocates stick up for libraries amid possible cuts – Chronicle Journal. “The Thunder Bay Public Library board, together with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3120 have responded to the city’s proposed cuts to the library budget, which may result in the elimination of an entire branch.  “Bad things happen when public libraries are closed,” said John Pateman, the city library’s chief executive officer and chief librarian, in a news release. Pateman says he has seen it before where “hundreds of public libraries have closed and thousands of library workers have lost their jobs” in the U.K.”

Local news by authority

• Bolton – 13 year old and TV chef among 28 Muslim named in the New Year’s Honours – Muslim News. “Greater Manchester Libraries’ Culture Lead, Subnum Hariff-Khan, from Bolton, has also picked up a BEM for her services to public libraries. Hariff-Khan has played a huge role in involving the community in the work of the region’s libraries, including campaigns to involve young people in their design and attract more volunteers. She has also devised and delivered training to Mosque teachers on the importance of creativity and leadership and was a driving force behind the UK’s first volunteer-led Islamic lending library in Bolton.”
• Bromley – Eight-month-long libraries strike ends – Arts Professional.
  • Eight-month Bromley library dispute ends with deal guaranteeing no compulsory redundancies, new posts and pay arrears – Unite the Union. “The 50 library staff, who started their strike at the borough’s 14 libraries on 6 June last year, will return to work on Wednesday (5 February). The agreement includes new staffing structures being introduced and no compulsory redundancies. Agreement has also been reached on pay progression and arrears’ payments.”
• Caerphilly – Caerphilly spent £2.8m on its libraries last year – South Wales Argus. ““Book issues (adult and children) have also fallen in 2018/19; while issues for adults are now well below the median level, performance per capita for children’s book issues is still notably high in comparison with other authorities.”
• Darlington – Fancy a challenge? Darlington Libraries launches a reading resolution scheme – Northern Echo. “From choosing a book with a red spine to one by an author you have never read before, there are a total of 48 challenges to complete on four different cards. “
• Essex – ‘We’ll keep on protesting’ – library campaigners line the streets – Braintree and Witham Times.
  • Campaigners continue to fight for the future of their library in Manningtree – Harwich and Manningtree Standard. Hundreds protest inc. local author Kate Worsley.
  • Protesters gather for prevent voluntary run libraries across Essex – Epping Forest Guardian.
• Hampshire – Save our libraries: Popley girl borrows her 1,700th library book – Basingstoke Gazette. “Olivia Brazier, a regular user of Chineham Library, this week withdrew her 1,700th library book – just weeks after the county council announced that two of Basingstoke’s three libraries were at risk of being shut down. ” … Chineham on list to be closed down.
  • Labour condemn plan to close libraries across Hampshire – Hampshire Chronicle. ” “It is an outrageous fiction worthy of a bookshelf to suggest that a country as wealthy as Britain cannot provide its local authorities with the money to run fundamental public services. These libraries are a particularly vital resource for students, pensioners and young families, not to mention those with no other access to computers or printers, essential for completing, for instance, Universal Credit applications. Their closure will leaving gaping holes in the community. “
• Havering – Vote for your favourite book with Havering libraries – Romford Recorder. “The top five nominations will be put to vote in libraries and on the Havering Library social media accounts before the winning book is celebrated with events in libraries throughout May.”
• Leeds – Don’t Put Your Finger in the Jelly author Nick Sharratt tours Leeds on city’s new Story Buses – Yorkshire Evening Post. “Leeds Libraries invited children to help name the vehicles, which will travel the city on a mission to encourage a love of books and reading from an early age.”
• Leicester – Last day to vote for your favourite book of the decade – Leicester City Council. “Voting slips will be available in libraries, and you can also send in your votes by email to booknews@leicester.gov.uk. All libraries will have displays up and a box for people to post their votes.”
• Lincolnshire – Horncastle Library still as busy after 50 years at wharf – Horncastle News. “it is still very much a community library and it is great to see it still running after 50 years at this site.”
• Liverpool – Lost treasure left crumbling for over a decade to be restored to former glory – Echo. “The Lister Drive Carnegie library in Tuebrook was forced to close in 2006 after the building became increasingly dilapidated. But now work is well under way to carefully restore the building and transform the library into a brand new community centre. “
• North Yorkshire – Library is going from strength to strength – Craven Herald. “South Craven Community Library was ‘born’ in April, 2017, when volunteers took over the day-to-day running of the Main Street, Cross Hills, premises from the county council. Last June the site won a coveted North Yorkshire Library of the Month accolade. And now it has received an award for its contribution to the 2019 children’s summer reading challenge. Figures show that 11,161 children across North Yorkshire took part in the challenge, an increase of 14 per cent on the previous year. “
• Northamptonshire – Hooray! Rothwell’s library given new lease of life as community hub – Northamptonshire Telegraph. “Rothwell Community Library Trust (RCLT) join forces with multi academy trust Creating Tomorrow to take over the running of the service and turn it onto a community hub.”
  • New chapter begins for Wollaston Library – Northamptonshire Telegraph. “If it wasn’t for the ‘friends of’ group that morphed into the fundraising thrift shop, we wouldn’t be here. All the volunteers have done a fantastic job.””
• Nottingham – What Nottingham Central Library will look like – Designing Libraries. “The library will be a network of connected spaces for meetings, collaboration and concentration, supported by multi-media resources. Split into zones to easily navigate the library, a spacious entrance area including a café leads to an extensive children’s section providing a wide array of books and spaces for story time, a play cave area for children to explore, a creative wall and a science and creativity zone.”
• Perth and Kinross – Book yourself a date with the local library – Daily Record. “Book lovers from across Perth and Kinross are being encouraged to donate their used novels to a local library. Many residents will have received a book as a Christmas present, and may already have read it and put it to the side.”
• Plymouth – New library in St Budeaux ‘is more than just books’ – Plymouth Herald. “Following the closure of the old building and the closure of libraries at Ernesettle and West Park, residents of those areas and Honicknowle are invited to use St Budeaux library as their local.” … “This new modern library build on the site of the old library offers flexible space for the wide selection of books, free computers, Wi-Fi access and a dedicated ‘something’ space. “Meeting rooms for hire and a garden and event space, and activities for all ages.”
• Portsmouth – Portsmouth libraries remain free of fines and fees for another year – The News. “book reservations have grown by 54 per cent and book returns have risen 12 per cent.” … ” ‘There’s been some really positive feedback about the removal of the reservation fees and fines.” … “‘I’ve heard stories of people coming back who had been holding on to books for years.’” … “Before the scheme the total income from library fines and reservation fees in Portsmouth was £20,000 a year. It is thought around £5,000 has now been saved due to more books being returned, meaning fewer replacements are needed. Parking permits sold in libraries also adds about £8,000 a year.”
• St Helens – St Helens Library Service launches Reading Well for Children collection – The Reporter. 3 collections plus some available via e-book.
  • Award-winning Arts in Libraries project returns to St Helens – Reporter. “Now in its 16th season, Cultural Hubs: Arts in Libraries – crowned the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded arts programme in 2016 – will run a packed programme of events between February and July, with something for everyone to enjoy.”
• Sheffield – “Abolish library fines in Sheffield” – The Star / Letters. “I have recently observed that a number of library services including many who have been hit by austerity cuts such as neighbouring Barnsley have abolished library fines in an attempt to boost library use.”
  • ‘Time is running out’ for Sheffield’s historic Central Library and Graves Gallery, says museums boss – Star.
• Solihull – Historic Solihull library to shut for up to two months for renovation work – Birmingham Live. “A village library in Solihull is to close for up to eight weeks to ensure the ageing building is sturdy enough to cope with increased use. Plans have been hatched for the first floor of the Grade II-listed Meriden Library to become the new home of the local parish council.”
• Staffordshire – Concerns that library volunteers may be asked to take on cleaning and maintenance – Express and Star. “… concerns have been raised by some councillors that the library volunteers may be asked to take on cleaning and grounds maintenance roles alongside lending books and helping visitors. As part of the future proposals for community-led libraries cleaners would not be replaced when they leave and grounds maintenance will be reviewed on an individual basis. “
• West Berkshire – Newbury Town Council to cut contribution to library service – Newbury Today. “Town Council has voted in favour of halving the amount it pays to West Berkshire Council towards the cost of running the library service – saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. For the past three years, the town council has been making an annual contribution of £31,250.”
• West Sussex – Crawley’s libraries to close for whole day as IT systems are upgraded – Crawley News 24.