The third lockdown: damned if you do ..?

Editorial

Rather than commenting directly on what is going on, this editorial will be an overview of the current state of play in this country’s libraries. Full details can be found here. After checking the status of each and every service, this appears to to be at least an acceptable rough-draft first estimate of what is going on:

• more than two thirds of English public library services are offering some sort of click and collect service, normally from a small selection of branches. Over one-third are offering PCs for “essential use” and around a quarter have an operating home library service. On other hand, at least a fifth are entirely closed – apart from online of course.
• in Wales, most are offering click and collect, but PC use is far rarer.
• in Scotland, barely a quarter are offering click and collect, with very few offering PCs
• Northern Irish libraries are providing click and collect in all branches but not PC usage.
• In the whole country, it appears to be only Guernsey that is operating in any way similar to normality.

This completely mixed bag is the new normal and indeed reflects the variety present in library services before Covid. However, what is new is the intensity of the debate on social media about the wisdom of offering even click and collect in libraries.

Those in favour point out the lifeline library services can be for people, especially in such lonely times as now. They also point out that this service may strengthen the library’s hand when it comes to budget setting. Those against, including Unison, are worried about the possibility of infection, especially amongst staff and the most vulnerable, and doubt whether opening would have much impact on budgets at all. The strength of feeling appears stronger this time than in the second lockdown, presumably due to the increased rates of infection. Interestingly, everywhere appears to be sticking with quarantining books, even though this is a practice which has not taken place in many European countries.

It seems odd to discuss anything but lockdown at the moment so I’ll leave it there. I wish you all a safe and healthy week.

National news

• £7.5m to be distributed to help tackle winter loneliness – UK Fundraising. “£5 million will go to Arts Council England for arts and library services, of which £3.5 million has been awarded by DCMS to national charity The Reading Agency, for its Reading Well and Reading Friends programmes”
• Are libraries open during lockdown? – Express. Includes link to PLN.
• Libraries sector in the New Year Honours list – DCMS Libraries. “Congratulations to the 6 people working in or with the public libraries sector in England who were awarded honours last week in recognition of their contribution to libraries.”: Mark Freeman MBE (President Libraries Connected / Stockton on Tees), Stellar Thebridge MBE (Warwickshire), Michael Clarke MBE (London), Terry Bracher BEM (Wiltshire), Richard Fawcett BEM (Thurston volunteer library). Jon Davies BEM (Kirklees).
• Lyngsoe Systems to acquire PV Supa Group – Lynsgoe Systems. 2CQR part of deal. “Building on 50 years of combined experience … based on the Scandinavian design heritage … unifying two of the Library market’s leading players into one strong entity will deliver new complementary solutions and services to libraries across the world and even stronger support to the large existing customer base.”
• Wiltshire and Swindon heritage services manager Terry Bracher is awarded a British Empire Medal – Wiltshire Times. “Mr Bracher, 58, is manager for heritage services at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, and has been national chairman of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals local studies group for ten years.”
• Tier 4 rules in full: What you can do in England’s highest Covid restrictions, as more areas added in review – I. ” Libraries can also remain open to provide access to IT and digital services and for click-and-collect service”
• Union calls for libraries to be ‘completely closed’ during lockdown – LocalGov. ” Unison argues that even these limited services expose library workers and users to unnecessary risks in the face of a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant.”, Unison says “‘We recognise how important libraries are to local communities but for the moment we must focus on what is best for the health and safety of the public and library workers.’”

International news

• Global – OverDrive Reports Surge in Digital Library Lending in 2020 – Publishers Weekly. “Readers worldwide borrowed some 430 million e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines in the year, a hefty 33% increase over 2019, “
• Lithuania – Reading During Pandemic: The Library Encourages to Rediscover Books in Innovative Ways. Povilas Višinskis Šiauliai County Public Library (Lithuania) – Naple Sister Libraries. Book lending machines … ” a widely publicized campaign to promote reading, during which well-known representatives of Lithuanian culture and art told about their favorite, recommended books” … ” Graphic design of the book lending machines were curated by artists of Šiauliai city. “
• Mexico – One of the 21st Century’s Greatest Buildings Is a Library in Mexico – Yahoo News. ” the hulking concrete carapace of one of the world’s most spectacular libraries.”
• USA – Jill Biden to Close ALA Midwinter Virtual – American Libraries. “The American Library Association announced today that the next First Lady, Jill Biden, EdD, will participate in ALA’s Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits Virtual on Monday, January 25, from 11:15 a.m.–noon Central. Dr. Biden will join a conversation with ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr., which will serve as the event’s closing session.”

Local news by authority

• Aberdeen – Revealed: The top books read in Aberdeen during 2020 – Evening Express.
• Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – Number of people registering for north-east libraries on the increase – Evening Express. “In Aberdeen, data for 2019/20 shows that a total of 7,089 adults signed up for a library card at one of the city’s libraries, while 257 teens aged between 12 and 15 got a card and 1,910 children were registered. This compares to 6,959 adults, 305 teenagers and 1,801 children who were registered in 2018/19.”
• Bolton – Westhoughton Library shuts for repairs ­— here’s how you can still order books – Bolton News. Click and collect, home library service, PCs.
• Bradford – Groups to discuss future of libraries in New Year – Telegraph and Argus. “Keighley Library is one of a number of District Libraries that will begin to deliver a “tailored offer” – services unique to the area the library is based in, rather than a general offer provided by every library across the District.”
  • Bradford is city of the future says Arts Council chief – Telegraph and Argus. “The head of Arts Council England has praised Bradford’s “nationally significant” cultural venues which he says will lead the way in helping to re-build the district’s future in the post-pandemic world.”
• Brent – Vacancy: Manager – LocalGov Jobs. £34-36k permanent full-time.
• Bridgend – Libraries offering collection and delivery services in Bridgend – In Your Area. Click and collect, home library service.
• Cheshire East – Council says it is ready to support local communities as national lockdown begins – Alderley Edge.com. Click and collect.
• Cheshire West and Chester – Covid lockdown 3: Cheshire West and Chester Council issue services update – The Standard. “All libraries, including the home and mobile library service, will close. An order and collect service was made available from January 7.”
• Cumbria – Barrow book-lovers still able to take titles out of libraries thanks to ‘select and collect’ service – The Mail. Click and collect, PCs
• Denbighshire – Denbighshire Council thanks residents as Welsh Government move country into alert level 4 – Denbighshire Free Press. “Denbighshire libraries will be closed during alert level 4, but are offering an order and collect service and a home library service delivering books to your home.”
• Dorset – Funding boost for Weymouth Library – Dorset Echo. “Friends of Weymouth Library (FOWL) has pledged further funding for the Libraries as Cultural Hubs initiative to continue into the new year.”
• Edinburgh – Boyack says libraries need to open – Edinburgh Reporter. “Scottish Labour has today warned of a ‘connectivity crisis’ for elderly people and can reveal that, as at 16 December, only 40 per cent of Scotland’s public libraries were open for business – with the remaining libraries in mainland Scotland set to shut under Level Four restrictions.” … “Scottish Labour local government spokesperson Sarah Boyack said: “Libraries are at the heart of local communities and play a vital role in the lives of elderly people in particular.”
• Essex – Campaigners call for north Essex library hours to be restored – Clacton Gazette. “The campaigners are now concerned about a reduction in opening hours after school, in the evenings and on Saturdays in certain parts of the county.”
• Fife – Too good to give back? Books worth thousands stuck on readers’ shelves after pandemic library shut down – The Courier. “Books fans have kept hold of 44,456 overdue books in the area after the Covid-19 crisis threw return schedules into disarray.”
• Flintshire – Aura Libraries Flintshire: Select & Collect, and Home Delivery service remain in place in January 2021 – The Leader.
• Hampshire – Ready Reads at Andover Library – Love Andover. Click and collect. “On Monday 11 January they are launching the Winter Reading Challenge! All you need to do is read 4 books and you have until 27 February.”
  • New Forest libraries to close until the new year – and may stay shut longer – Advertiser and Times. “Libraries in the New Forest are shutting to the public over the festive period after the government placed the district into Tier 3 from Boxing Day – with no promises they will reopen afterwards.”
• Hartlepool – Exciting plans for Hartlepool’s libraries will embrace the future while preserving the past, say chiefs – Hartlepool Mail. “Plans for the future will see a ‘blend’ of both physical and digital library services – the latter of which council chiefs say has been used increasingly during the pandemic. The Headland branch library will also evolve into a family and local history centre as part of the overhaul.”
• Havering – Havering libraries close again for lockdown – Romford Recorder. Closed, with no click and collect, until at least mid February.
• Hertfordshire – Hertfordshire Libraries – Help to get online or connect digitally – Hertfordshire Council. “Welcome to our digital skills information page. Here you will find links to top tips, how-to-guides, courses and information which can help you (or help you to help others) improve your digital skills”
• Inverclyde – Inverclyde Libraries running ‘Crafters and Crochet’ activities – Greenock Telegraph. “Inverclyde Libraries is running a series of recorded crochet classes and Facebook discussion sessions on Zoom.”
  • Libraries And Museum Affected By Level Four Restrictions – Inverclyde Now. Click and collect, home library service.
• Isle of Wight – Council libraries closed during national lockdown – Island Echo. Click and collect suspended, to be reviewed in February. Loans extended until 1 March.
• Lambeth – Lambeth Libraries in lockdown – what’s on for January 2021 – Brixton Buzz. Click and collect, PCs, home library service.
• Lancashire – Keep up children’s reading momentum by using library e-book services in Lancashire – The Gazette.
• Manchester – End of Year Library bulletin from Cllr Rahman – Manclibraries Blog. “A new Young Peoples Reading Group for ages 13 – 18 and a local history Zoom session with members of the Brunswick community have been well received. Extraordinary storyteller Gav Cross performed his online Twisted Christmas Tales sessions with schools and Gorton Library had Santas knitted for MacMillan”
• Norfolk – Wizards and hobbits: Which e-books Norfolk read in the pandemic – Eastern Daily Press. “People turned to Jack Reacher, Harry Potter and Bilbo Baggins as escapism in a year dominated by coronavirus, a list of the most borrowed e-books and audio books from Norfolk’s libraries has revealed.”
  • BIPC Norfolk offers free support to start-ups and small businesses – Eastern Daily Press. ““We hope that face-to-face sessions can resume once more restrictions are lifted but we’ll definitely continue to offer some sessions online. They’ve worked really well and mean that people don’t have to factor in travelling time in order to attend.””
• North Yorkshire – Pickering, Whitby, Scarborough and Filey libraries maintain vital links during lockdown – Scarborough News. Click and collect, PCs, home library service.
  • Library volunteers set young bookworms a challenge – Harrogate News. “Summer reading challenges take place nationally in the six weeks holiday and the volunteers who operate Thirsk Library, on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, have followed the same model for the Christmas break. But the event has become a community effort, involving volunteers who keep the library running, crafters who have also supplied their expertise to give children ‘craft bags’ with projects to complete, along with funding for the materials from Thirsk Rotary Club.”
• Nottingham – All you need to know about changes to our Libraries service during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) period – Nottingham City. Click and collect, PCs.
• Pembrokeshire – Pembrokeshire libraries offer order and collect through coronavirus lockdown – Western Telegraph. Click and collect.
• Perth and Kinross – Public libraries and museums in Perth and Kinross to close from Christmas Eve – Daily Record. “Culture Perth and Kinross is temporarily halting public admission to all its archives, libraries, museums and galleries from Christmas Eve until further notice.”
• Sheffield – Service updates – Libraries Sheffield. Click and collect, no PCs (under review). home library service.
• Somerset – Libraries continue to provide essential services – Somerset Libraries. Click and collect, PCs.
• South Ayrshire – Agenda: Libraries provide comfort for those alone at Christmas – The Herald.
• Staffordshire – Several public services to remain open in Staffordshire during Lockdown 3 – In Your Area. “From last week libraries across the county, including in Leek, will remain open for essential PC use and the click & collect and Grab & Go services. Opening times at libraries will be 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. There will be temporary closure at Biddulph, while many community managed libraries will offer a service and users should check directly with them, however, mobile libraries will not be on the road during lockdown.”
  • Auctioneer becomes a magnet for rare Harry Potter books – BBC News. “The first they ever sold originally belonged to Staffordshire Libraries, and was discovered when Mr Spencer was asked to value a private collection in the county, into which the library copy had found its way.”
• Stoke on Trent – Plans unveiled for Stoke-on-Trent’s new central library – Stoke Sentinel. “Stoke-on-Trent City Council will spend £1.5 million turning the vacant ground floor unit in Two Smithfield into the new base for Hanley’s City Central library. The proposed facility will include a computer suite, dedicated children’s area, public toilets and a lift, with a new mezzanine floor providing extra space.”
• Suffolk – Get fit with free Jumpstart January online activities from Suffolk Libraries – East Anglian Daily Times. “Taylor Griffin-Marsh will be teaching Pilates and yoga online as part of Suffolk Libraries’ Jumpstart January fitness activities “
  • Families brought to tears by gifts from libraries – EADT. “Families have been brought to tears by gifts organised by libraries in Suffolk. Chantry Library and its friends group recently made a special Christmas delivery to local families in need. With a grant of £500 from Ipswich Borough Council and a £500 donation from the East of England Co-op, the library friends were able to make a gift of food vouchers to 20 local families in crisis who have been affected by the pandemic. “
  • Libraries to close until further notice as county enters Tier 4 – East Anglian Daily Times.
• Wakefield – Wakefield libraries to close for Christmas – Wakefield Express.
• Worcestershire – Worcestershire libraries reveal most borrowed books of 2020 – Bromsgrove Standard.
  • Digital services on offer at county libraries in lockdown – Worcester Observer. Click and collect, PCs.