Archive for November, 2021

Editorial

Two long-running library battles have been won,, with Glasgow libraries receiving funding to reopen threatened libraries there and the near-future of the library in the book paradise of Hay on Wye also being secured. Scottish libraries have also received funding to aid with fall-out from Covid. On the debit side, Torfaen is looking at big cuts and the once large Grays Library in Thurrock is looking to be reduced to a shadow of its former self. Internationally, it’s all about censorship, with China reducing what can be read in Hong Kong while, on the other side of the Pacific, there are continuing moves to censor a ton of stuff in what those pushing the moves probably still unironically say is the Land Of The Free.

Changes by library service

• Thurrock – Grays Library to be reduced in size.
• Torfaen – Temporary opening hours and staff cuts during review

National news

• CILIP Library and Information Supplier Showcase – Autumn 2021 – CILIP. 30 November, London.
• Final reflections: Ka-Ming – #uklibchat. ” We were connecting people together, and we also inspired other groups to set up their own Twitter chats.”
• Let’s hear it for our libraries – the unsung heroes of our cultural life, says Maggie Ritchie – Herald. “Libraries are the unsung heroes of Scotland’s cultural life, and like all those going quietly about their vital business, they are easy to overlook. Libraries have been open for a while now but with restricted opening times, and with buying books only a mouse click away, I’d got out of the habit of browsing the shelves for serendipitous finds.”
• Libraries across the north and north-east awarded ‘lifeline’ funding for innovative projects – Press and Journal. “Libraries across the north and north-east [of Scotland] have been awarded more than £100,000 to combat the impact of Covid and improve their services.”
• Prime time for audio-books – Nielsen. “From July 2020 to June 2021, audiobook purchases in the UK saw their highest 12-month period on record, surpassing the previous record highs that the format had been setting basically every month since last spring.”
• Support our Libraries: ‘We need a local and national government funding model that allows them to thrive’ – Sean McNamara – Scotsman. “It has been wonderful to see Scotland on Sunday’s campaign getting such widespread backing and that it has got under the bonnet and looked at why other countries financially support their libraries sometimes more than we do in Scotland and the wider UK.”
• ‘This is a place for me, I’m welcome here’: how libraries are reaching out after Covid – I. “BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, wants to make visiting the local library a regular and long-lasting habit, especially among disadvantaged groups” … “A recent survey by the charity of 1,000 families in poverty with a child in that age group found that fewer than half (49 per cent) of these families are registered with a public library.”

International news

• Argentina – BIC Celebrates Global Education Week By Honoring 10 Educators In Second Year Of BIC Cristal Pen Awards – Cision. “Herńan is one of the founders and current president of the library Biblioteca Popular Palabras del Alma. The library began operating on a mobile basis, only on weekends and now offers art, a community garden, and workshops for reading writing, computer, language, theater and many topics for people of all ages, including high school students and children without access to kindergarten. Herńan also coordinates a project for indigenous people where a dozen new libraries in their communities have since been built. He is also the creator of a community theater group and radio station that allows poor people, women, children and adolescents, people with disabilities or who are part of indigenous peoples to express themselves.” [My wife is the UK award winner – Ed.]
• Canada – A Toronto library card will give you free access to the city’s top attractions starting tomorrow – Flipboard. “For Toronto Public Library cardholders, one pass is permitted per person every week. Each venue has its own restrictions on the number of people that can be admitted with one pass. Generally, each pass admits two adults and two children.”
• China- Hong Kong libraries removed 29 books about Tiananmen massacre: Report – Big News Network. ” Hong Kong libraries have removed 29 out of 149 books about the Tiananmen massacre over the last 12 years.”
• Singapore – Choa Chu Kang Public Library: Libraries Can Be Gardens Too – Medium. “Instead of taking up just one floor within Lot One Shoppers’ Mall, the new library now spans across two floors (Levels 4 and 5) and accommodates a more extensive literary collection than its predecessor. The overhaul is aligned to the National Library Board’s (NLB) Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025 (LAB25): a five-year road map to streamline library and archive services to support lifelong discovery and learning, build an informed citizenry, nurture a stronger appreciation of the Singapore experience, and ensure equal access and opportunities for everyone.”
  • Covid-19: Unvaccinated in Singapore barred from NLB libraries – Yahoo. ” From 1 December, the list of places and events that unvaccinated individuals cannot enter or attend will be expanded to include National Library Board libraries and selected activities in People’s Association venues. “
• USA – Texas Library Cancel Children’s Event After Transgender Misinformation Sparks Threats – Newsweek. ” the library was not, as had been falsely claimed, an event to “indoctrinate children into a transgender way of life.””
  • More Republican leaders try to ban books on race, LGBTQ issues – NPR. Lists various moves to censor books, mainly in school libraries.
  • Viral photo of near-empty library shelves sends powerful message: ‘We removed every book with content that could offend someone’ – Yahoo. “The pair of side-by-side photos, shared by Pflugerville Public Library in Texas, aims to provide a visual of what library shelves might look like if everything containing subject matter that could cause someone discomfort was to be removed. “This is a before and after shot of what a single shelving unit in the library’s Teen Space would look like if we removed every book with content that could offend someone,” the caption begins. “Out of 159 books, there are ten left on the shelves. We removed books that contained profanity, teen drinking, religious content, racism, magic, abuse, sexual content, and more. But in taking away those books, we also removed examples of friendship, love, courage, creativity, faith, forgiveness, reality, resilience, humor, and history.””

Local news by authority

• Bath and North East Somerset – Seasonal Gift a Book campaign calls for donations – Journal and Gazette. “Libraries in Bath and North East Somerset are inviting book donations, to be gifted to people in the community who may not otherwise receive a Christmas present. The Gift a Book campaign ran for the first time in 2019 when more than 2,000 books were donated by residents and charities across B&NES.”
• Darlington – Plans for Darlington library’s restoration and how long it will take – Northern Echo. “The Grade II listed building will be brought back to its former glory with a 15-month restoration programme that will include the roof covering and key heritage features such as decorative plasterwork. There will also be improvements to the library’s digital infrastructure and a general refresh of the internal area.”
• East Dunbartonshire – Here is why East Dunbartonshire Council buildings will light up in orange – Glasgow Times. “East Dunbartonshire libraries, community hubs and libraries will take part on the first and last day of the United Nations’ 16 Days of Action against Gender Based Violence Campaign.”
• East Riding – Business and IP Centres will launch in three East Riding Libraries next month – Bridlington Free Press. “The new centres are launching following last year’s pledge of £13 million in Treasury funding for The British Library Business and IP Centre Major Expansion of its highly successful network of library based BIPCs from 14 to over 100 regional and local libraries across England.”
• Falkirk – £40k cash boost for Falkirk libraries to help staff support users’ mental health – Daily Record. Scottish Government covid funding. “The £39,992 funding will enable the libraries to work with Falkirk’s Mental Health Association (FDAMH), training all their staff so they can better support library users with their mental health.”
• Fife – Library book returned more than seven decades late – Shropshire Star. This story has had international coverage. ““For a bit of fun we worked out how much could have been due in fees and it comes to a whopping £2,847. “It arrived with a lovely letter from the borrower’s daughter who was able to give us a bit of detail.” OnFife Libraries have had an amnesty on late fees throughout the pandemic to encourage members to return books.”
• Glasgow – Protests at Maryhill and Whiteinch libraries to continue in fight for future of Glasgow venues – Glasgow Times. “In their calls for long-term funding, campaigners will continue to hold read-in protests outside libraries in Maryhill and in Whiteinch.”
  • Glasgow Life announce extended library opening hours – Glasgow Times.
  • Five Glasgow libraries to reopen after funding lifeline – BBC. “Five libraries in Glasgow that closed during the Covid pandemic are set to reopen after securing £450,000 in Scottish government funding. The money will help reopen libraries in Maryhill, Whiteinch, Barmulloch, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Couper Institute. It is part of a Scotland-wide £1.25m public library Covid relief fund. However, Glasgow Labour councillor Malcolm Cunning said it “falls well short” of what is needed.”
• Gloucestershire – Free intellectual property information service launched by Gloucestershire Libraries – Punchline. “The new information service launched by Gloucestershire Libraries is called Ask Us Business and Patent Library Centre (PatLib) and is based at Gloucester Library.”
• Highland – Book Week Scotland celebrated as High Life Highland libraries organise activities for literary lovers of all ages – Inverness Courier. “Literary lovers can join in Book Week Scotland at libraries across the Highlands. With the annual celebration of books and reading taking place across the country between now and November 21, High Life Highland (HLH) libraries are running a huge range of activities”
• Inverclyde – Partner press release: Library service honoured – Inverclyde Council. “The award recognised the talent, innovation, and achievement of library teams throughout Scotland during the pandemic. It welcomed entries from all SLIC members, including university and specialist libraries, and presented an opportunity for services to showcase staff-driven initiatives which have greatly enhanced user experience. The East Lothian service won the award for its sustained, imaginative, and ambitious response to the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic.”
• Manchester – Give the Gift of Reading this Christmas – Just Giving / Manchester Central Library Development Trust. “Thanks to your amazing generosity last year, we raised £4,000 to buy new books for children and young people in Manchester as part of our Book Gifting Campaign. Despite our libraries and schools being fully open again, the impact of Covid on children’s learning means that access to books at home has never been more important.” … “We work with over 100 local organisations including foodbanks, community groups, SureStart Centres, refugees and youth groups.  Working together we can ensure that we are reaching the children and families where free books can really make a difference.”
• Northern Ireland – Enniskillen library burglary condemned as ‘disgraceful’ with building closed due to damage – Belfast Telegraph. “I was disgusted to hear about the burglary at the library on Halls Lane and the significant damage caused. This is an important community hub, a place where people young and old gather to read or just to socialise.”
• South Gloucestershire – South Gloucestershire sports facilities and libraries to benefit from £550k investment – Gazette series. ” £96,000 is also set to be used to enhance facilities at libraries in Emersons Green and Downend to improve library facilities across South Gloucestershire.” … “The funding comes in the form of developer contributions”
• Oldham – Libraries have been with Mary through every chapter of her life – Oldham Council. “ailsworth-born Centenarian marked the occasion with a special visit to her local library, where she was presented with a birthday cake. The library staff also put together a special display of books about the area and presented Mary with a birthday present – ‘Mary’s Memories Scrapbook’, which included a collection of photos of Failsworth supplied by the Local Studies and Archives team and articles from a newspaper dated from the week she was born.”
• Oxfordshire – Libraries could help to tackle above-average levels of loneliness and social isolation for residents of Banbury and Oxfordshire – Banbury Guardian. Council says ““One of the areas we are particularly interested in is looking at the role of libraries as safe places that people feel comfortable attending and how their role can potentially be expanded, not just as physical spaces but the role they have in book delivery to people who cannot get to a library,” she said.”
• Powys – Five-year fight to save library ends in success – Brecon and Radnor Express. “The announcement comes as a result of extensive negotiations between Powys County Council and HayPublicLibrary.org, the Community Interest Company (CIC), set up by Hay-on-Wye Library Supporters (HOWLS) in 2019. The company worked with Cllr Rachel Powell, Powys Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, Culture and Leisure, to draw up a five-year commercially binding contract. This guarantees Hay Library will retain the same opening hours and staffing levels”
  • Covid tests available at libraries – My Welshpool.
• Renfrewshire – £40k cash boost will help launch Renfrewshire libraries project to tackle social isolation – Daily Record. “The Scottish Government has handed Renfrewshire Leisure the grant from the £1.25milliion Public Library Covid Relief Fund”
• Suffolk – Library cancels Insulate Britain event after claiming it was ‘misled’ – East Anglian Daily Times. “Woodbridge Library’s meeting room was privately booked for an event tonight (November 23). We were aware that it was an event to discuss climate change, but we weren’t previously made aware it was being promoted as an Insulate Britain event.“We have now decided to cancel the booking as we were misled over the nature of the event. “We have concerns that literature being used to promote it to local people could make it appear as if it is a library event and we have concerns that the controversy surrounding Insulate Britain may result in negativity towards our staff.”
• Thurrock – Campaigners cautiously welcome chance to save a much-loved Thameside Theatre – Thurrock Gazette. “They want to move the library and the registry office but they aren’t giving them much room. The library will have room for eight bookshelves and two computers but at the moment they have about 30 computers and two floors of books. “They are talking about putting us in an empty shop in the High Street but there won’t be enough space as we have so many artefacts. We want to stay where we are and we want to be together with the library.””
• Torfaen – Cwmbran, Blaenavon, Pontypool library opening hours cut – Free Press. “There are currently four vacant library assistant roles within the borough’s service, which is leading to staff shortages as more people return to using libraries following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Torfaen council is currently carrying out a review of library services, and it says filling the four vacancies while this is ongoing would ‘prejudice’ its outcome.”
• Warwickshire – New eco merchandise promotes Warwickshire Libraries and green-living – Leamington Observer.
• Wigan – Community libraries reopen after Covid-enforced closures – Leigh Journal. “A majority of facilities opened their doors on Monday, November 15 and will initially operate on reduced opening hours, so that staff can carry out additional work in relation to operating in a Covid-safe environment.”
• Wirral – More Wirral libraries reopening from today – Wirral Globe. “The new items were designed with book lovers and environmentalists in mind with each one promoting the library service. Products include cotton tote bags, coffee cups and water bottles with designs ranging from the Hungry Caterpillar and Harry Potter to Shakespeare. Available to purchase in county council managed libraries, it is also hoped the new range will encourage less frequent library-goers to return to their local library.”

Editorial

There have been some more reports of councils looking to cut services due to Covid, either directly due to budgetary pressure or because of reductions in usage. This is what has been feared in library circles. What’s strange though is that the reports I am seeing is that some library services are reporting getting back to almost normal levels of business while others are at barely half of what they were in 2019. That’s a major difference and I’m not seeing much explanation of it. Perhaps we’ll see it soon.

In other news, COP26 has not gone un-noticed in libraries this week, with a report on how GLL are being more sustainable in their libraries, and a lovely quote from Surrey Libraries saying “what we recycle are stories”. Finally, I’m pleased to include an extract from a new book on the history of libraries, called “fragile” – something which some users of Bolton, Dorset, Nottinghamshire, Slough and the Wirral may have particular recent reason to agree with, as would those users of the Staffordshire Schools Library Service which follows a long list of others in announcing its closure.

Changes by local authority

• Bolton – 70 hours cut.
• Leeds – Change of opening hours so no Sunday opening but more opening in week.

Staffordshire – School Library Service closed.

Extract from “Libraries: A Fragile History” by Andrew Pettegree and Arthur Der Weduwen

“Carnegie brought little romance to the business of libraries, but much of the clear-minded rationality with which he had made his business fortune: when he sold out to John Pierpont Morgan in 1901 to devote himself entirely to philanthropy, he was the richest man in America. His sense of purpose was precisely what the public library movement needed at the time Carnegie was most active, between 1880 and 1919. Libraries proliferated during the nineteenth century, responding to the rapidly growing demand for books, a product of radical social and technological change. Books became cheaper and more abundant, and more men and women were looking to read, for recreation, information and social advancement. Yet abundance brought its own challenges: if books became cheaper, the imperative to borrow, rather than own, which had sustained the subscription and circulating libraries in the eighteenth century and the first decades of the nineteenth, fell away. The public library had to find a motive, a clientele, and a niche in the library world. Until the arrival of Carnegie, it was by no means certain that it had succeeded.”

About the book

“Throughout their long and tumultuous history libraries have taken almost every form imaginable, from humble wooden chests to vast palaces of marble and gilt. But one thing has always remained the same: the immense, sometimes obsessive lengths to which humans will go in order to acquire and possess knowledge. In this, the first major work of its kind, Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen explore the rich and dramatic history of the library, from the famous collections of the ancient world to the embattled public resources we cherish today. Along the way, they introduce us to the antiquarians, philanthropists and eccentrics who shaped the world’s great collections, trace the rise and fall of technologies, ideologies and tastes – and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanours committed in the pursuit of rare and valuable manuscripts. From the age of the scroll to the disappearance of the bookmobile, the story of a library is also the story of the society or individual that created it: this erudite and fascinating account reveals what libraries can tell us about ourselves, and why we continue to collect, to destroy – and to make the library anew.”

, published by Profile Books.

National news

• Baby Babble (A NAGwebinar week event) November 9 @ 11:00 – National Acquisitions Group. “Baby Babble is a five-week programme for babies aged around 4 to 9 months and their parents/carers. The sessions, developed with speech and language therapists and led by Derbyshire Sure Start librarians, are fun and interactive with activities and ideas to encourage babies’ early communication skills, speech and language.”
• Characters of Colour in UK kids books have quadrupled, and more good book news – Book Riot. “numbers has risen to 8% of books featuring a minority ethnic main character and 15% including minority ethnic characters. There’s still a way to go to represent the 34% of elementary school children who are from an ethnic minority background, but it’s demonstrating steady growth every year.”
• CILIP Library and Information Supplier Showcase – Autumn 2021 – CILIP. “We are looking to the future” by having a physical event in London, 30 November.
• Letters: Libraries need to move with the times and look to a digital future – Herald. “The library service has been in a steady decline over recent years, I think because it has mainly been built and designed as a singular unit, rather than being part of a hub, hosting other popular and essential local services, which would surely in turn bring in more local members of the public. “
• Libraries and climate change: reducing, reusing and recycling in GLL – DCMS Libraries. “Libraries are often viewed as the perfect example of recycling – one book is used by many people – but does that mean that we can sit back and relax, feeling the job is done and the world is saved for future generations? GLL is a charitable social enterprise and manages five public library services – and over the last few years, we have been exploring ways in which all aspects of our services can become more sustainable. We are librarians – and so our first task was a literature search, which lead us to adopt “reduce, reuse and recycle” as our mantra.”
• Libraries are linked to the values that define the character of a nation – Marc Lambert – Scotsman. “Libraries, in short, are essential to the individual, to families, and to the communities they live in. They are central to the social fabric of a properly democratic nation. The invention of the alphabet and writing is commonly viewed as one of humankind’s greatest inventions. But in a sense the creation of the public library system goes one better. Whereas the early scribes and the Kings they served jealously guarded the technology of writing and the information it encoded, libraries flipped that on its head.”
• Libraries, bitstreams and the threat to our repositories of knowledge – Financial Times. “The enduring vitality and importance of libraries is underscored by the arrival of two timely new books. They address both the history and future challenges facing these important institutions. Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen take a broad view in The Library, ranging across the millenia. Meanwhile in Bitstreams, Matthew Kirschenbaum, professor of digital humanities at the University of Maryland, focuses on the growing issue of how, in our digital world, we can ensure the future preservation and understanding of literary texts.”
• Libraries Connected Awards 2021: Vision and Print Impaired People’s shortlist – Libraries Connected.

International news

• Canada – Ontario school board reviews every book in every library to cull those ‘harmful’ to students – National Post. “Trustee Mike Ramsay said he is concerned that “censoring or book burning” is being done under cover of human rights and equity. “Not only as a person of colour on the board but also after being around for many years now,” Ramsay said, “my concern is that the criteria for banning books comes only from staff being informed by a select few.”
• Iraq – UK publishers donate 10,000 books to restock Mosul library after ISIS attack – BookSeller. “The UK’s leading international book donation and library development charity has supported the restocking of the library and said the total number of books provided through their services now totals 20,099. The charity was approached by Mosul Book Bridge, a group set up in the aftermath of the 2015 attack, aiming to restore the library.”

Local news by authority

• Bolton – Seventy hours to be lost under Bolton libraries shake-up – Bolton News. “Several libraries have seen their hours curtailed – with Harwood being the major loser. The Gate Fold branch will see its hours slashed by 15 – with an extra closing day pencilled in for Fridays. Another location to bear the brunt is Horwich, where 12-and-a-half hours are being stripped out from the timetable”
• Cambridgeshire – Rapid Covid tests available from Cambs libraries as local cases rise sharply – Cambridge News.
• Central Bedfordshire – What’s On: Murder, Mystery and Mayhem with Central Bedfordshire Libraries – Cranfield and Marston Vale Chronicle. “There will be competitions, quizzes and reading challenges for adults in libraries with lots of opportunities to win goodies, meet popular crime authors and get books signed.”
• Cheshire East – Celebration of reading inspires children to join the library – Knutsford Guardian. “More than 172,350 physical and digital items were borrowed and 1,685 children became library members. A total of 4,390 young people took part and 326 youngsters joined in online.”
• Coventry – One Million Reads commissions Photographer-in-Residence – Coventry Observer. “Local photographer, Russell Whitehead, will visit four libraries in Coventry, taking portraits of members of the public to reveal the positive impact reading can have. Following photography shoots at libraries in Coundon, Bell Green, Willenhall and Stoke Aldermoor, an exhibition of the final photographs will go on tour around the city.”
• Dorset – Public consultation over the future of Dorset libraries after drop in visitor numbers – Bridport News. “It comes after figures showed the number of visitors to Dorset Council libraries during 2020/21 went down by 93 per cent from the previous year – with 1,216,132 visitors recorded in 2019/20 falling to just 83,078 the following year. This was due to significant periods during the Covid-19 pandemic when the council’s library buildings were closed, followed by phased re-opening of libraries, with only limited services available.”

“I popped into my local library to pick up a consultation form – only to find that the staff suggested I did it online. I said I would really prefer to write it out – and eventually a paper copy was provided. The staff explained that the Council wanted to save paper. It struck me that many customers using library buildings to borrow books would not fill out an online form and that by not providing forms to complete in a paper format, the consultation was building in a bias to a digital future. “

Dorset – Email received

• Edinburgh – Libraries offering digital help – book a session now – Edinburgh Reporter. “For anyone needing help getting started with the library’s downloadable ebook, audiobook, magazine and newspaper services, there are bookable Digital Help Surgeries available to book on Tuesdays in November.”
• Gateshead – Residents urged to have their say on plans to transform five Gateshead libraries – Chronicle Live. “Residents have until January to have their say on a shake-up which could see five Gateshead libraries run by community organisations. A report heard by the Gateshead Council’s cabinet in October revealed it needs to save £1.2m on services it provides under its public health and wellbeing group, which libraries fall under.”
• Highland – Get bitten by the Bookbug at Caithness libraries – John O’Groat Journal. ““Over the course of the last 18 months, our library staff have continued to sing songs, say rhymes and read stories to young children online – so being able to once again hold these sessions in person in our libraries has been fantastic”
• Inverclyde – Top author books in for Inverclyde COP26 talk – Inverclyde Council. “Alastair McIntosh will be at Gourock Library on Tuesday 9 November from 5-6.30pm to discuss how to tackle climate change after the UN summit in Glasgow.”
• Leeds – Leeds City Council announces new library opening hours – Leeds Council. “the survey showed that Sunday was the day when they were least likely to visit a library and as a result the council has made the decision to close them on Sundays to provide the increased flexibility of later hours on other days.”
• North East Lincolnshire – Grimsby Central Library closes suddenly until further notice – Grimsby Telegraph. “Central Library has been closed while work is carried out on the building due to asbestos fears after an inspection of the main foyer.”
• Nottinghamshire – ‘Significant reduction’ in Nottinghamshire library use but no plans to close services – Worksop Guardian. “With 112,087 physical visits to our libraries, I have worries our library estate may not be fit for purpose as more residents go online.”. Reply was ““In Nottinghamshire, our return to normal operating is notably quicker than in many other parts of the country.”
• Slough – Slough library opening times could be cut and two closed completely – Get Reading. “The consultation – open to all residents and library users outside the borough – will be used to make a final decision in 2022. The survey will run from October 28 until January 20.”
• Staffordshire – Staffordshire school pupils to lose library books service – Stoke Sentinel. “Last academic year, just 67 schools – 15 per cent of all schools within the county – subscribed to its package of resources and support. This term, that has dropped to 23 schools. Now the plan is to replace it with a ‘teacher’s ticket’ from January. This will enable individual teachers to borrow up to 15 children’s non-fiction books for 12 weeks from a public library. One member of staff at the schools’ library service is to be made redundant. While the two others affected have secured posts within the main libraries and arts service.”

• Tameside – Library to close for ‘fire protection works’ – just two years after huge multi-million pound development first opened – Manchester Evening News. “Ashton-under-Lyne library was built in March 2019 as part of the multi-million pound Vision Tameside project. But it will be shut for 12 weeks from tomorrow (November 6), as building works to ‘boost’ its fire protection take place. Insurers suggested the works would ‘reduce risk and insurance premiums’ for the building at Tameside One. It comes following changes in the fire insurance market in light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.”
• Wirral – Wirral Council criticised for avoiding ‘difficult’ financial decisions – BBC News. £9m budget hole. “The authority was criticised for its reluctance to make cuts to any of its 16 libraries, make staff redundant or increase car park charges.” … “Ms Williamson said the council had tried to keep facilities open wherever it could and Wirral residents’ interests were “at the heart of every decision we make”.”
  • Threats to Wirral’s libraries and leisure centres ‘disgraceful’ and ‘disgusting’ – Liverpool Echo. “One person said: “Yes of course take our libraries, something that serves the public, is educational and has a useful purpose. “Well they will have a fight on their hands if they try to close Hoylake Library.” While another said: “Why? What all of a sudden has caused this to be a necessity? For decades the libraries have been an integral part of our communities and the very few people in high up positions are trying to take them away from the many that need them, disgraceful!””