The Libraries Slight Improvement Fund

Editorial

The winners of Libraries Improvement Fund grants have been announced, with 25 services sharing £5 million. The largest grant is £495k (Sandwell) and the smallest is £62k (Reading). Before we get too excited by this government largesse, it’s worth remembering the £5 million fund is less than a third that given to museums at the same time, a sector with fewer visitors and buildings. To put it into more perspective. one private subscription library, Leeds, announced extra funding more than twice that of the largest LIF receiver in the same week. And just one building, a new combined library/museum in Wakefield, will cost more than three times than the entire national award. So, it’s a nice thing, it’s good one could apply for building improvements, and well done to the library services involved but the scale fo the funding is just plain woefully inadequate given the challenges to the sector, which is often most obvious in its buildings. So, I hope the sector becomes like Oliver, and asks for more. Substantially more. And if we get it, well, that would be a Twist indeed.

In other news, Blackpool has continued being fines-free for another year, reporting that it has seen no increase in the amount of unreturned or late items. I understand Libraries Connected is researching the fines-free model as well and seeing how/if other services can go down that route. It seems that the whole pro-fines argument has shifted in the last ten years from “Fines are needed as otherwise we will lose stuff” to “We’d like to get rid of fines but we need the income from them” as the main reason why many library services have not gone down that route. The strength of that argument (and the weakness in library budgets it shows) will be tested in many more services soon, as the number of services going fines-free continues to grow.

Changes by local authority

• North Yorkshire – Knaresborough library to have building society co-located into it.
• Staffordshire – Burton demolition plan cancelled.
• Wakefield – £16m new library/museum/cafe

National news

• £48 million to safeguard nation’s critical cultural heritage – Gov.uk. £5 million for libraries: “The Libraries Improvement Fund is helping to transform library services in England by helping them upgrade their buildings and digital infrastructure so they can respond to the changing ways people use them. Twenty-five library services are being supported in this round of funding, including Sandwell Library and Information Service in the West Midlands (£495,000) and Sheffield Libraries (£340,000).”
  • Over £6m in new funding granted to Yorkshire museums and libraries – here’s where – Yorkshire Post. “Almost £150,000 will support Barnsley Council to redevelop Dodworth Library to allow more flexible use of the space and improve access for users.” … “Sheffield will also receive £340,000 to pay for library upgrade work, with Leeds receiving £267,000 and Bradford and Scarborough £200,000 each.”
  • Cultural Investment Fund: Data – Arts Council England. “This includes £24 million through round two of the Cultural Development Fund to help regenerate communities through improved growth and productivity. The Museums Estate and Development Fund is awarding £18 million to help museums improve their infrastructure and carry out urgent maintenance works. We’re also investing £5 million in 25 library services to upgrade their buildings and technology, through the Libraries Improvement Fund.”

Table from Cultural Investment Fund: Data | Arts Council England

• 600 public buildings in Wales levelled up with full fibre broadband – Gov.uk. “Site Coordinator at Milford Haven Library Tracy Collins said: “ A lot of members of the public come in to use the computers for job searches. People used to say that the internet was very slow, especially when they were downloading documents and we would have to say sorry but there was nothing we could do about it. It’s been great so far, this is a big step forward.””
• CILIP ILIG Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2022 and CILIP President Talk – CILIP. Zoom, Wednesday 11 May, 3-4pm.
• Clarivate to Cease all Commercial Activity in Russia – Clarivate.
• Dozens of library closures across Scotland blamed on SNP ‘underfunding’ local councils – Daily Record. “A total of 83 community facilities shut their doors permanently in the period covering 2009 to 2020. There are now fears the impact of the coronavirus pandemic could force cash-strapped councils to close even more cultural facilities. Official figures show the number of libraries nationwide has dropped from 627 to 544 despite total visitor numbers increasing over the last decade.” … “the Improvement Service’s Local Government Benchmarking Framework Report shows that numbers of library visits have increased by 41% between 2010-11 to 2019-20.”
• Invitation to Tender – Digital Leadership for Libraries – CILIP. “The tender is to develop 5 open-access e-learning modules. These modules are intended to create engagement and expose learners to the ideas.”
• Scotland libaries: One in eight Scottish libraries permanently closed since 2010, figures reveal – Scotsman. “Over the same period, spending on public libraries plummeted by 30 per cent, despite the fact that yearly visitor numbers to libraries increased by over 40 per cent.”

International news

• India – Rethinking Librarianship with a human touch: experiences of an Indian library professional at IFLA – CILIP. Zoom, 27 April, 1pm.
• Ukraine – CILIP extends free membership to Ukrainian librarians displaced by the Russian invasion – CILIP. “Any Ukrainian information professional who has sought or is seeking refuge in the UK from 1 January 2022 is now eligible for free CILIP membership with access to the support and benefits of this professional community.”
  • Ukraine’s libraries are offering bomb shelters, camouflage classes and, yes, books – NPR. “”Refugee reception points, hostels and logistics points are organized here,” she said. “Camouflage nets for the military are also woven here. Home care courses are held here. Books are collected here to be transferred to libraries in neighboring countries that receive Ukrainian refugees.””

Local news by authority

• Barnsley – Our Futures Now book begins its tour around Barnsley Libraries – News Anyway. “The book celebrates the stories that come straight from the heart of real people, many of who live in Barnsley and are passionate about our borough. From stories based on the resilience shown during the pandemic to fictional or very personal narratives, each story looks at the future of our borough with ambition and optimism. Our Futures Now will travel across the borough, allowing everyone to see it and get inspired on the doorstep of their local community. Each month, the hand-made version of the book will be staying at a different library. “
• Blackpool – Blackpool library fines scrapped for another year– The Gazette. Move is to ensure people have equality and free access. No increase in lost/late books reported.
• Bradford – A Special Message from the Lord Mayor of Bradford – Bradford and District Local Studies. Mayor congratulating Bradford libraries for being open for 150 years.
• Denbighshire – Denbighshire libraries to celebrate wellbeing in programme of events – The Free Press. “Nicola Pitman, chair of the Society of Chief Librarians Cymru and library lead, who has been working in partnership with The Reading Agency on the campaign: “We hope that these national Winter of Wellbeing author events will encourage and attract the young people of Wales to our libraries, to read and engage with all the activities and entertainment inside.”
• Devon – Much loved library shuts for refurbishment – Devon Live. Holsworthy: “The frontage of the library, which was built in the 1970s, is being replaced, and new flooring is being installed throughout.”
• Edinburgh – Temporary library to open at The Fort in Leith – Edinburgh Reporter. “This temporary arrangement will continue until the Covid testing facility moves out of Leith Library.”
• Fife – Limited access to library in Fife town sparks growing concern – Fife Today. “the library at Waid Academy in Anstruther is only open for browsing for three-and-a-quarter hours each week as Fife Council do not want members of the public mixing with school pupils.”
• Glasgow – Susan Deighan becomes new Glasgow Life Chief Executive – Glasgow Evening Times. in-house appointment, libraries not mentioned at all in article.
• Halton – TV’s Konnie Huq to host family events in our libraries – News Anyway. “Children’s writer and presenter, Konnie Huq, to host family events on science, the environment and coding at Halton’s Libraries as part of British Science Week – and both events are already full”
• Kirklees – Dewsbury Library space takes on a new look as work is completed – Kirklees Together. “We have now completed works in the area around Dewsbury Library to brighten up the important pedestrian gateway into the town centre.”
• Leeds – Leeds Library set to expand for first time in 143 years as part of new £1.2 million investment – Yorkshire Evening Post. This is the private subscription library and not the public library.
• Northamptonshire – Raunds library saved from closure as education trust steps in – Northants Telegraph. ” building owners North Northants Council (NNC) has entered into a partnership, brokered between an ‘experienced and established’ academy trust and Raunds Community Library Trust.”
  • Name revealed for Kettering’s £3.9m ‘cultural gem’ complex – Northants Telegraph. “It’s now been revealed that the complex will be called Cornerstone – reflecting how the old parts of the library and gallery buildings will connect as well as the site’s corner position within Kettering town centre”
• Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland libraries offered a virtual lifeline during pandemic: ‘We do see ourselves as community hubs’ – Belfast Telegraph. ““It certainly has taken off, especially during lockdown obviously whenever libraries were closed,” says Michael Lynn, Service Development Manager for Libraries NI of digital borrowing. “The number of eBooks we loaned during that period certainly did jump a huge amount. The year before Covid, 2019-2020 we had about 500,000 eBook loans. In 2020-2021, it jumped up to over 920,000 …”
• North Lanarkshire – North Lanarkshire Libraries team up with mental health charity to provide drop-in events – Daily Record. “supporting local charity ‘You Are My Sunshine’ by providing them space to operate from at Newarthill Library.The charity will be based there on Monday and Wednesday evenings “
• North Yorkshire – Building society set to open in Knaresborough library – York Press. ““The offer of financial services promises to increase footfall into Knaresborough library and encourage new visitors through the doors. We look forward to seeing its grand opening in the summer.””
• Nottinghamshire – Concerns as Nottinghamshire libraries use falls 300,000 visits short of target – Newark Advertiser. “Nottinghamshire County Council papers show the authority’s library network missed one target by almost 300,000 visits ­— but the chairman of the council’s communities committee said recovery won’t happen overnight. From October to December 2021, there were 283,682 visits to county libraries against a target of 575,000.” … “new targets have been set for April to December 2022 to include website visits and home delivery as this “better reflects the performance of the service and how users engage with it following the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions and wider cultural shifts in user habits”.”
• Oxfordshire – Grove Library marks its 50th birthday – Oxfordshire County Council. “To mark the occasion, the library is going back to 1972 with a nostalgic display of 70s memorabilia, including some of the bestselling books of 1972, fashion, pictures and film.  Staff, volunteers and councillors will be marking the occasion with a small birthday celebration – including cake …”
• Portsmouth – ‘Forgotten’ Portsmouth library book rediscovered over 60 years overdue – Portsmouth City Council. “concerns about the fines the original borrower received but was delighted to hear that Portsmouth City Council has scrapped all overdue library fines to help encourage residents to return to the library.”
• Staffordshire – Controversial plan to move Burton Library into Market Hall now appears dead in the water – Staffordshire Live. “Controversial proposals to move Burton Library to the town’s historic Market Hall now appear to have been completely scrapped. Library bosses have today confirmed the service will stay put – days after councillors voted against the move, which would have meant the market hall’s closure and traders being kicked out. And it now looks likely cash set aside to move the library will be spent on delivering the Town Fund project to turn the area between High Street and the Washlands into a tourist hotspot of bars and cafes.”
• Suffolk – Victorian-era toilet discovered in Suffolk library during refurbishment – EADT. “”Unfortunately – or perhaps, fortunately – the bucket was missing but I managed to find one on eBay that fitted perfectly underneath,” Allan Hampson, who restored the loo, said.”
  • Pose on a Victorian toilet, music and more set for Suffolk Libraries Day – Ipswich Star. “Suffolk Libraries, the charity that runs the county’s library service is gearing up for its third annual countywide fundraising event which began this week with a book festival.  “
  • The Suffolk women helping others build their dream business – EADT. “We Are Radikl’s joint venture with Suffolk Libraries is a free six-week programme that helps and encourages local women to successfully start, sustain and scale their own businesses – while also providing a route to funding opportunities.  “
• Wakefield – Wakefield’s new library and museum set to open at ex-BHS site – BBC. “A derelict city centre shop is set to be transformed into a new £16m home for Wakefield’s library. The closed BHS unit on Kirkgate, opposite Wakefield Cathedral, is to be turned into a city centre hub with a museum and cafe, council bosses said. The proposed development was originally dropped by Wakefield Council last year. But, following a change of mind, work on the site was due to start soon and should be completed within the next two years, according to the authority.”