Hack-ney

Editorial

A reasonably quiet week this week, with the only storm cloud being Hackney’s decision to cut £250k from its budget, resulting in protests.

Changes by local authority

• Hackney – £250k cut from £5.6m

National news

• Book prices set to rise as production costs soar, say UK publishers – Guardian. “highly likely that book prices for consumers would have to increase “across all formats” by 10 to 20%.”
• Evaristo and Cadwalladr among 2022 Honorary Fellowship – CILIP. Author, journalist, Bodleian librarian, lecturer.

• Mark My Words – Universal Music Group and The Reading Agency gift books by Black authors to libraries across the UK – Reading Agency. “The titles, including both fiction and non-fiction books for both children and adults, will be donated to local authority hubs across the UK.”
• PMLG Teachmeet 2022 – CILIP. Friday 11 November, all day, West Yorkshire.
• Scotland’s top libraries crowned as ‘outstanding contributions’ recognised – Yahoo. “East Lothian were given the Library Service Excellence award while the team from Inverclyde won Project of the year for their work around COP26.”
• UK councils slashing services to meet £3.2bn budget shortfall – Guardian. “Libraries and children’s centres are closing and home pick-ups for young disabled people being cancelled as councils try to meet a £3.2bn budget shortfall next year.” Library closures in Wirral cited as an example.

International news

• Australia – Newcastle City Library, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia – Library Planet.
• Global – Arenas for conflict or cohesion? Rethinking public libraries as potentially democratic spheres – Information Research. Swedish academic study. “If the notion of libraries as promoters of democracy and inclusion shall not result in upholding the status quo, we must go beyond what we know and make room for pluralistic communities and agonistic conflicts.”
  • The impact and concept of public libraries in the twenty-first century – Information Research. Japanese study on Danish library.
  • Social reading and the public sphere in Nordic public libraries: a comparative study – Information Research. “The results establish a need for further research on social reading in public libraries, especially concerning the types and nature of activities generally included in social reading and the extent digital solutions are used.”
• Canada – Libraries & Lizards: Playing D&D at Public Libraries Program Framework – YA Hotline. “This program was developed specifically for a group of 3-5 players ages 15 to 18.”
• Norway – Promoting public libraries as democratic spaces through governmental and municipal library strategies: Norwegian library strategies post 2014 law changes – Information Research. Japanese study.
• USA -Digital Resource Use and Accessibility in Public Libraries: A Survey Report – University of Southern California.
  • Florida Puts Raging MAGA Moms on Book-Banning Council – Daily Beast. Moves towards more censorship in the Sunshine State.
  • Libraries Can Unite a Lonely, Divided Nation – Bloomberg. “But there’s one institution that has long bolstered communities in an open and democratic way: America’s libraries.”
  • “No One Told Me:” A Dialog on Preparing Public Librarians to Provide Social Services in Public Libraries – ALISE (PDF). “Findings reveal that the inclusion of social work interview skills, de-escalation training, knowledge of social service resources, and instruction on how to collaborate with and supervise social workers would better prepare students for the realities of working in public libraries.”

Warm banks

• Cheshire East – Cheshire East Council launches ‘Warm Places’ scheme – Cheshire East Council. Includes libraries.
• Cornwall – Libraries in Cornwall warm spaces for residents – Packet.
• North Yorkshire – North Yorkshire libraries to be warm banks as Scarborough Council allocates £10k to support community organisations – Scarborough News.

Local news by authority

• Brent – Transforming Brent Libraries – Author House. Book: “The transformation of Brent libraries was a successful example of public service reform leading to improved outcomes despite a drop in budgets of almost 20%. As such it has been praised by staff in other authorities as well as in government literature . Yet it was extraordinarily controversial. “
• Coventry – Coventry library book returned 84 years late – BBC. Yay.
• Derbyshire – Sandiacre crash leaves car embedded in library – BBC. “A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of driving offences following the crash shortly before 07:30 GMT on Sunday.”

• Devon – Local libraries announce movie nights throughout November – North Devon Council. “Libraries across Devon are providing warm spaces this winter, to help provide support for people struggling with rising costs of energy and food. Some are also providing community fridges with free food available, and some have coat rails for people to donate winter coats for others to use.”
  • North Devon libraries sign up for free condom scheme – North Devon Gazette. “Devon Sexual Health is delighted to announce that Libraries Unlimited is supporting its C-Card scheme which gives young people aged 13-24 access to free condoms. Libraries Unlimited is now trialling three of its libraries as drop-in sites where existing C-Card holders can pick up condom packs.”
• Dorset – Consultation on Dorset libraries – Dorset Echo. “Dorset Council has launched the second phase of public consultation to inform how the authority develops and delivers the library service in the future with users and non-users all being asked to share their views.”
• East Riding – Get involved in voting for the Booktrust Storytime Prize at East Riding Libraries – East Riding Council.
• Hackney – ‘Absolute disgrace’: Protesters hit out at council plan to cut library jobs – with union set to vote on strike action – Hackney Citizen. “Hackney Council is looking at cutting 76 roles, including weekend assistants, but will create 57 new jobs, putting some people on higher grades and increasing wages and training. It spends £3m a year on staff costs out of a budget of £5.6m and said it needs to save £250,000.”

• Leeds – Rare Book Laced With Deadly Poison Found in a U.K. Library – Inside Edition. “Senior librarian, Rhian Isaac, discovered the copy of “My Own Garden: The Young Gardener’s Yearbook” on the shelves in Leeds Central Library after finding it in the database of The Poison Book Project”
• North Yorkshire – Photo exhibition with powerful message set to tour libraries – North Yorkshire Council. “North Yorkshire’s libraries, said: “This exhibition had a great impact in Skipton and we are really pleased this amazing work will now be seen by a wider audience across the county.””
  • ‘Anti-slip slippers’ for older people at Cross Hills event – Keighley News. “The session is one of a series being staged by the county’s libraries service, in conjunction with North Yorkshire Sport and other partners, to help prevent falls amongst the elderly. Loose or worn slippers are a common cause of falls”
  • Building society opens new branch in Knaresborough Library – Stray Ferret.
• Northern Ireland – 100 Places for 100 Years of the BBC – Story Maps. “you’ll recognise  Belfast Central Library  featuring as police HQ in ‘Line of Duty’.”
• Peterborough – Peterborough libraries offer amnesty on fines to recover 22,000 missing books – Guardian. “holding a fine amnesty to try to recover 22,000 missing books. The service, which runs 10 libraries across the area, will not fine anyone for returning overdue books and will clear accounts of debt.”

• Reading – Over 20 complaints made to Reading Libraries about drag story time which was targeted by protestors – Get Reading. “these fringe groups have threatened the company with “thousands” of protestors before, so the fact that only 23 people complained, suggests that they like to exaggerate how many people form part of their group. “
  Sheffield – Take ya pick-er! Litter picking equipment now available in local libraries – Sheff News. “Litter pickers, bags and gloves will now be readily available in many local libraries in Sheffield, ensuring that litter picking is more accessible and allowing more people to proactively look after their neighbourhoods. The Council will coordinate the distribution of the equipment to community libraries, after new stock is delivered by Amey to the Central Library.”
• Shropshire – Shropshire libraries take Poetry on Loan to reading group – Shropshire Council. “Members of a hospital reading group enjoyed a session with award-winning writer Kenton Samuels through Shropshire Council libraries service’s Poetry on Loan partnership.”
  • Science proves children’s reading scheme engineered success in Shropshire – Shropshire Council. “In total 3,302 children in the county signed up to meet the Gadgeteers and rise to the reading challenge while also enjoying access to a range of free materials available from Shropshire’s libraries and online. Events and activities based around the challenge attracted 3,789 visitors, and across the county a staggering 40,052 items were borrowed from libraries and online; and 508 children joined the library to take part.”
• South Lanarkshire – Lanarkshire library becomes ‘go-to’ place for locals unable to access social care services from home – Daily Record. “Locals will be able to attend appointments remotely at Biggar Library which becomes a ‘go-to’ place for video consultations if home is not an option.”

• Staffordshire – Changes and improvements are on the cards for five Staffordshire libraries. – Express and Star. “Burton Library could have a “maker space” and improvements to its audience area for events if a funding bid proves successful, while Cannock’s facility may move to a new town centre “cultural hub” as part of regeneration plans boosted by a £20m Government Levelling Up windfall. To the north of the county another Levelling Up Fund application is being made and proposals include transforming the Nicholson Institute, which is home to Leek Library. Tamworth’s library building is set to welcome Staffordshire County Council staff currently based at Marmion House, And in Kidsgrove discussions are taking place with the Town Deal Board for the library to be involved in the Kidsgrove Shared Service Hub.”
• Suffolk – Woodbridge Library launches new STEM books collection – East Anglian Daily Times. “Woodbridge Library will now have in its selection 50 books for 8–10-year-olds that cover the subjects of science, technology engineering and maths. The library hosted the free library science fun day that included Lego building challenge with prizes, marshmallow 3D shape-building, display and experiments by ‘It’s all Rocket Science’, as well as mega blok mayhem. “
• Wandsworth – Holocaust-denying bishop holds hate services in London library – Jewish Chronicle. “The notorious Holocaust-denier Bishop Richard Williamson has been conducting rabidly antisemitic “services” in a London library, the JC has discovered. The cleric, who is a founding member of a fringe Catholic movement called the Society of St Pius X Resistance, also has a YouTube channel with thousands of subscribers.” … “Earlsfield Library, where Williamson held his services for almost a decade, is owned by GLL, a charitable social enterprise. After being contacted by the JC, a spokesperson said the bishop’s comments were “disgraceful and unacceptable”. They added: “We have terminated all the group’s bookings with immediate effect.””
• Wirral – Wirral library faces demolition amid £20m budget cuts – BBC. Higher Bebington – “A decision on the demolition has been postponed until the new year when other options will be presented at a committee meeting on 25 January.”
  • Two libraries saved as council moves to let community groups take over – Liverpool Echo. “Pensby Library will move into the hands of Pioneer People and Prenton Library into the hands of St Stephens’ Church after councillors gave the go ahead for final talks.”
• Worcestershire – Public consultation for Redditch Library relocation gets go ahead – Redditch Advertiser. “Residents will now get the chance to have their say on proposals to relocate the library from its current site into the Town Hall which will be transformed into a community hub.”