A warm Christmas

Editorial

This is going to be the last post before Christmas and so it’s great to see public libraries doing so much great stuff. With the cold weather, the sector is really pushing it’s possibilities as a warm welcoming and neutral space to the fore. I’m loving things like “kindness racks” for people to donate and take clothes, places to recycle those troublesome used batteries, giving hot drinks, providing free activities and free charging of phones. This is full-on final chapter of Christmas Carol stuff but even more so are the library services who have removed fines and the two this week who have either “paused” fining or extended their fines amnesty. All this and we provide fantastic free loan of books too. My gosh what a sector to work for.

So, merry Christmas everyone. Wishing you all the best this festive season. May I wish you many more happy returns (and issues) in 2023.

Changes by local authority

• Cumbria – Kendal Library being further refurbished
• East Sussex – Newhaven, Rye and Hollington libraries to be refurbished.
• Shropshire – Review of library locations
• Stockport – Fines “paused” until Easter review.
• Suffolk – £170k grant from DHS for menopause support.
• Swindon – Council service hubs move into libraries

National news

• Green Libraries Conference – CILIP. London, 24 March 2023. “The 2023 Green Libraries Conference aims to connect library staff at all levels to share ideas and insights on environmental understanding and action. A free, one-day event for public libraries in England on the theme of ‘Working Together for People and Planet”
• Hot drinks, free coats, cold, hungry children: the shocking reality of Britain’s winter ‘warm banks’ – Guardian. “On Thursday, she spent some of the morning at the Gainsborough library in south-east Ipswich, in one of the city’s newly designated warm banks. The modern building is kept heated to 21C; its cafe offers free hot drinks and has a welcoming smell of toast. It feels like a healthier and more cheerful place than her home, where she has been keeping the heating off during the day to save money, and has experimented with keeping some of the windows open in an attempt to stop the spreading mould.”

“… the staff here are proving a new kind of support in a subtle way and their approach seems to be working. People come in to print out a document and stay in the cafe for hot drinks. Rails of free clothes (known as “kindness racks”) are available for visitors to choose whatever they want. On Thursdays, library staff and volunteers pack up bags of pears, potatoes, bananas, apples, peppers and carrots, and sell them for the reduced price of £2. Cartons of free period products have been slotted in between book displays on the library shelves, to make it easy for people to help themselves.”

• The Knowledge – This a link to subscribe to the free daily email from The Knowledge about current affairs. It’s a short update, and I’ve always found it interesting, with different articles to what normally sees plus some fun stuff. Not much to do with public libraries though. But, if you subscribe through the attached link, I get entered into a prize draw [! – Ed.]
• North-east family’s donation to help local charity spread message to every UK child – Press and Journal. “It’s hoped, by Christmas, each library in the UK will have a copy of A Friend Just Like Me. The book was written for Ballater organisation A Bear Named Buttony, set up to break the “poo taboo” around stomas, bowel and bladder conditions.”
• TalkTalk reveals more hybrid workers using libraries to reduce bills – News and Star. “Half of those that have used such alternative venues for work are now doing so for one or two days a week, with further third swapping home for local businesses or libraries three or four days a week.” see full TalkTalk report.
• A Tube-Style Map Of London Libraries – Londonist. “not only includes 350 libraries, but also provides information about their facilities and how to get between them”
• Webinars – British Library Living Knowledge Network. ” a series of recorded webinars that cover a wide range of useful topics for library staff. Build your knowledge of evaluating events, death positive libraries, engaging with teenagers and more.”
• Where to keep warm this winter – BBC Moneybox. “We visit Widnes library and speak to the organisers of the campaign.”

International news

• USA – Massachusetts library will display Christmas trees after controversy turned ‘neighbor against neighbor’ – Fox News. “”The initial decision to not display a Christmas tree was the result of an ongoing review of all our holiday decorations and displays that started back in the spring. What has played out on social media is unfortunate, it has negatively impacted our staff and the community, and frankly, transpired before we had even started our seasonal decorating. As we finish decorating for this holiday season, Christmas trees will be put up at both locations,”.
  • Celebrate Brooklyn Public Library’s 125th birthday with our 125 Most Borrowed Books – Brooklyn Public Library.
  • NYC public libraries say proposed budget cuts may ‘push us over the edge’ – Gothamist. “could face a total of $13.6 million in reductions for the current fiscal year (ending in June 2023) and $20.5 million in each of the next three fiscal years”
  • Teens, Trauma, and the Future of Libraries – Hi Miss Julie. “Teens today need libraries. And tomorrow’s libraries are going to need today’s teens to support them. Eventually these teens will be voting on your referendums. Their library usage (or lack thereof) impacts your door counts, circulation stats, wifi sessions, and all other metrics that impact funding in one way or another.”

Local news by authority

• Bedford – Free crafts and games for children at all Bedford libraries this Christmas – Bedford Today.
• Bradford – As cold snap bites, more than 20 ‘warm banks’ open for Bradford’s most vulnerable – Yahoo News. Libraries are included.
• Bristol – Bristol Central Library: More than 4,000 sign petitions against move – BBC. “In questions to Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, Mr Hartley was told the annual cost of running the Central Library is £1.63m per year, while it earned £80,000 per year through leasing its lower floors to Bristol Cathedral School … due to national underfunding and rising costs, councils will face an additional £3.4 billion of costs next year. This means that things which were previously red lines now have to be considered, including potentially relocating Central Library.”
• Buckinghamshire – A warm welcome awaits as libraries in Bucks act as Welcoming Spaces – Bucks Herald.
• Croydon – Council ‘cannot guarantee’ that libraries will remain open – London News Online. “Leader of the Labour opposition, Councillor Stuart King, asked how many of Croydon’s libraries would still be open in May 2026, when the next council elections are due to take place. Croydon’s Conservative mayor, Jason Perry, said: “The reality is that libraries are listed as potential disposals. “I don’t know where, we are at the very early stages of setting the budget for next year. To answer your question, I don’t know right now.””
• Cumbria – Kendal Library redesign works set to commence in January – Cumbria Council. “The redesigned library will improve browsing experience through clearer signage, improved layout and dedicated seating areas. The transformed building will provide the perfect space to read, learn, research, relax and make use of the digital facilities and resources on offer. There will also be a fantastic range of activities available such as Adult Learning classes, children’s activities and specialist drop ins.”

• Devon – Warm scheme highlights the importance of Kingsbridge library – Ivybridge Today. “we are welcoming anyone who needs to visit just to keep warm, have a hot drink, charge their phones, study, or simply spend time in the library reading and making use of our facilities.”
• East Riding – New “Stream” events at East Riding Libraries this Christmas – East Riding Council. “Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics” events at several libraries.
• East Sussex – Newhaven, Rye and Hollington libraries to be refurbished – Argus. “The venues in Newhaven, Rye and Hollington will be refurbished with funding from East Sussex County Council. According to the council, the works will “enhance customer experience”, creating children’s areas and study spaces and adding new seating.”
• Hackney – Council invites residents to donate coats at Hackney’s libraries – with winter swap scheme in ‘very high demand’ – Hackney Citizen. “Hundreds of coats are available across the seven libraries and people can take one if they need one. It is the first time the Kind Coat Scheme has been rolled out in Hackney. In the past, coats have only been available at Stoke Newington and Dalston libraries.”

• Peterborough – Peterborough library fine amnesty extended in bid to get overdue books back on the shelves – Peterborough Telegraph. ” “The amnesty has been really successful, mostly because we have been able to engage members who felt they couldn’t use the library service anymore because they owed us money – to date we have seen around 250 library members coming back to us – we’d like to push that to 300 by the end of this year. “
• Renfrewshire – Renfrewshire libraries join Winter Connections programme – Gazette. “Activities including family craft and play sessions and film nights, will be available in selected Renfrewshire libraries as part of the programme, which is creating a network of local places and spaces which offer free events and activities where people can come together and connect this winter. “
• Shropshire – Ponies, presents and plenty of people at Shropshire library’s festive celebrations – Shropshire Council. Santa grotto and Christmas tree competition attracts hundreds of children and eleven primary schools.
  • Shropshire Council to review location of libraries – BBC. “Libraries could share space with other community services under a new strategy, a council said. Shropshire Council’s Cabinet is being asked to approve strategy for services until 2027. It operates 21 static libraries, a prison library and three mobile libraries, and said while the “mix” will continue, each location will be reviewed.”
• Southwark – C20 campaigns for Peckham Library to be made UK’s first 21st-century listed building – De Zeen. “The Twentieth Century Society (C20) submitted an application to make Peckham Library a grade II*-listed building to protect it from plans to add “intrusive new rooftop plant equipment” to its roof. Opened in 2000, Peckham Library was designed by Alsop’s studio Alsop and Störmer and won the Stirling Prize the same year. If C20’s application is successful, it would become the UK’s youngest listed building and the first building opened in the 21st century to be listed.”

• Stockport – Library fines paused in the New Year – Stockport Council. “All library fines will be paused from the New Year, so you can borrow items without fear of fines. This will last until Easter 2023, when the policy will be reviewed. With the cost of living impacting everyone in the borough, the council want to encourage people to use their local library and keep on reading, without any potential barriers in place. It’s all part of the wider drive to keep residents warm and well over the winter period.”
• Suffolk – Suffolk Libraries receives £170k for menopause support programme – Suffolk Libraries. “… to provide support and advice for women who are experiencing the menopause and perimenopause. The funding has been announced after Suffolk Libraries successfully applied to the Department of Health and Social Care’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Fund.”
• Sutton – Helping you through the winter – Sutton Council. “in all our libraries, and in five of these you can find trained volunteers who provide advice on additional support and how to access this.”
• Swindon – Swindon libraries to be used as council service hubs – BBC. “Swindon Borough Council is proposing moving staff from Wat Tyler House to the five core libraries it runs. The council has seen a large drop-off in face-to-face enquiries and hopes the move will make its services easier to access. Under the plans, staff would work from the Central Library, Highworth, North Swindon Park, and West Swindon.”
• Warwickshire – Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant presents British Empire Medals to local residents – Warwickshire Council. “Mrs Sorrelle Clements from Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough, Service Development Manager for Coventry Libraries, received her BEM for her services to Libraries. Sorelle has worked at Coventry Libraries for over ten years, maintaining a focus on increasing engagement, accessibility, and inclusivity.”
• Wrexham – Cost of living support sessions taking place at libraries across Winter – Wrexham Council.
• York – Record numbers turn to ‘warm banks’ in York as temperatures plummet – Yahoo Sport. Libraries mentioned once.