Libraries get a good review

Editorial

The Independent Review of English Public Libraries is a surprisingly good piece of work. I was kind of expecting suggestions of more volunteers and opening up more cafes in order to fund libraries and the depressingly common other uninformed rubbish. But, you know, I find it hard to criticise any of the recommendations. Even the one on volunteers makes sense considering where we are now. A decade ago of course I’d be spitting acid but there are so many unpaid workers now, it would seem churlish not to wish for them to be better supported. The massive unspoken recommendation, which I am sure everyone had in their minds but, well, with this government is impossible, is to actually properly fund the sector. Or, at least not to cut it further. But, for that, we will have to wait for another government, and another review.

There’s the now depressingly frequent round of council library cuts announced in the last week, with Kent’s potentially huge 33-library cut leading the pack. Fascinatingly, for those of us who have followed the establishment of library trusts, there is the rarely seen case in York of a library service refusing to accept a cut. That would be impossible in a normal council-run service but York Explore is pointing out it has a contract and such a cut would require agreement from themselves. Makes you fancy having a trust in your area too doesn’t it?

Mind you, it’s great to see yet more refurbishments finally coming to fruition. Bolton looks rather snazzy and one hopes Saltdean will do so as well. So much for the physical. Over on the digital side of things, I hope I am not along in finding it amusing amusing that the LibraryOn team have decided to run a day on digital ideas in libraries physically in London, the most expensive city for most of the country to get to, for £20 each, and for only four people per organisation, rather than, ooh I don’t know, digitally when there would be no such limits. Perhaps they are afraid of being hacked.

Changes by local authority

• Bolton – Refurbished Central Library will reopen in late January.
• Brighton and Hove – Saltdean will reopen in February after £7m refurbishment.
• Kent – Up to one-third of libraries may be passed to smaller councils etc.
• Stoke on Trent – £184k cut, 4 FTE staff to be lost, hours cut.
• Suffolk – Stoke Community Library will move location inside school
• Surrey – Staffless hours introduced, with the first being in Horley and then in other libraries.
• Swansea – £179k staff cut
• York – £300k cut, being fought by York Explore.

National news

• British Library starts restoring services online after hack – BBC. “It is the first significant step in the complete restoration of services for those using the UK’s largest library. But the catalogue will just be available in a “read-only” format.” see also The British Library hack is a national outrage – and the Government must pay to save it – Standard.

• Dagger in the Library nominations – Crime Writers’ Association. “The Dagger in the Library is awarded to a UK crime writer every year. This year the names of nominated authors have been supplied by libraries and borrowers nationwide. All you need to do from 5 January 2024 is vote for which writer you think should win the Dagger in the Library. Each library in Britain or the Republic of Ireland has three votes and any person working there can vote – staff or volunteer.”
• The Guardian view on the future of libraries: an old question of human dignity in a new form – Guardian. “A cyber-attack on the British Library has shown how vulnerable digital archives are. It has reinforced the value of physical books and librarians” … “online access is vulnerable to everything from wars and hostile regimes to power outages. So, too, are buildings filled with books, and people to track them down. To keep their millennia-old place as bastions of civilisation, both grand scholarly institutions and humble community libraries must be financially supported to continue offering both.”

• The impact of Scotland’s libraries – Scottish Book Trust. “Scottish Book Trust is undertaking independent research into the value and impact of public and school libraries in Scotland in partnership with the National Library of Scotland (NLS), the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS)”
• Independent Review to guide libraries strategy in 2024 – DCMS. Review will “inform new government strategy on libraries” and annual cross-government round-table meetings to address library challenges. Recommendations:

1. The establishment of a national data hub to better evidence the role libraries play in our society
2. A national branding campaign to raise awareness of our libraries
3. The closer involvement of the British Library
4. An expanded library membership
5. A stronger volunteer network 
6. The creation of a Libraries Minister and a more joined-up approach within government 
7. The establishment of a Libraries Laureate
8. A change to the timing of Libraries Week to better involve politicians nationally

• See also Review finds libraries in England suffer ‘lack of recognition’ from government – Guardian. ” the “underlying issue for the sector”, Hunter said, is “under-investment in the public library network, the result of successive cuts to council budgets, inflation and rising demand for other statutory services such as social care.” and Libraries Connected responds to Baroness Sanderson’s independent review of English public libraries – Libraries Connected and The Reading Agency welcomes Baroness Sanderson’s Public Libraries Review – Reading Agency. “We particularly welcome the recommendation to offer automatic enrolment to children across the UK, many of whom access the power of reading for the first time through public libraries”

“The Library Campaign is seldom super-excited by government reviews of libraries. More money would solve a lot of their problems. However, it’s better that they appear somewhere on the national agenda
than not. (England only, though). In this political climate, Liz Sanderson knew better than to ask for proper funding. But her report certainly pinpoints plenty of underlying issues worth getting on with. She notes that some have come up in previous reviews. She’s right to point this out. Her summary, to nobody’s surprise, is that the core problem is not enough awareness of what libraries do – among central government, local councils, the public and even the library sector itself. Plenty to do, then.  But it won’t be cost-free.”

Library Campaign

• ‘The Libraries Gave Us Power’: the birth of the public library in Wales – Nation Cymru. “In 1861, Cardiff’s first free library available to the general public, opened in a room above the entrance to the Royal Arcade (pictured) on St Mary’s Street.  It would be paid for by voluntary subscriptions, It was an immediate hit, wildly popular and oversubscribed, so much so, that it soon had to move across the road to bigger premises”
• Library under attack – Khrono. Long translatable article from Norwegian site for higher education covers the British Library hack and public library funding cuts in the UK.
• Majority of bids to save libraries, pubs and village halls rejected by Tory scheme – Mirror. “Seven out of 10 requests to save libraries, pubs and village halls have been rejected by a flagship Tory scheme. Under the Community Ownership Fund, locals can bid for Government cash to protect much-loved assets from being lost or taken over”
• Michael Morpurgo backs call to ensure poorer children have access to books – Guardian. “Library closures by local authorities were particularly likely to affect disadvantaged families, according to Morpurgo, by closing off a vital source of access to books. “We should never, ever, in this country close down a library again,” he said. “I live in the middle of Devon, where the nearest library is a long way away, we’re talking about a 35-minute drive if you have a car and a lot of people haven’t. There’s no local bookshop, even if you had the money. The library is the last lifeline to reading.””
• Press play: a playground of digital ideas – LibraryOn. Friday 1 March, 10am – 4pm, British Library, London. £20 plus booking fee. For “People who work in libraries such as digital leads, managers, and Heads of Service who oversee or deliver digital programmes. ”
• Public Libraries Boost – GLL Awarded Gold Standard By Investors in People – GLL. “Achieving Gold puts GLL in the top 15% of IiP accredited organisations. ” … “As part of the assessment for Gold standard, all GLL staff were surveyed this autumn and 200 staff completed face to face interviews. “
• Seeing libraries differently with the RNIB – CILIPS.
• UK Libraries Achieve Record-Breaking Circulation of Digital Media in 2023 – Overdrive (press release). “Readers throughout the UK borrowed 16.5 million ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines from public libraries using OverDrive and Libby, a 21 percent increase year over year, outpacing the OverDrive global network’s growth of 19 percent.” … “Since 2021, UK public libraries have seen a 34 percent increase in ebook and audiobook checkouts.”

International news

• Canada – ‘More is more’: Librarians propose provincewide digital library – Orillia Matters. “Librarians are done keeping quiet. Speaking to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs for pre-budget consultations in Hamilton this week, stakeholders across Ontario called for a digital public library — envisioned as a provincewide online resource for job training, language upskilling, tutoring and homework help, and health information. To make it a reality, librarians asked for $15 million [£8.7m] in the upcoming Tory budget, expected to be released before the end of March. They made a similar request last year.”
  • Calgary libraries neared pre-pandemic visitation in 2023, number of items circulated sets new highs – Livewire Calgary. ” the library added 150,000 members over the year—exceeding the number of members added when CPL opened the new Central Library in 2018, and the Seton Library in 2019.” … “Approximately 55 per cent of Calgarians have a library card, and during 2023, the system had 750,000 active users.”. Four new libraries planned.

• New Zealand – Page-turning fun at libraries this summer – Sun Live. “The programme has three challenges – one for mini readers aged 0-4, one for readers aged 5-10 and one for tween/teen readers aged 11-18.” … “Ages 0-10 will get a certificate, a special prize book to keep, and an invitation to a family party event. Ages 11-18 will get a $20 Whitcoulls [Kind of like WH Smith – Ed.] voucher. And everyone who comes in to tell TCC library staff about their book for the first time gets a swimming pool pass.”
  • How public libraries are aiding community engagement – RNZ. “Hindi was the seventh most borrowed non-English language title at Wellington City Library in 2023 and the third most borrowed Asian language after Mandarin and Japanese. The library also offers books in Tamil, Punjabi, Gujarati, Sinhalese, Arabic and Korean. Miller says Wellington’s new central library, Te Matapihi, will have a dedicated section for World Languages.”

• Singapore – Singapore’s Central Public Library reopens, with lepak corner, biodiversity discoveries, immersive AI and more – Connected to India. “At the Singapore Alcove, patrons can generate a personalised QR code, which they can scan to interact with the content in various zones. This includes exploring stories on recreational practices in Singapore over time, as told through digital storybooks, artefact displays and interactive elements.”

• USA – No further budget cuts coming to New York City libraries – CBS. “The three library systems had planned to make up cuts by closing libraries on Saturdays and reducing hours on weekdays. CBS New York’s” 5% cut cancelled. Mayor says “libraries are a lifeline to communities”.
  • The L.A. Public Library is getting into book publishing. Why it makes total sense – Los Angeles Times. Publisher bought by library service. “Angel City Press at the Los Angeles Public Library.” … “In 2016, the New York Public Library launched its own imprint that publishes five books a year, celebrating all that libraries do for New Yorkers.”
  • This Week In Libraries – Publishers Weekly. Censorship, attempts at political control.
  • ‘Obscene’ libraries bill gets a party line vault to the House floor – Boise State Public Radio. “The measure would force public and private libraries alike to segregate any book deemed offensive by a single patron upon written request.”… Library says it “would have to completely bar anyone under 18 from accessing the top floor of his library.”
  • Western N.Y. libraries offer NASA backpacks for space exploration amid eclipse interest – Spectrum Local News. “Backpacks include telescope, books, other space exploration objects”

Local news by authority

• Bolton – Bolton Library prepares to open to public next week – Bolton News. “The library has been closed since September 2022 for a £3.7 million refurbishment. Images previously released by Bolton Council show the spectacular effect the works have had on the floors, before shelves, books and library equipment have been reinstalled. The £3.7m works have been taking place over this year and much of last and are intended to form a key part of the town centre’s cultural offering.”
• Bolton Library reopens after multi-million-pound refurbishment – Bolton News. “£4 million refurbishment made possible by a bid to the Towns Fund.” … “There is a cafe, a ‘Build a Business’ section, a children’s section in three areas for children of different ages, a mezzanine for use by different groups and much, much more.”
• Bournemouth Christchurch Poole – Library still has no reopening date nearly two months after closing – Yahoo. “As reported, BCP Council said it is in discussions with the landlord of the building to get it back open, but an exact opening date is still unknown.”
• Bradford – Bingley Library needs security due to anti-social behaviour – Telegraph and Argus. “And this security at Bingley Library is costing taxpayers around £700 a week, a new report has revealed.”
  • Question over self service kiosks at Bradford’s libraries – Telegraph and Argus. Conservative councillor worries that ” “People go to libraries not just to get books, but to speak to people. They want to interact with people.”. Libraries manager says ““Some people just want to pick up a book and be in and out. For other people who want more interaction there will still be staff there to talk to.””

• Brighton and Hove – New and improved Saltdean library set to return to Saltdean Lido after refurbishment – Brighton and Hove Council. “Our libraries service is delighted to welcome customers back to the fantastic Saltdean Lido building after 2 years of operating from a temporary cabin with a smaller selection of stock. Saltdean residents can look forward to a lighter, brighter library space, updated to be fresh and modern, yet beautifully in-keeping with the building’s iconic listed status.” … “The restoration work begun in 2022 following major grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (£4.2m) and Historic England (£215,000) – supported by years of additional fundraising by the local community and £2.5 million from Brighton & Hove City Council.”
• Burnley – Burnley libraries given £88k boost for loneliness project – Lancashire Telegraph. “The grant is from the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, which will see £30 million shared across 27 disadvantaged areas in England.”
• Calderdale – Have your say on what books are available at Calderdale’s libraries – Halifax Courier. ” library service is updating its stock management policy, which states how books, electronic and other resources should be acquired, managed and made available.”
• Cheshire East – Knutsford Town Council sets aside £100k to help keep services afloat – Knutsford Guardian. “Cash-strapped Cheshire East is currently reviewing the way it provides a number of services – including leisure, green space maintenance and libraries – and asking town councils across the borough for support.”
• Cornwall – Mobile library back on the road in the Valley – Tavistock Today. “This comes as it was announced in autumn of last year that the Devon mobile library service will be axed at the end of February”
• Cumberland – Cumberland launch brand new Small Electricals Recycling Project – Cumberland Council. “The project will see new recycling bins placed in key locations around the community; across 26 local libraries and sports facilities, with the aim to increase to 41 locations in 2024, making recycling small electrical items easier for the local communities, and reminding residents that anything with a plug, cable or battery can be recycled. “

“Trefnydd, can I call for a statement from the relevant Minister on Welsh Government support for public library services? I’ve been very concerned at the moment that Denbighshire County Council are proposing to cut library opening hours. They initially proposed a cut of 50 per cent. They’re now proposing a cut of 40 per cent, after there was a huge public outcry in response to the initial consultation. Now, we know that libraries are about much more than books these days. They’re places of lifelong learning and education, lots of people go there to enjoy the IT facilities as well, which they might not have at home, and, of course, they also promote local language and culture. So, this is a really important issue for my constituents. I appreciate that local authorities have difficult choices to make given the pressures on their budgets, but other local authorities are not proposing to cut their library services in half by asking them to close their doors for 50 per cent of the time. So, I think it is about time that the Welsh Government had some minimum standards required of our libraries in terms of opening hours, and I would appreciate it if a Minister could bring forward a statement on that.”

Denbighshire – Darren Millar MS (Conservative) in Senedd.

• Denbighshire – Council urged to pause controversial plans to slash library opening times – North Wales Live. “A public consultation before the cabinet decision garnered 4,500 responses, and revealed 90% of residents strongly disagreed with the then-proposals. Now a special committee has asked cabinet to postpone the decision until alternative funding sources have been identified, including private investment and grants.”

• Devon – Easy booking system for conference space at Exeter Central Library – Exeter Council. “An easy online booking system for over 100 quality meeting and conference spaces in libraries around Devon has been launched by Libraries Unlimited. The charity, which runs libraries across the area, has developed a new platform which gives video tours and shows photos and floorplans of its popular bookable spaces.” … “The new booking system is grant funded through the Library On programme, managed by the British Library and supported by Arts Council England using public funds.”

• Edinburgh – Edinburgh Libraries offer free online access – without a library card – Edinburgh Reporter. “This New Year you can get free instant access to Edinburgh Libraries Libby service without a library card.”
• Essex – New study looks at success of Harwich Library Memory Café – Essex Council. “Titled ‘How co-production impacts integrated care design and transformation: Library Memory Café’, the study looks at what can be learned from the success of the regular event”
• Fife – OnFife libraries and other venues to close for one day – Central Fife Times. Staff development day: “Our staff are spread over around 40 venues across the whole of Fife and this is the first opportunity we’ve had since 2018 to bring everyone together. “
• Hertfordshire – High Sheriff enjoys visits to five Dacorum libraries – Hemel Today. “Hemel is the only library in Hertfordshire to process visa applications with over 80 applications being made every week, and Kings Langley collect old pairs of spectacles for charity and offer a monthly hearing check up.”
• Kent – Opinion: Libraries aren’t old fashioned or nostalgic but a lifeline for so many – Kent Online / Opinion. “Liberal Democrat opposition group leader, Cllr Antony Hook, said libraries are “essential” community resources, and I couldn’t agree more.”
  • ‘One-third’ of Kent libraries could be sold to community organisations such as parish councils, says county council – Isle of Thanet News. “Cash-strapped Kent County Council’s deputy leader Peter Oakford said the disposals could come in the 2025-26 budget. Cllr Oakford claimed Kent has “far too many libraries” compared to neighbouring authorities.” … “According to one well-placed source, one-third of the libraries in Kent could be affected but the overall anticipated saving is not yet know” … “Cllr Oakford told the policy and resources cabinet committee on Wednesday (January 17) libraries could be “sold or disposed of” to local community organisations such as parish councils.”

• North Yorkshire – Yorkshire libraries unveil BFI replay: Free streaming access to 60 years of film and TV history on offer – Yorkshire Post. “Public libraries now have access to the British Film Institute (BFI) Replay service, which features approximately 100,000 digitised videos and television programmes.”
• Northern Ireland – Fund the Libraries in Northern Ireland – My uplift. Petition. “Stop the real terms cut in funding of our libraries.” … “Libraries are vital public services for our communities to come together and learn in NI. However, funding has been cut in real terms by almost £20 million pounds over the past decade. The financial situation is so dire that there is no budget to buy books and libraries have had to reduce opening hours. It’s time for the government to fund our libraries properly”
• Nottingham – New Nottingham Central Library gets over 20,000 visits in first month – Nottingham Post. “Nottingham City Council now says the new library is more popular than expected, but the authority was unable to reassure people that its portfolio of older libraries will be protected amid a £53 million gap in its budget for the upcoming financial year.”
• Portsmouth – Two quirky electric Tuk-Tuks to become mobile libraries in Portsmouth – The News. £100k ACE grant. “Our plan is to use [the tuk-tuks] in high street settings and parks, working with other council partners as well to promote all our services. It’s got special shelving so we can put on displays or we can do book shelving or display leaflets – it’s sustainable and environmentally friendly.””
• Reading – New Reading library plans given go ahead – BBC. “Reading Central Library has been located in King’s Road for nearly 40 years since it was opened back in 1985. The library’s collection and its facilities will be moved to the council offices in Bridge Street as part of a £8.6m project.”

• Somerset – Meeting to discuss Friends of Ilminster Library’s re-establishment – Chard and Ilminster News. “The aim of the group is to support fundraising initiatives, recruitment of volunteers, and deliver additional programmes of event”
  • Chard and Ilminster libraries join ‘Wrap Up Warm’ scheme – Chard and Ilminster News. ““The scheme is proving extremely popular, so if you have a coat that is no longer needed (adult or children’s), please do consider donating it to our scheme by taking it to either library – thank you.””
• Stoke on Trent – Council to slash Stoke-on-Trent library opening hours and staff numbers – Stoke Sentinel. Cuts “will be achieved by a reduction of 4 FTE equivalent Library Assistants and 1 FTE Team Leader post.” Lunchtime closures. “. One of three Team Leaders has recently resigned providing the option to restructure the team with only two Team Leaders managing the six Libraries”
• Suffolk – Stoke Community Library, inside Stoke High School in Ipswich, gears up for short-distance move – Suffolk News. “Stoke Community Library, inside Stoke High School in Maidenhall Approach, will shift from one side of its current building to the other on January 31. This will see it take up a slightly larger space – not too far away from where it now sits.”
  • Suffolk Libraries to hold ‘Power of Libraries’ conference for schools – Suffolk Libraries.
• Surrey – Surrey County Council to launch ‘super access libraries’ – BBC. “Surrey County Council is to launch “super access libraries” later this year, which will increase opening times beyond staffed hours. The programme will first be introduced in Horley, before second and third phase rollouts across the county. The council says the move will open up Horley library for an extra 46.5 hours per week. Anyone over the age of 16 who is a library member will be able to enter when it is unstaffed.”
• Swansea – Schools and libraries face cuts in Swansea as council plans to hike fees to meet budget pressures – Wales Online. “£179,000 reduction in library staff costs,”
• West Dunbartonshire – Balloch Library campaigners hope to take battle to court – Daily Record. “Campaigners fighting against the relocation of Balloch Library are set to launch a judicial review against the move.”
• Westmorland and Furness – Kents Bank train station officially opens unique library – Westmorland Gazette. “Its ‘Railway Library’ is home to more than 3,000 titles devoted to the topic and is said to be the only publicly accessible library in the UK at a train station dedicated to the subject.”
• West Sussex – Family pay tribute to ‘oldest librarian in Sussex’ – Argus. “Anne Moyle worked in Burgess Hill Library for 40 years from 1982 until 2022 when she was 86.” … ““Independence, supporting the community and doing the right thing were really important to her. Even in grandma’s last few days she was really worried about getting a library fine so she insisted my dad left her bed and handed these books back.”
• Windsor and Maidenhead – Royal Borough’s library service partners with National Careers Service to offer employment advice and support – Windsor and Maidenhead Council. “Information and advice is available for jobseekers in the borough thanks to a partnership between the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead’s library service and the National Careers Service.”
• Worcestershire – Calls for police station in St John’s Library – Worcester News. “the library “has vacant rooms, which are often not used”. “It could be income for the library, increase footfall and provide safety and security when the library is unstaffed under the proposals for Libraries Unlocked. It would be a win-win for St John’s.”
• York – They’ve had 10 great years – but York’s libraries need your support – York Press. “You could show your support by becoming a community member – you will get regular updates from Explore and the chance to influence key decisions. Or you might share your skills. Volunteers contributed nearly 19,000 hours last year (equivalent to £250,000 of staff time) and play a crucial role in supporting us to do more. Or you could consider joining our board. We will be recruiting for three new directors in 2024 and we are keen to bring in people with different backgrounds and experience. Most urgent is our need for money. ”
  • Lib Dems launch petition against proposed library cuts – Yahoo News. “The Labour-run council is proposing to reduce the authority’s funding for Explore York, which runs the city’s libraries and archive service, by £300,000 a year for two years. Explore York’s directors say it has a 15-year contract with the council that does not allow councillors to reduce the funding unilaterally.  A statement issued on behalf of the directors repeated a pledge not to close any library. Now  Cllr Andrew Hollyer, the Lib Dems’ prospective parliamentary candidate for  York Outer, has launched a petition calling on the council to rethink its proposals.”