Rioters set fire to Spellow Lane Library

Editorial

Right-wing thugs decided to set fire to Spellow Lane Library in Liverpool last night. Unlike Greggs, which was looted, it appears that no books were stolen in the attack. Not even Mein Kampf, presumably because it had too many words.

In the meantime, there is a fundraiser for library here, which had already attracted over £13,000 at the time of writing this post. This is the act of the majority, who care and construct. Not the violent minority, who prefer to hate and destroy.

Changes by local authority

• Cumberland – Aspatria Library refurbished and co-located with children’s centre.
• Leeds – £200k cut in opening hours.
• Liverpool – Spellow Lane Library set fire by rioters.
• Perth and Kinross – Mobile library trashed by vandals.

National news

Will ‘smart’ libraries dumb down Britain? – Telegraph. “Penny-pinching councils want to replace librarians with robots and CCTV – but the young, the vulnerable and the elderly will lose out” … “From our inner cities to the Home Counties, from the north to the south, technology is coming for Britain’s libraries – and our librarians.”. Buckinghamshire, Camden and Croydon introducing staff-less libraries. “Fans of the institutions, of which there are many, are left asking themselves if a building with books but no librarian can even call itself a library. “. Visits Central Library in Islington (London) “The library’s purpose as more than a place to borrow books was evident with posters promoting free period products, an over-60s club and a knit-and-natter session.”

“I’m an Information Management student at UWE currently working on a dissertation about public libraries in the UK. I’m specifically examining what training public library workers get regarding applying for grants, and I’m working on developing a guide to bid writing from the public library perspective. I’m focusing on the LibraryOn grant scheme as an example, and writing a hypothetical application based on their process. It would be really helpful to hear from public library workers on what their experience is regarding training and applying for grants, especially if they applied to LibraryOn and were happy to talk about their experience.” Caroline2.Vryoni-Dickson@live.uwe.ac.uk

Caroline Vryoni-Dickson, Caroline2.Vryoni-Dickson@live.uwe.ac.uk>

International news

• Canada – Halifax Public Libraries workers vote overwhelmingly to strike – Halifax Examiner. “The union represents some 350 of the library’s workers, including librarians, library assistants, and administrative, technical, and maintenance staff. Union president Christina Covert told the Examiner members voted 82% in favour of a strike”
• Singapore – An “Aye” for AI? Librarians Finding New Jobs in an Age of AI – Library Association of Singapore. The summary is AI generated and says an “adaptive learning mindset will be crucial for librarians to stay ahead of the curve and maximize the potential of AI enhancing library services and user experiences.”
• USA – Report: Project 2025 and Its Consequences for Libraries – EveryLibrary. “Our institutions are under threat by policy proposals that could lead to the elimination of federal funding and the rolling back of enforcement of protections for students, families, and the right to read. The Heritage Foundation manifesto institutionalizes censorship and paves the way for greater political control over educational content.”
  • 15 Cool Things You Can Borrow From Public Libraries for Free – PC Mag.
  • Mother points out ridiculousness of new library law that bans children from adult section – Independent. “At the library, her older daughter Scarlett just finished reading The Hobbit and was looking for JRR Tolkien’s follow-up The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which was located in the adult section. However, towards the entrance, there was a large sign that said “Stop.””. Mum stopped from taking baby into adult area without signing permission this was OK.

• Sunday service to resume at 10 libraries this weekend – Spectrum News NY1.
  • The Week in Libraries: August 2, 2024 – Publishers Weekly. “a new EveryLibrary report explores the threat to libraries posed by the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025; Maggie Tokuda-Hall weighs in on book bans for ‘Book Riot’; and a mother and TikToker in Idaho details her experience with the state’s new harmful to minors law”

Local news by authority

• Bedford – Summer fun for young people with The Base – Bedford Council. Marvellous Makers.
• Bolton – Free family activities at Bolton libraries with Octagon Theatre – Bolton News.
  • Octagon on storytelling tour of libraries – British Theatre Guide. “The Octagon Theatre will present free family storytelling and creative activities at libraries across Bolton during the summer in its Sharing Stories community project, originally launched in 2022.”
• Bradford – Views sought on plans to cut library opening hours – BBC. “Bradford Council wants to save £175,000 on its public library running costs next year, and is seeking views on proposals to reduce opening hours by about 15%. The service has already been stripped back in recent years, despite concerns from campaigners and workers, with volunteers now running the majority of formerly council-managed public libraries.”
• Cumberland – Newly transformed Aspatria Library set to open – Cumberland Council. “Aspatria Library has been transformed to combine the local library and children’s centre into a modern, fit-for-purpose building designed to meet the needs of residents. The building will feature a fresh and contemporary library space, offering a wide range of services to patrons. Among its highlights is a fantastic new children’s library, designed to inspire and engage young readers. The library will also include a PC station, providing access to computers and internet for all visitors. In addition to the library, the hub will house a state-of-the-art dedicated space for 0-5 years …”
• Derby – Roof concerns close city library for ‘short period’ – BBC. “Derby City Council said Spondon Library, on Sitwell Street, will remain shut “for a short period of time” while further investigations are carried out.”
• Derbyshire – Plans outlined to save Derbyshire libraries from possible closure – Derby Telegraph. Options to cut budget without closing libraries inc. opening hours cuts (while removing reservation fees), merge mobile and outreach service using greener/cheaper vehicles, re-locating/co-locating libraries, replace staff with self-service, volunteers.
• East Riding – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; all 0-5 year olds in East Riding can join the free book scheme – East Riding Council. “The first of several events across the East Riding is taking place at Goole Library on Wednesday 31 July, between 10am and 11.30am. The event provides an opportunity for families to sign up to the free scheme, which is devoted to inspiring a love of reading, along with helping improve children’s reading skills, language and communication.” … “It’s fantastic that so far we have 5,000 children signed up to the scheme, and our events are a chance for families to come along to their local library and find out more.””
• Haringey – Summer fun for kids in Haringey’s leisure facilities and libraries – Haringey Council.
• Jersey – Children to get library membership from birth – BBC. “Parents and carers visiting the Superintendent Registrar to register the birth of their baby, will be given a membership to the library. From Monday 29 July, they will receive a ‘My First Book Bag’, which contains a Jersey Library card, two board books, activity ideas for under-fives and information on the ways to support baby’s speech, language, and communication development.”

• Kirklees – Council urged to reverse customer service closures – BBC. “Kirklees Council announced in February that two centres in Huddersfield and Dewsbury would close and be integrated into Kirklees’ libraries. The Unison union warned the move could have a negative impact on elderly and vulnerable residents.”
• Leeds – Leeds libraries to operate on reduced hours – BBC. “Twenty libraries across Leeds are to reduce their opening hours on evenings and weekends in a bid to save the council money while keeping the facilities open. The changes follow a public consultation which looked at how people used libraries and community hubs across the city. Leeds City Council said the new opening hours would save about £200,000 a year, helping with some of the £63.9m it needs to save this financial year. From August, some sites will see a reduction in evening opening hours while others will be open for a shorter time on Saturdays – but many will see no changes.”
• Lincolnshire – Lincolnshire loves its libraries – Lincolnshire World. 2023 saw 1 million library visits and borrowing of 2 million items, representing 17% rise over 2022. see also Libraries welcome a million visitors a year – BBC.
• Liverpool – ‘Nazis burn books – these have gone one step further and burnt a library’ – Liverpool Echo. “Looters targeted businesses, bins were used to start fires and the Spellow Library and Community Hub was set alight. Flames were visible inside the building within minutes.” … “Far-right social media channels had called for people to gather there during the evening.”

“Targeting the Spellow Library hub, which has recently been reopened, taking that away from children while they’re on their summer holidays is absolutely disgusting. We don’t appreciate it around County Road and we don’t want to see it again around our area … You’ve seen what happened to Spellow Library Hub, not all areas have a library, to see what’s been done to it will hurt a lot of people.””

John Jennings, a councillor for the County ward

“It’s just not a library. It’s a community hub. I’ve lived off County Road for 20 to 30 years – I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Andy Stokes, County Road resident

• Fire at library building as serious violent disorder goes on in Liverpool – Liverpool Echo. “A “library of the future” opened last year as a way to help people get education and routes in to work was set on fire amid scenes of violent disorder in north Liverpool.” … “The Spellow Hub was created in the former Spellow Library, in a refurbishment funded by Mayor Steve Rotheram’s City Region Town Centre Fund. At the time, it was hailed by Liverpool council as a “library of the future” which would help people get education and pathways to work.”

• Manchester – Blue Peter Book Club Live Badge Trail – Loads To Do. “welve special Blue Peter Book Club badges form a trail around the city and your challenge is to find them.  There’s even a bonus badge in the Blue Peter Garden in Media City” … “Find all 13 letters to spell out three special names.  Fill in your answers on the competition slip on your trail map and hand it in to any library “
• Merton – Developing Culture and Communities in Libraries through Music – Living Knowledge Network. “How can libraries incorporate music into their broader cultural offer and community development work?”
• Norfolk – ‘Fire safety much improved’ since city library blaze – BBC. “A suspected electrical fault on 1 August 1994 sent Norwich’s Central Library up in flames, destroying heritage documents and more than 100,000 books.” … “Anne Tidd, manager of the library, said fire safety was now “excellent” and a similar blaze today would be contained … We’ve got 600 sprinklers, a disaster recovery plan and 160,000 litres of water on site which would be supplied by two pumps”
• North Ayrshire – Council team launch digital roadshow in local libraries – Largs and Millport News. “Delivered by youth work modern apprentices, the sessions focus on cyber resilience and online safety, young people’s rights online, digital technologies, inclusion, and digital opportunities to learn online or take the next step in employment.”
• North Northamptonshire – Oundle Library remains closed but their shows will still go on – North Northamptonshire Council. “Oundle Library remedial works are still ongoing after the recent fire, but staff are determined the show must go on for two of their Summer events this week. Initially planned to be held inside, Circuits and Crazy Colin’s Magic Workshop will now be held in the library’s garden.” [the nearest libraries to Oundle are now community-managed ones – Thrapston and Raunds.  The former has statutory protection, but not Raunds – Ed.]
• Nottingham – Knitters protest over proposed library closures – BBC. “Members of affected libraries – including ‘knit and natter’ groups which use them – congregated at the Brian Clough statue in the city centre to voice their opposition. The city council has previously described its bid to redesign library services and save £1.5m as “a daunting and challenging task”.”
• Perth and Kinross – Police appeal after thugs trash Perthshire mobile library – Courier. “The van was parked at is base at the AK Bell library in Perth at the time of the attack. The hooligans smashed windows and automatic doors and damaged the electrics, rear skylight and internal cupboards and drawers. They also made off with a small amount of cash.”
• Redbridge – Fullwell Cross Library reopens after £380K makeover – Redbridge Council. digital maker space, better wifi, sensory, study areas, gaming projections, further improvements to come. “The project was supported with funding from Vision, Redbridge Council, and the Libraries Improvement Fund administered by Arts Council England. “
• Shropshire – Twenty potential library sites deemed unsuitable – BBC. “Whitchurch Library in Shropshire was forced to move out of the Civic Centre in 2023 when engineers found Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in the building”
  • Five sound-proof meeting pods installed in Shropshire libraries – Shropshire Star. “Library users across the county can reserve five new sound-proof meeting pods thanks to a £236k grant.” … “purchase the one-on-one interview pods with supporting technology. The council says that the pods are an ‘ideal space’ for online or in-person meetings, or for individual work.”
• Suffolk – What next for Suffolk Libraries as contract talks continue? – EADT. “Suffolk Libraries is preparing a bid to retain the contract to run the service in the county for another six years – which could be extend by another six years later.” … “But there are fears that the £80m contract offered over 12 years might not be enough to protect all current services. The current contract finishes at the beginning of June next year but talks over the new deal have been going on for several months.” … “here is now one more library than there was when the service was launched – a new library branch opened in Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, in 2022.” … “The new contract amounts to £6.8m a year, compared with £5.9m a year currently, but there are fears that inflation could erode this income and force whoever is running the service to make serious cutbacks.”
  • Suffolk Libraries celebrates 12 years as an independent charity – Suffolk Libraries.
  • Thurston Library opens new sensory garden – Suffolk Libraries.
• Tower Hamlets – Idea Store chosen as only UK library to take part in Build the Change scheme – Tower Hamlets Council. “The Idea Store service, run by Tower Hamlets Council, was chosen as the only UK library to take part in the Build the Change project created by the Lego Group alongside libraries in Berlin, Prague, Barcelona and Aarhus in Denmark. Youngsters can take part in free summer workshops in Idea Stores across the borough to build their eco-friendly habitats using Lego bricks.  More than 40 children took part in the first Build the Change workshop …”
• Westminster – Westminster unveils new mini community hubs to strengthen local connections – City of Westminster Council. “The mini community hubs in Victoria and Charing Cross provide free and low-cost activities designed to meet the needs of the local community. They are part of our #2035 initiative to reduce health inequality in the borough. Another hub will open in the north of the borough later this year.”