Harrow to Inverclyde

To make the list is factual as possible, please email ianlibrarian@live.co.uk if you have any further information or a correction.

Dates included are the date that the information was added to Public Libraries News.  In more recent posts, the number shows the month (e.g. 3 = March, 4 = April) the article that contains the relevant information was published.

• Harrow
  • 2018: Kenton Library to be refurbished. (1) Recommended Carillion retain contract for further five years (£485k penalty if terminated early).(1) Considering options for libraries after Carillion liquidation: emphasises possibility of transferring to other provider. (1)
  • 2016: £2.4m budget (-54.9% since 2009/10) (3) North Harrow Library not yet reopened as a volunteer library (source: email from volunteer group) (5) Roxteth Library to be redeveloped, linked to residential scheme. (12)
  • 2015: Four libraries may be cut: Bob Lawrence Library (£150,000 per year), North Harrow Library (£115,000 per year), Rayners Lane Library (£115,000 per year) and Hatch End Library (£100,000 per year). (1) Confirmed that 4 libraries (Bob Lawrence, Hatch End, North Harrow and Rayners Lane) will close. (3) Harrow library strategy 2015-2018 (3). New Harrow central library confirmed with lego studio: 4 libraries will close on June 13. (5) 4 libraries – Bob Lawrence, Hatch End, Rayners Lane and North Harrow libraries  – closed on June 13th. (6). North Harrow Library to be volunteer run from October.  (9)
  • 2014: Some libraries may be under threat. (9)
  • 2013: Hatch End Library closing, with service moving into Harrow Arts Centre. 90 new machines to be installed.  Self-service machines to be introduced. Civic Centre Library closing with improvements to “merged” Gayton Library inc. wifi/more space,  Libraries to be run by John Laing Integrated Services Ltd in partnership with the neighbouring borough of Ealing. 5 year contract (6). JLIS will cut library staff by 50% when take over contract (according to anonymous comment) (8). 10 full or part-time roles “at risk” when libraries transferred to Laing ownership (8)
  • 2012: 1 library under threat (Gayton). Considering privatisation (23/7/12) One library under threat: Gayton/Civic Centre plan confirmed, Hatch End Library may move into Harrow Arts Centre (23.1.12): Plan to merge Gayton Library and Civic Centre Library at new site in town centre. £345k cut for libraries/museums.  Heath End Library may move into Harrow Arts Centre (not currently counted as a branch under threat) (18.1.12). Staff 2007/8 111 2011/12 78.5 (20 prof, 58.5 other) Volunteers 2007/8 29 2011/12 35 (Cipfa).
  • 2011: 34 full-time jobs cut as £1.1m saving expected from installation of self-service in all libraries
• Hartlepool
  • 2021: Seaton Library may close, amongst other changes. (10)
  • 2015: Cuts to library budget inc. possibility of opening hour cuts, volunteers, income generation. (2) 16% cut in funding since 2013, further cuts soon: consultation. (3). £90k cut 2015/16: opening hours cut, room hire and other charges increase. Volunteer increase to be examined. (9)
  • 2014: Review. Cuts to open hours, co-locations looked at. Consultation from January.(10)
  • 2012: Confirmation of West View Closure.
  • 2011: West View Library closed 19/12/11 “saving” £39k p.a., mobile library offered as alternative. Foggy Furze Library closes on Saturday (£47,500 cut). Throston Grange Library to merge with Throston community centre.  Opening hour cuts in all surviving libraries.
• Havering. 
  • 2018: Cuts to libraries considered. (8)
  • 2017: Citizens Advice moves into Romford Library (11)
  • 2015 Library cuts revised: 5 (not 6) out of 10 libraries not be cut, survivors will have hours cut to 24 per week (was 25). (1)
  • 2014: £1,138k cut announced. This represents a cut of over a third of the budget. Six libraries to have opening hours reduced to three and a half days per week. (8) £4.5m new library opens in Rainham. (9) 50 out of 94 jobs to be lost inc. all of housebound team and reader development team. (11)
  • 2013: Rainham Library – New, colocation with flats and lifelong learning centre.  Expected to begin building early 2013 (4/2/13). New library in shopping centre at Harold Hill to replace old library  Refurbishment at Collier Row Library.  (11).
  • 2012:Staff 2007/8 96 2011/12 104 (9 prof, 95 other) Volunteers 2007/8 96 2011/12 200 (Cipfa).
• Herefordshire
  • 2023: Council plans to move Herefore Library to Shire Hall (2023), not Maylord.  (2023)
  • 2022: Central Library may move to new Maylord site. (3)
  • 2018: £97k spent on improve income generation possibilities. (2) Ross on Wye Library to be refurbished / co-located. (3)
  • 2017: Scraps charging fines for those under 18. Other charges changed. (9)  Soft market testing for contracting out museums, libraries and archives (11)
  • 2016: £1.5m budget (-47.9% since 2009/10) (3) Hereford Central Library unlikely to reopen until 2017: repairs will cost at least £500k.  (5). Comparative budget per year: 2010/11 £2.8m, 2011/12 £2m, 2012/13 £1.6m, 2013/14 £1.6m, 2014/15 £1.7m. Cuts expected of £60k 2016.17, £100k 2017.18, £90k 2018/19 (source; FOI request seen) (6). Budget cuts expected: £380,000 cut in 2017/18, with a further £380,000 funding reduction in 2018/19. (9) Belmont Library to become volunteer. Halo Leisure Trust to take over Bromyard Library. Council customer services only at Hereford Central Library. (Counted as 1 under threat) (10)
  • 2015: Ledbury Library reopens in Master’s House, £2.9m move from old library. (3)  Kington Library turned into “wellbeing centre”.(3) Central Library may be turned unto “hub” for “Services for Independent Living” (9) Hereford Central Library needs £1 million due to asbestos: library closed since September. Temporary library will open November 24th. (11)
  • 2014: Leintwardine Library now volunteer-run. Weobley Library volunteer-run. Colwall Library run by member of staff paid for by parish council (5). Belmont Library remains open due to parish council part funding and reduced rent from community association. (6)
  • 2013: Council has amended decision to close all branches but Hereford due to public protest: Leominster, Ledbury, Bromyard, Ross-on-Wye and Kington will remain open but may be staffed by volunteers or outsourcing.  Belmont, Colwall, Weobley, Leitwardine will still be closed (5).  9 libraries under threat (changed from 10 as tenth library, Peterchurch, is already volunteer run and so will presumably not be affected). (5). Bromyard Library has 40% cut in hours (4). £1.4m cut from £3m Culture and Leisure budget over three years.  Aim to sustain services “with little or no” council funds / outsourcing / volunteers / cuts. (5) Possible 75% cut in libraries budget  (5). Ledbury Library to move into Master’s House after £2.9m restoration.  Cuts in opening hours will affect it and other libraries (5).  Decision to stop all interlending requests cancelled after consultation with Arts Council.  Service now under review.  Interlending cost estimate of £40 per request. (7). Opening hours cut throughout county (Ross on Wye by 17%). Temporary staff no longer taken on (7). Option 2 from Options for Customer Services and Libraries recommended for Council. (9) All libraries but Hereford Central may become volunteer-run or outsourced over three years or close [No change to figure under threat yet as only broad figures known]: £700k cut 2014/15,  £70k grant won Lottery to commemorate First World War in libraries.  (11) 
    
  • 2012: 5/1/12 20 communities have “expressed an interest” in running their own library.  Garway has library books on deposit in its village halls.
  • 2011: 2 mobiles closed, replaced by needs-tested home delivery service.. £200k cut to library service.  New Ledbury Library delayed.  £2m for joint library/wedding venue/council offices in Ledbury. Libraries may be run by a Trust or other external body.
  • Campaign group –  They Are Our Libraries (Facebook group)
• Hertfordshire
  • 2022: £185k for youth volunteering. (4)
  • 2020: St Albans Library refurbished.  (11)
  • 2019: Bury St Edmunds refurbished.  (3) To be run by “Libraries for Life”, public service mutual spun out of library service. (8) fer to “Libraries for Life” delayed until 1 April.  (11) Hatfield Library to move to new site. (11)
  • 2018: Further £500k cut by 2019/2020 expected after £2.5m cut 2016/19. Consultation on becoming a trust. (1) Hoddesdon Post Office may move into library. (1)  Full council votes for libraries to become public services mutual. (4) Wheathampstead Library now volunteer. (4) St Albans Library being refurbished. (9) Wheathampstead and Redbourn libraries to move into co-locations with fire stations. (10)
  • 2017: Hemel Hempstead Library moves into £15m co-location with voluntary services, CreatorSpace. (1) Wheathampstead Library to become volunteer in September. (4) Considering whether to become a library trust and to use swipe-card open technology. (11) Bishops Stortford Library may move into new theatre/cinema/café building (11)
  • 2016: Buntingford Library, for now, to stay in current location. (9) £400k refurb of Watford Library includes 3D printer CreatorSpace. (11)
  • 2015: 8 out of 17 previously planned as being unstaffed will have some element of paid staffing: Bovingdon, Chorleywood, Goffs Oak, Kings Langley, London Colney, Sawbridgeworth and Woodhall will retain an element of paid staff. Buntingdon to have paid staff (volunteer assisted). (2) £2.5m cut per year cut by 2017 (source: email from council) (2). Knebworth Library may merge with doctor’s surgery. (3)  7 (out of 7) mobile libraries to be withdrawn. (replacement  to be volunteers + online).
  • 2014: Royston Library refurbished. (3). “Inspiring Libraries” report published. £2.5million cut per year. More volunteers. Consultation from 29 September to 7 December. Three tiers of libraries, with middle being volunteer-assisted and lowest being fully volunteer with self-service machines. 17 out off 46  to be unstaffed (Adeyfield, Bovingdon, Brookmans Park, Buntingford, Chorleywood, Cuffley, Goffs Oak, Kings Langley, Knebworth, Leverstock Green, London Colnet, Redbourn, Sawbridgeworth, Stevenage Old Town, Welwyn, Wheathampstead, Woodhall). (9) £700k Government funding for putting village libraries into part-time fire stations. Decision on which ones to be part of consultation. (10)
  • 2013: Borehamwood Community Complex – To replace Elstree Way library. Combined library/museum/youth/community centre. Harpenden Library to move into former Argos building. Combined with youth centre. (4) Harpenden Library opens (7). Looking at reducing libraries to a smaller number of “hubs”.  Volunteer branches considered. (11). Borehamwood Library opens: co-location with museum, youth service and community centre. (11) £3m cut since 2011: 20% fewer visits in 2012 than 2011
  • 2012: School Libraries Service closed.  Bovingdon Library open on Monday mornings (self-service only) due to partnership with local academy (20/6/12). Confirmed that Cassettes for Blind People service cancelled: service transferred to RNIB (14/5/12). Cassettes for Blind People service may be closed, with its funding transferring to the RNIB (1/5/12): Radlett library open self-service only Monday AM termtimes as Children’s Centre staff use library (6/3/12).  See also similar picture at Waltham Cross Library. School Libraries Service confirmed as closing (26/1/12): New Hertford Library building opened all on one level (previous building had fourteen), wifi and babychange (20/1/12). 
  • 2011: 5 mobiles closed, Central Resources Library closed. Opening hours to be cut by one third, from 2236 hours down to 1575, records office hours cut. At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. £580k cut in first year, £1.4m after, plus a further £275k from mobiles and £131k in records office/HQ library cuts mean total cut of over £1.8m. Some mobile stops saved. School Library Serviceto be closed Spring 2012 to save £41,000 p.a.. 12 staff will be made redundant.  Central Resources Library to move to WGC Library, some stock put in warehouse rather than in open shelves – 5/10/11 New Barnfield Library (central resources library) closure to go ahead but with documents moved to another location with reduced opening hours (source – Save New Barnfield Library newsletter). Borehamwood Library gains £12k town council grant to increase hours by 3 per week.  Cuts in opening hours came into effect on 1st July 2011.
• Highland.
  • 2024: Reduction in mobile library service expected. (1)
  • 2021: Tain library may close, to be co-located in school. (6)
  • 2017: £900k cut to leisure trust. (4) Wick Library now co-located with gym and swimming pool. (4).
  • 2016: £325k cut to council funding for High Life Highlands: library opening hours cuts expected. (2)
  • 2014: Broadford and Kyle libraries may move to “facilitated self service” (2). Cuts in council funding to High Life Highland Trust may lead to library closures. (11)
  • 2013: £200k to upgrade public access computers. 
  • 2012: 1 mobile closed. 1 mobile (housebound service, £27k cut) (Wick Library to close and merge with school library). Invergordon library may council information point moved into it (rather than previous suggestion of the other way around).  Two out of four mobile libraries could be replaced with second-hand vehicles.   (Libraries to be run by an ALO – “Arms Length Organisation” to avoid tax) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
• Hillingdon
  • 2023: Uxbridge Library to be moved into Civic Centre (11)
  • 2020: Ruislip Manor Library refurbished. £3m 2-year boroughwide refurbishment programme.  (1)
  • 2015: Council buys back lease on Yiewsley Library. (10)
  • 2014: Uxbridge refurbished, marking the completion of programme to upgrade all 17 libraries (3).
  • 2012: Yeading closed until October for £750k refurbishment.   South Ruislip and Hayes End also being refurbished and will reopen before 2013 (27/6/12). Staff 2007/8 125.5 2011/12 97.6 (10.6 prof, 87.1 other) Volunteers 2007/8 17 2011/12 24 (Cipfa).
• Hounslow.
  • 2019: Joins London Libraries Consortium. (11)
  • 2017: Hounslow Library to move temporarily into co-location with current HQ then both will move to new HQ when built. (2)
  • 2015: Consultation on future of libraries.  (10)
  • 2012: Consultation until September.  £540k p.a. cut met by £240k cut in bookfund, restructure and efficiency savings.  Co-location.  Staff 2007/8 94.3 2011/12 96.5 (10.5 prof, 86 other) Volunteers 2007/8 11 2011/12 14 (Cipfa).
  • 2011: initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, Proposals are: Volunteers to replace some paid staff at Beavers Library (£52k cut), reduce skilled staff in some smaller branches (£77k cut), reduce opening hours (£171k cut).  Closures are possible. £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”. (Managed by private company Laing); Consultation on cuts soon
• Hull
  • 2017: £300k 3D printer/design/maker space at Central, funded from ACE and local charitable trust. (8) Holderness Road Library to be closed, moved to new location as yet undecided. (10)  Holderness Road Library to transfer to East Park pavilion as lease running out. £300k move (12)
  • 2015: Libraries will have reduced hours, including previously threatened Holderness Road.(1) Cuts in opening hours inc. Central Wednesday AM and Friday PM, other branches down to three or four days opening per week. (1) Libraries formally handed over to Hull Culture and Leisure Trust (HCAL).  Weddings to take place in Central Library. (3)
  • 2014: Mobile library to be lost, opening hours to be cut (1). Leisure Trust expected in 2015/16 which will include libraries. £320k cut proposed 2015/16 includes 28% cut in opening hours in all branches except Central, Holderness Road Library may close, more volunteers for housebound service, .  £95k 2014/15 included cut in library staff and loss of mobile library. 2013/14 saw withdrawal of funding for Anlaby Park Library (may soon be taken over by volunteers) and KC Stadium Library. Consultation on library services starts. (8)
  • 2012: Mobile library being refurbished (10/7/12) so assumed mobile library saved and this taken off tally of libraries under threat. Marfleet Library now moved to community health centre and Stadium library still existing so neither now counted as under threat.
  • 2011: 2 libraries (Marfleet in East Hull and Stadium in the KC Stadium)  under threat as is 1 mobile library , professional librarians jobs also likely to be cut (source: private correspondence), 
• Inverclyde
  • 2019: Cuts expected inc. to opening hours and staff.  (12)
  • 2018: £189k cut to Central opening hours and staffing at HQ, £55k cut meaning Inverkip and Kilmacolm libraries will pass to volunteers or close. (1)
  • 2017: £57k cut / South West Library to close. Consultation. (11)
  • 2016: £2m refurbishmen to McLean Museum and Watt Library. (11)
  • 2013: Inverkip Library temporarily moving during refurbishment inc. wifi and coffee machine. (4) Ebooks and mobile app launched (4).
  • 2012: South West Library reopened after £300k refurbishment (25/11/12).  Central Library moved to ex housing headquarters (cost of £1.5m) so old library can be used for health/social care staff
  • 2011: Some seen as under threat.
  • Groups: Save St James Library;