Ian Anstice

240 libraries plus 17 mobiles currently under threat or recently closed
Changes in the count today include 3 libraries and a mobile (at Argyll and Bute) and a renumbering of the North Somerset total (previously just 1) as 1 library closed and 2 libraries still seem to be endangered there.
Major news today is that large-scale closures (such as in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire) may be declared illegal.


Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and a mobile library to close
North Somerset – Closures still on cards – Weston Mercury
Gloucestershire – Bid to have cuts declared illegal – This is Gloucestershire Ed Vaizey may intervene – Guardian. This would have a major impact on other proposed cuts if so – Glos, Bucks, Cornwall, Doncaster, Oxfordshire, Lewisham, Leeds, Isle of Wight and Birmingham are all in the same league when it comes to cuts.
Peterborough – 4 libraries to reduce in hours – Peterborough Council
Oxfordshire – Bampton not impressed by cuts – Witney Gazette.  Ditto in Wantage
Nottinghamshire – groups asked to help libraries – Eastwood and Kimberley Advertiser
Birmingham – new library for urban village –  BBC
Hampshire – new improved Basingstoke Library – ahem – “Discovery Centre” – Basingstoke Gazette
MLA – I still see no Wirrals – alangibbons.net
Buckinghamshire – Little Chalfont Library is a successful volunteer library – Buckinghamshire Advertiser
Buckinghamshire – 100 join group to save Great Missenden – Bucks Free Press
Tim Coates – It’s the Overhead, Stupid – Good Library Guide.
Brent – consultation on library cuts launched – Brent Council

Favourite article of the day – Frank Skinner becomes pro-library after visit “When I criticised local libraries I didn’t know exactly what I was attacking. At the same time, Angry of Hampstead, when he’s outraged at the idea of library closures, probably doesn’t know exactly what he’s defending. This was just one library but I think it’s indicative of how libraries are evolving. I’m going to have to ditch my literary elitism and just enjoy the book-swiping” – Frankskinnerlive.com and wikiman blog

US – San Jose library website keeps it simple – Library Journal
No books in school library, lots of coffee though – Houston Press
Future of the book – American Libraries Magazine
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Libraries – Library Journal

On the (semi) positive side, the Wandsworth figure has changed – 1 library faced with closure (instead of previously reported 6), others will have reduced hours. On the debit side, Wigan announce some libraries will close, Stoke withdraw RNIB talking book service and the British Library loses 200 jobs.

Cuts
British Library – 200 jobs to go – Library workers for a brighter future
Wigan – some libraries will close, not Leigh – This is Lancashire
Stoke – ends RNIB talking books service  – BBC
Oxfordshire – more on the cuts – Oxford Mail
Wakefield – more on the cuts, looking for volunteers – Hemsworth and South Emsall Express

Other
Tim Coates wants books in libraries, CILIP thinks libraries are about Web 2.0? – Article and Comments on “The real argument about libraries” – Good Library Blog
Without Libraries, we will lose a mark of our civilization – Guardian Online. Some scarily anti-library commments, though.
Devon – free CDs, reduced charges, for carers – Mid Devon Star
Gloucestershire – Matson residents fear the closures – This is Gloucestershire
Oxfordshire – Summertown users react to cuts – BBC
Wandsworth – Battersea residents angered – This is Local London
Halton – Widnes and Runcorn to go self-service – Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News
Edinburgh – new library to be built – Edinburgh Outlook
Artist’s impression of new Canterbury Library – flickr
Torfaen – work starts on revamp of Pontypool Library – Free Press

USA – book vending machines – Stamford Advocate

240 libraries plus 16 mobiles currently under threat

New entries today are Oxfordshire (20 out of 43 libraries).  I have added two authorities where cuts were previously announced but missed from the list – Doncaster (3) – thanks to “savedoncasterlibraries” for the heads up – Bolton (up to 8) – discovered from a link found in the Doncaster article. I have amended the figure for North Yorkshire due to news article here which describes 24 library closures (already listed) plus 9 mobile libraries (not already listed). News from Bristol suggests “volunteers could be asked to run libraries”.

News from 25th and 26th Nov

Cuts 
Oxfordshire 20 out of 43 to close – BBC
Massive cutbacks to libraries begin – BookSeller
Sutton – Outsourcing favoured over closing – Your Local Guardian
Nottingham – 30 libraries to reduce hours – Volunteers Wanted – This is Retford
North Yorkshire – More on the closures – Malton Mercury
Bristol – Volunteers could run libraries – This is Bristol
Tony Horne column derides libraries – Newcastle Chronicle

Defence
Barking and Dagenham – In defence of Chadwell Heath – Voices for the Library
Library cuts threaten UK’s cultural heritage – Guardian
Hounslow – Rumours of Feltham Library closures rubbished – Hounslow Chronicle
Leeds – Councillors defend Rawdon Library from closure – Wharfedale Observer
Hertfordshire – Lib Dems launch campaign to defend against 30% cut in opening – sixtofix
Warrington – In defence of Grappenhall – Warrington Guardian
Are libraries out of date? – BBC
Kathy Lette defends libraries on Question Time – BBC (43:32)
Why not volunteers? – Library Workers for a Brighter Future

Libraries currently under threat = 209 plus 7 mobile libraries
Following a suggestion by Tim Coates, the figure includes all libraries that are current under threat. Complete list is under news, with links.  I have taken the worst case scenario when numbers are known but not included a figure if it is just known that a number are under threat but no number is given.

Today’s News
West Midlands – 14 council library services likely to merge in order to cut costs, commenters fear Greater Birmingham – Express & Star
Isle of Wight – more on the dramatic cuts – Isle of Wight Radio
Wirral – “no libraries will close on our watch” – Wirral Globe
Leeds – FOI request shows reason for library closure on shaky ground – Voices for the Library
Hillingdon – record visitor numbers after investment, guarantees of no cuts – Hillingdon and Uxbridge Times

3 more libraries in danger today – 153 libraries in danger of closing or being given to community groups since 20th October.

New Cuts
Hartlepool – 3 out of 7 libraries could go – Hartlepool Mail

In Our Defence
Buckinghamshire – “get act together” to save library – Bucks Free Press
Gloucester –  protests make front page – flickr. “Gobsmacked” library users – This is Gloucestershire
Leeds – challenges to plans to close 20 libraries – Yorkshire Evening Post
Authors defend libraries – Guardian
It’s the books, stupid, says MLA survey – Bookseller.  MLA report suggests that it could also be the coffee. Tim Coates shows schadenfreude at the news, librarians express disgust.
Why can’t librarians campaign for libraries – Undaimonia

Other
Does reading a book make us happier? – BBC

US – an interactive library wall – Billings Gazette
Books as a means of healing – American Libraries