Ian Anstice

Changes

• Portsmouth – Southsea Library to close on Sundays (£10k cut). 5 full time staff equivalent (library assistants – 183 working hours per week) – £95k cut to be lost. Late-night openings at Cosham, North End and Southsea libraries would also be removed one night a week (£6.5k cut).  Records Office to be moved to first floor of Southsea Library. Fines for the late returns of books will rise by 1p, from 16p to 17p per day, up to maximum of £8.50. The late return of CDs will go up to 30p per day from 25p and DVDs will go up to 60p per day from 50p.
• Sheffield – Cuts will mean loss of 71 full time equivalent posts: To be replaced by 750 volunteers.
• Wolverhampton – Full-time library workers fall from 117 in 2008 to 17 in 2014. Self service to be installed in all 16 branches will mean more job cuts. Whitmore Reans Library reduced to being open 15 hours per week (was six days). Collingwood Library now mainly self-service.

Ideas

• E-library at courthouse for jurors – USA.
• Homago area for teens – “Hang out, mess around, geek out” area, USA.

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Editorial

World Book Day has come.  This means classes of children coming in, normally in some sort of fancy dress, learning about how wonderful public libraries are.  I’ve already done a school assembly (got to love 250 children screaming “World Book Day”), opened a new school library and did two class visits (“We’re Going On a Bear Hunt” is famous but may I also recommend “Here Come The Aliens“)  … and that was just on Monday.   The Day (and, let’s be honest, the whole week) is a wonderful opportunity for public libraries to get children in as schools are so keen to get involved this week.  Indeed, it’s great when schools phone you and not the other way.  I try to squeeze as many activities as I can in and I hope all public libraries are able to do the same … and keep those statistics too.

World Book Day is all about. well, books, of course and so it’s only appropriate to mention some fairly good evidence that has come in from the US that suggests that it is not public libraries per se that are declining but rather those in the UK where book funds have been cut.  Across the Atlantic, material funds rose 2% on average in 2013 and usage went up 2%.  This tallies well with the UK experience where declines in usage appears to mirror somewhat cuts in funding. So one may wonder whether it’s not that UK public libraries are dieing: rather it appears they are being murdered or, rather, suffering from neglect.

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@publiclibnews IMHOlibraries are a jewel in the crown of our social landscape. As much temples for the lonely as feeding houses for the mind

— Ragged University (@RaggedTalks) March 3, 2014

Ideas

• Credit union collection points – Derbyshire.
• Digital library at airports – Computer access, e-magazines and wifi (USA).

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Editorial

The Leader of Lincolnshire council has claimed that all councils who try to reform their public library service have judicial reviews raised against them.  He then went on to say that those who dare to try to obtain judicial reviews should pay for them themselves. Let’s look at the truth and implications behind the words. There have been seven applications for judicial review so far but there are 151 library authorities in England alone … so that’s hardly “all” then. One must also question the word “reform” – thirty out of forty-five libraries will be closed or passed to volunteers, expressly because of the need to cut £2 million from a £6 million budget.  So we’re not talking “reform” here: we’re talking a response to cuts of one-third. Finally, the application for judicial review may need up to £25,000 in legal aid – so what the Leader is effectively saying is that only rich people should be able to challenge the legality of local council decisions.  The Leader may have no problem with that but public libraries are famously for all groups, notably those without a few tens of thousands of pounds to spare … so his response should anger everyone who cares for public libraries and thus also care to keep the power to question those in authority who cut them so drastically.

Changes

• Scottish Borders – Libraries/museums/halls to be transferred to new Trust to save £276k.

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Changes

• St Helens – £150k Arts Council England funding for  performances, workshops, exhibitions, digital arts projects and other events taking place through to April 2015. 
• Surrey – Merstham Library refurbishment.

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