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Editorial

The BookSeller have published an interesting article on library usage, pointing out that it is only at one-fifth to one-third of pre-covid levels. There are many reasons for this situation, some of which are listed below, but it’s still a worrying statistic to be made public at a time when councils are looking for ways to save money:

• much usage has moved online. On the other hand, while such usage is often larger than any single physical library branch, it won’t account for a significant amount of the fall. There were 157m book loans in 2018, while the article states that ebook loans March to August were 3.5m. The “600% increase” figure often quoted as an e-lending rise is not an overall accurate figure for the whole period.
• many libraries are still closed, on reduced hours or click and collect only.
• unlike shops, libraries are not promoting themselves or encouraging visitors. The focus is on safety, not income. Libraries need to be models of safety for their councils, and being risk averse, unlike retail.
• the unique returns aspect of libraries means quarantining of books unlike in shops. This may have a knock-on effect in highlighting risk to users and in keeping popular titles outside of circulation.
• A significant user base for libraries is amongst the old: a demographic most at risk and thus less likely to go out.

An example of an authority trying to save money is Kent, which has the largest number of library buildings of any UK authority, has announced that it will 66 of its 99 branches closed until 1st April 2021. Those normally working in the closed branches have been moved to open ones. Also, reading between the lines, the closure of Stockport Central Library and its moving some time next year to a co-location in an old Argos shop is as likely to be as much about saving money as modernising the service, although it is true that sometimes both can be achieved.

Changes by local authority

• Kent – 66 out of 99 libraries to stay closed until 1 April to save money. Staff redeployed to open libraries.
• Stockport – Central Library to remain closed – will move to old Argos site in shopping centre.

National news

• Collaborations For Libraries: How To Create New Things With Partners – Princh. Includes room hire, using a wedding dress designer to come up with a new staff uniform, and jazz … plus a please to not hurt reputation of library.
• How Yorkshire towns can lead UK fightback – The Yorkshire Post says – Yorkshire Post. North and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership says lack of broadband holding back region.
• It Took Covid Closures to Reveal Just How Much Libraries Do Beyond Lending Books – Observer. A look at York Explore, Tacoma, New York, Suffolk, with increase in online usage. “Its many proposals also include the use libraries – many of which are fighting for their futures – as centres to teach new digital skills to the less computer-savvy.”

The American Library Association’s Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) is proud to announce that despite COVID-19, International Games Week (IGW) will take place from November 8 to November 14, 2020.  Libraries of all stripes around the world are encouraged to sign up between now and October 24 to be eligible for a drawing for one of three special GameRT Loot Boxes. While GameRT encourages participants to hold a gaming event at their Library during IGW, due to the pandemic, any event held during the month of November can be counted.  This year, GameRT will be spotlighting freely available print-and-play games and listing resources available for libraries to use to set up gaming events online at games.ala.org. 

Darren Edwards, Lis-Pub-Libs

• Levelling Up Our Communities – UK Government. Report by Danny Kruger MP (Conservative) to the Prime Minister on improving community. “The local Library is or should be a crucial element of the social model we need to create, or re-create. Libraries are no longer dusty book depositories. Increasingly they serve as digital hubs and information centres for communities, and places for classes and sessions of all kinds. The British Library’s Business and IP Centre network is supporting local libraries to assist people in starting their own businesses. Even more is possible: siting BBC local radio stations in libraries, spreading the Library of Things network, using libraries for cultural events and exhibitions, and working with Historic England to establish new libraries in old buildings.” … “Government should make a major commitment to support the local library as the hub of the 21st century community”

• Library footfall down 80% on last year – BookSeller. Libraries Connected “… collects weekly figures and, up to the week ending 13th September, they show a very gradual uptick in the number of physical users since lockdown ended for libraries from early July, with footfall still at only around 20% of last year’s level.” … many libraries still closed so those open more at 35% … “the figure is still far lower than for the commercial high street, where more shops have opened fully and footfall has peaked at close to 70% of previous levels.”
• Public Library Apparel – KickStarter. “Apparel to raise awareness and funds for public libraries in the UK.”. Check out these literary themed t-shirts to support ailing libraries – Big Issue.
• Public Library Reopening Poll – Summer 2020 – Lorensbergs. “The results provide a snapshot of the services available at late August/early September and libraries’ plans for the months ahead. A total of 96 library authorities have taken part, with participation stretching across the UK. The findings represent how it’s been necessary for library authorities to respond according to the guidelines and different circumstances of their local areas.”

• Transforming the digital offer for public libraries – BookSeller. “Our goal was not just to conceptualise what a website for public libraries might look like, but rather to think more deeply and strategically about how to improve the use of digital technology throughout the whole public library sector. ” … “We believe that a national digital presence should help everyone discover the power of the public library by making access to knowledge easier and more enjoyable, and supporting every public library to deliver digital services of the highest quality.” … “to build a national digital channel for public libraries” and “develop patterns and designs that local libraries can use and re-work”

International news

• Canada – Book vending machine outside Vancouver Mall library revives pleasure of browsing the stacks – The Columbian.
• EU – News from the NAPLE sistership between Iisalmi City Library and Edinburgh Libraries – NAPLE Sister Libraries. “correspondence between libraries has been active and we have been keeping in touch with emails and Skype meetings. We have also done some small projects together. These have included country specific book exhibitions, sharing content in social media and joint activities of our book clubs. The exchange of ideas has been fruitful and we have very similar opinions concerning the development of our cooperation.”
• Global – Occupy Library – Occupy Library. 3 day online conference. “Occupy Library brings together the innovating ideas that are implemented in libraries in the Central, Eastern European, Black Sea, Caucasus, and Caspian regions. The conference will provide a virtual space for sharing good practices and support best ways to make libraries more involved in their communities.”. Happened last week.
• Ireland – Shhh! Downloads prove a big noise for Ireland’s libraries in lockdown – Times. “Figures show that due to the restrictions imposed because of the pandemic, downloads of ebooks via the app in Ireland have increased to 529,416 in 2020 to date, compared with 345,877 over all 12 months of last year.”
• Maldives – ‘Barefoot bookseller’ sought to run island bookshop in Maldives – Guardian. ““Last time we had everybody from the White House press corps to film directors, lawyers, IT managers, beach poets, retired librarians,” said Blackwell, who is a member of the British bookselling family that sold their chain in 2006. “What works best is somebody with bookselling experience. “
• USA – Passenger Pigeon Manifesto – Peta Pixel. A call for all libraries to preserve and make public historical records.

Local news by authority

• Bath and North East Somerset – Chance to share memories as Bath Central Library marks 30th anniversary – Bath Echo. “The libraries team will be posting on social media throughout the ‘birthday’ with photos through the ages, memories of staff past and present and activities for all ages to enjoy including 30 years of books, a quiz and downloadable bookmarks.”
  • Libraries across Bath & North East Somerset set to reopen for browsing – Bath Echo. “Bath Central, Keynsham and Midsomer Norton Libraries will reopen for browsing and collection of reservations from Tuesday 22nd September, from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.”
• Bradford – Activities planned in district to celebrate Libraries Week – Keighley News. “Top authors from a range of genres are involved in the initiative, which includes free theatre sessions, small-animal workshops and interactive story times for under-fives.”
• Cumbria – Step up in Covid safety measures as more libraries prepare to open – The Mail. “after careful preparation plans are in place to reopen an additional 12 branch libraries across the county on Wednesday, October 21.”
• Hackney – Hackney librarian Jack Houston shortlisted for prestigious short story award – Hackney Gazette. “Come Down Heavy is a moving tale of a friendship between two women living chaotic lives and has been nominated for the BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University”
• Hertfordshire – Get Creative with Fun Palaces – Hertfordshire County Council. “Look out for suggestions of creativity for adults and children and simple ideas for community engagement on the libraries social media pages – both the Hertfordshire Libraries pages and those of many local libraries. Join in – it’s fun and it’s free and it will create essential new community connections. #FunPalaces”
• Highlands – High Life Highland announces it will reopen eight further libraries which were forced to close during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic earlier this year; the sites set to reopen in the next week include ones in Ross-shire, on the Black Isle, on Skye, in Sutherland, Badenoch and Strathspey – Ross-Shire Journal.
• Kent – KCC acts to tackle financial impact of Covid pandemic – Kent County Council. ““As far as libraries, children’s centres and community learning services are concerned, our decision was not an easy one. We know that these are popular service and residents may be disappointed by our decision, as will those staff who will not be able to work at their usual building.”
• Lancashire – Bamber Bridge Library Will Reopen Next Week – Preston Hub. “Libraries at Bamber Bridge, Barrowford, Burnley, Burscough, Cleveleys, Halton, Haslingden, Kingsfold, Kirkham, Mellor and Sharoe Green will reopen from Wednesday 30 September. And libraries at Earby, Ingol, Knott End, and Rishton will reopen from Thursday 1 October.”
• Lincolnshire – Libraries in the Donington, Spalding and Long Sutton area are back open – Spalding Today.
• Liverpool – ‘My First Library Card’ launched for under 10’s across Liverpool – In Your Area. “Parents across Liverpool are being encouraged to pick up a special card for their under 10’s to develop their child’s love of reading. Week beginning September 28, Liverpool City Council’s Libraries and Information Services, in partnership with Edge Hill University, will launch the ‘My First Library Card’ for youngsters up to the age of 10. The library card features a friendly liver bird design, created to appeal to little readers.”
• Norfolk – One of Norfolk’s smallest libraries reopens for first time in six months – Fakenham and Wells Times. “Reepham Library is set to reopen next week after being closed for more than six months.”. Mobile library service to replace Hingham Library for time being because it is too small.
• North Yorkshire – Libraries in Craven prepare to celebrate national poetry day – Keighley News. Virtual poet reading.
• Nottinghamshire – Read all about it: the mobile library is back out on Nottinghamshire roads – Newark Advertiser. “Mobile libraries are back on the roads of Nottinghamshire ­— but offering a click-and-collect service only.”
• Pembrokeshire – Customers set for safe return to Pembrokeshire’s libraries – Pembroke Observer. “Libraries in Tenby, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock and Fishguard will welcome customers back to browse their shelves in person for the first time since March.”
• Portsmouth – Beddow Library Set to Re-Open and Saturday Hours Returning – About My Area. “The re-opening of Beddow library follows after the successful re-opening of Central, Southsea, North End and Cosham libraries in July and August.”
• Southend – Leigh: New chapter for Southend libraries as doors reopen to the public – Leigh Times. “Residents can now visit their local libraries to browse for their favourite novels and books.”
• Stockport – Stockport’s historic Central Library set for move to new ‘cultural hub’ at Merseyway – Manchester Evening News. “Stockport Central Library is to move to the Merseyway Shopping Centre as part of plans to create a new cultural hub in the town centre. It has remained closed since March when the council shut all libraries and museums in the borough as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.”
• Thurrock – Five more libraries to reopen in Thurrock – Your Thurrock. “A further five libraries will open in Thurrock over the next two weeks, following the successful reopening of Grays, Belhus and Corringham in July.”
• Warwickshire – Council urges Warwickshire residents to download NHS test and trace app – Solihull Observer. “The mobile phone application lets users ‘check in’ to any venue or business with areas open to the public – such as pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas, places of worship, or community facilities such as libraries – by scanning a QR code displayed on a poster at the venue. It will automatically alert users if they have visited a venue where they may have come into contact with the virus”
  • Book lovers can now visit Shipston-on- Stour Library again – Cotswold Journal.
• York – World Turned Upside Down 2020 #haiflu edition – Explore York. ” We are asking people in York to send us poems and drawings that we will use to create a lasting record of what has happened in our lives. The project is called World Turned Upside Down 2020 #haiflu edition.”

Editorial

Windsor and Maidenhead, the” tax avoidance capital” and one of the wealthiest parts of the UK, is considering cutting library opening hours by a quarter in order to save money. Elsewhere, Kingston has also announced a consultation but it is avoids mentioning if this is simply cover to cut funding or not. A new library has opened in Waltham Forest and another in the Vale of Glamorgan has closed for extensive refurbishment. Meanwhile, the troubled Library of Birmingham has been earmarked £3m of the £10m it needs just for maintenance. That place sucks in money. So – good news – this almost sounds like a normal news week pre-Covid.

A librarianship MA student is researching the use and purpose of volunteers at Oldham Libraries for her dissertation and is looking for information professionals to share their thoughts on the topic. The study will involve information professionals completing a survey about their experience and knowledge of volunteers. If you find the project of interest and would like to participate in this survey, please contact the researcher, Nicola Semple. Her email address is nicola.semple@stu.mmu.ac.uk

Changes by authority

• Birmingham – Library of Birmingham needs £11m maintenance over ten years: £3m to be spent on it over 3 years.
• Kingston – Consultation.
• South Gloucestershire – Filton Library closed for repairs.
• Vale of Glamorgan – Penarth Library to be extensively refurbished inc. makerspace.
• Waltham Forest – New Wood Street Library opens.
• Windsor and Maidenhead – Consultation on cutting opening hours by 26% /123 hours from current 475.5

Whichbook

I’ve been a fan of Whichbook for years and so was delighted to see that this one-of-a-kind book recommendation site has been radically improved. Rachel Van Riel, the Director of Opening the Book, the creators of Whichbook, very kindly agreed to answer my questions about it …

What is Whichbook?

A new way to choose a book where the reader is in control. Searching books sites and catalogues usually means keying in an author name or book title. But if you know the name already, your search is likely to turn up books you already know about. No surprises there. Whichbook starts instead from the reading experience you are looking for. Are you in the mood for something funny and optimistic or beautiful and a bit sad? Mix the mood sliders to match what you want and see what comes up. You can choose the race, age, gender and sexuality of the main character or spin the globe and pick the country your book is set in.

What is it like now?

This site is in a completely different league from the old one. The old one had the central idea but it was dated in design, you needed to be keen to use it. People still were keen – we averaged 35,000 a month – but this new one is so juicy and tempting – I defy anyone not to get sucked in to look at just one more possibility – and then another ….

So what’s actually new?

It’s dynamic and not linear. When you change the mood sliders, the book covers instantly rearrange to match, it’s magic. When you choose a main character, you can pick Asian and see a big choice, then choose gay, the book covers change instantly to show that. It’s a celebration of the richness of book cover design and a visual feast. Everything is intuitive – instead of a drop-down menu of countries to choose from, you can spin a globe and land anywhere and see which books are set there. And it is designed to work on tablets and phones as much as PCs and Macs. That’s been a huge job with such a complexity of interaction. But we knew that more than half of users access by mobile phone so it’s essential.

Is it free?

Yes, it’s completely free. For the first time, we have added a donate button as the site has had no public funding since 2003. We have looked at using ads too but they do spoil the design so we’d rather not.

How are the book choices made?

We concentrate on books which may fly below the radar – first-time authors, quirky titles and knock-out covers. Any user can suggest a book. We don’t include the big bestsellers as they don’t need any help to be found. Another great new feature, though, is that you can pick a current bestseller you enjoyed and see a selection of whichbook titles you might like to try next. That could be very useful for libraries with a big waiting list for bestseller reservations.

What’s the library connection?

Click on any book cover to get the book details and you can then Borrow or Buy. Borrow brings up a choice of UK library services with a link that goes straight to author/title level so you can see which branches hold it. The other big connection with libraries is that whichbook readers mostly work in libraries. We have just started a training programme with 10 new readers in Leeds Libraries.

National news

• Annual Report to Parliament on public libraries activities from April 2019 to March 2020 – Gov.uk. “This report provides a review of library activity from April 2019 to March 2020 by government and a number of library stakeholders.”

• Libraries need change from the top – BookSeller. Tim Coates says “Public libraries have been losing the plot for years.” … “and if those currently in charge can’t see or do that, they should be replaced—and very quickly, this autumn. “

• Together We Read – Digital bookclub. “During this two-week program, there will be no waitlists and no holds for the selected ebook. Download Libby to borrow the free ebook from your library using your phone or tablet. “

International news

• China –  Concrete wormhole library – Designing Libraries. “The wormholes, of varying size and intervals, provide surprise and let in natural light. As well as provision for around 10,000 [censored – Ed.] books, the library has bicycle parking facilities, bathrooms and showers.”
• Global – Libraries In Movement – Princh. A look at mobile libraries worldwide including those using donkeys and boats.
• India – Pandemic is the perfect time to build community libraries, here’s why – Times of India. ” news of small community libraries being opened up in different places in Balochistan caught international bestselling author Paulo Coelho’s attention. The idea is to convert unused buildings or places previously misused for drug consumption into small community libraries in towns and villages so that people and young readers get a glimpse of the outside world through stories and books”
• USA/Ireland/ – What’s it like to be a library cat during the pandemic – I Love Libraries. “Library staff know him to be extremely self-sufficient, but during the pandemic people have still been sure to drop by his hut to check in and share snacks.”

Local news by authority

• Aberdeen – Aberdeen’s libraries open doors to welcome back readers – Evening Express. “Central and Tillydrone libraries opened on Monday and the libraries at Airyhall, Bridge of Don, Cove, Dyce and Mastrick opened on Thursday.”
• Aberdeenshire – Public access PCs available to book at Aberdeenshire libraries from next week – Evening Express. “Hour-long slots allow 45 minutes use and the chance for staff to ensure hygiene between users, who are asked to wear face coverings.” From 2 libraries.
• Birmingham – Millions to be spent after fears Birmingham library could soon become unsafe to occupy – Birmingham Mail. “Around £3 million is set to be spent on the Library of Birmingham over the next three years.” … “Last week it was revealed that the library, which opened in 2013, risks becoming unsafe to use without £11 million in maintenance works over the next ten years.”
• Bradford – Call for Bradford poets to enter library competition – Telegraph and Argus. “Libraries hopes to produce two books – one book featuring poems and artwork by children & young people under 18 and another with artwork and poems by adults (over 18).”
• Bridgend – Libraries Reopen For Book Browsing – Awen Libraries. “reopened its Aberkenfig, Bridgend, Maesteg, Pencoed, Porthcawl and Pyle branches for book browsing and borrowing”
• Buckinghamshire – Marlow residents urged to contribute to library art – Maidenhead Advertiser. “Bucks Council is urging Marlow residents to take part in the creation of a new art installation for the refurbished library.”
  • 3,000 people still have library books from before lockdown, but be warned – fine amnesty ends this month – Bucks Free Press. “The fines amnesty that has been in place during lockdown will end on September 30.”
• Denbighshire – Libraries across Denbighshire open for appointment visits – Journal. “Visits to browse and choose books are limited to 20 minutes, and computer sessions are currently limited to 45 minutes, and one per week.”
• Derbyshire – Derbyshire’s mobile libraries gear up to return to the road – Derbyshire County Council. “From Monday 21 September both our mobile library vehicles will start operating again for mornings only and following new routes.” … “Appointment times will last 5 minutes, and for the time being people will not be able to select their own books by going onto the vehicle. Instead, they will be asked what type of books they like reading and a selection will be made for them so they can pick them up at their allotted time.”
  • Derbyshire county libraries to be open by end of the month – Derbyshire Council. “A total of 44 of the county’s 45 libraries will be open and welcoming customers to browse the shelves and choose books by 28 September 2020. Only Wingerworth Library will remain closed for the time being.”
• Dorset – Bookworms rejoice as reservation system gets back up and running – Bridport News. “Reservations will be limited to 10 items per library member at any one time.”
• Edinburgh – Edinburgh Libraries phased re-opening – Tales of One City. “The first phase of opening will see a selection of library buildings across the city reopening on Tuesday 13 October.”
• Eileen Siar – Western Isles libraries to reopen with ‘Connect & Collect’ – Stornoway Gazette. “The phased reopening will initially involve reduced opening hours at Liniclate and Stornoway libraries which will offer a special ‘Connect & Collect’ service.”
• Glasgow – Glasgow Lib Dem library closure letters ‘untrue’, says Susan Aitken – Glasgow Times. “It is understood that Glasgow Life, an arms-length organisation which manages Glasgow’s libraries on behalf of the council – is facing significant financial difficulties. Despite local concerns and an online petition to “save” South Side libraries, there has been no suggestion that libraries will be permanently closed. But the Greens have said that the council is responsible for causing confusion. “
  • Pollokshields residents frustrated as Glasgow Life removes signs expressing love for libraries – Glasgow Times. “locals in Pollokshields designed signs to hang outside their local hub – but these keep being removed by library staff. Resident Katherine Mackinnon said: “I obviously can’t speak to the reasons other folk put them up but, for me, I put a banner up because I was concerned for the future of our extremely well-used and beloved library.” … “One sign, which was removed, read “Reading is Hope” while another said “Our libraries belong to our communities”.”
• Gwynedd – Library appointments available to book from today – Cambrian News. “As part of a pre-booking system, residents will be able to access the public computers and go to the library to browse and choose their own books.”
• Hampshire – Library opening hour changes to be unveiled in Hampshire – Salisbury Journal. This month. “The 40 county council-run libraries, including Fordingbridge and Ringwood, are set to have new opening hours following  a public consultation.”
• Inverclyde – Inverclyde Libraries has unveiled the new theme for its online discussion group – Greenock Telegraph. “For the next few weeks, readers are being encouraged to choose books with strong female lead characters”
• Kingston – Kingston Council to work with local communities to reimagine local library services – Kingston Council. “The first phase of the transformation process will take place between 1 September and 21 October. “
• Leicester – Five more city libraries to reopen next week – Leicester City Council. “From Monday 14 September, Evington Library, Fosse Library, Knighton Library, Rushey Mead Library and Westcotes Library will reopen to the public.”
• Leicestershire – Thousands of people have visited Leicestershire’s main libraries – including Harborough’s – since a browsing service has been restarted – Harborough Mail. “More than 5,500 people have visited Leicestershire’s main libraries”
• Manchester – More Manchester libraries set to reopen from next week – About Manchester. “Abraham Moss, Arcadia, Beswick, Brooklands, Hulme and North City will all reopen, along with community libraries in Burnage, Barlow Moor, Fallowfield, Miles Platting and New Moston. For the two remaining Manchester libraries where a reopening date is yet to be confirmed, Northenden and Powerhouse, work is continuing to ensure that these facilities can reopen to visitors as soon as possible.”
• Northern Ireland – Libraries in local area return to normal hours – Coleraine Times. “Libraries NI has announce that libraries that were part of Libraries NI’s first two pilot phases for reopening have returned to normal hours including opening Mondays and Saturdays.” … “These libraries are Antrim, Ballymoney, Bangor Carnegie, Belfast Central, Brownlow, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Cookstown, Derry Central, Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Lisburn City, Maghera, Newry City, Omagh, Portaferry and Strabane.”
• North Somerset – More libraries reopen across North Somerset – Mercury.
• Northumberland – Some services could return to Northumberland libraries – News Post Leader. Time limited browsing in some libraries.
• North Yorkshire – North Yorkshire’s home library service resumes – Harrogate Informer. “Home library service volunteers select books and audio books for delivery. All books are left on a pre-arranged date in a secure place and collected and quarantined afterwards.”
  • Libraries welcoming back customers with measures – Northern Echo. “Customers can visit, browse for and borrow books in many libraries, and most are offering access to computers, which allow for two-metre social distancing and are cleaned between each use.”
• Plymouth – All Plymouth public libraries to reopen in the next few weeks – Plymouth Live. “Following the coronavirus lockdown, the council introduced a collection service at Central, Plymstock, St Budeaux and Southway. In a second phase, Central Library in the city centre opened for browsing and pre-booked use of computers.”
• St Helens – Letters in lockdown initiative praised after engaging with 180 isolated residents – St Helens Star. ” sending hand-written letters in stamped addressed envelopes to residents registered with the library service’s Home Delivery Service.”
• Shropshire – Million-selling author at online libraries event – Whitchurch Herald. “Lesley Pearse will give the talk to Shropshire on Wednesday, September 17 at 6pm to complement the Libraries from Home initiative from Libraries Connected”
• Somerset – Book lovers invited back to browse at Somerset library – In Your Area. “The county council in Somerset rolled out a phased opening of libraries by offering an order-and-collect service and now Wellington is one of the first libraries to let the public back in to browse the shelves for themselves – all done with strict social distancing and infection control measures in place.”
• South Gloucestershire – Leader’s column: Libraries are now fully open again – Gazette series. “All customers are required to wear face coverings. Opening times are shorter than normal hours with all libraries closing at 4pm. The number of people using a library at one time is limited and IT users are encouraged to book in advance to ensure a PC is free at the time they want to visit.”
• Southend – Southend Council re-opens libraries today – Clacton Gazette. All now open.
• Suffolk – Online coffee mornings for new parents – Ipswich Star.
  • Browsing returns to Suffolk’s libraries in September – Suffolk Libraries. “Around half of libraries have reintroduced browsing already, with one-way systems in place and limitations on the number of customers allowed in library buildings in any one time.”
• Vale of Glamorgan – Penarth Library to undergo extensive refurbishment project – Vale of Glamorgan Council. “Brand new computing facilities will replace the current IT suite. The space will also house a makerspace, a location where library users can gather to co-create, share resources, work on projects and network.”
• Waltham Forest – New Wood Street Library building opens – Waltham Forest Echo. “Originally supposed to open late last year, the new building in Troubridge Square on the Marlowe Road Estate is open seven days a week, for double the hours of the previous library building. The former Wood Street Library site will be sold for redevelopment to fund both the new library and part of the extension of Lea Bridge Library. Many residents have mourned the loss of the original building, which dates from the 1950s and is set to be demolished.”
• Warrington – Padgate and Penketh libraries latest to reopen – Warrington Guardian. “Warrington’s remaining closed libraries, Birchwood and Westbrook, are provisionally scheduled to reopen in late October.”
• Warwickshire – Whitnash and Lillington libraries are now open for click & collect services for first time since lockdown – Kenilworth Weekly News.
• West Berkshire – Funding pledge to support Thatcham Library for another year – Newbury Today. “Town councillors agreed to pay West Berkshire Council the sum, which amounts to around £24,000, at a meeting last week. The district council had proposed to close libraries as part of budget cuts. But after strong protests and the Government saying it couldn’t, the council asked town and parishes to help cover a £150,000 shortfall to keep eight of its nine libraries open.”
• West Sussex – Share a Poem of Hope with West Sussex Libraries – District Post. “The poems are being requested as part of an online campaign to celebrate National Poetry Day which takes place on Thursday 1 October.”
  • Lesley Pearse to give free online talk through West Sussex Library Service – The Argus.
• Wiltshire – Further eight libraries to reopen – including Amesbury – Salisbury Journal. “From Monday, September 14, libraries in Amesbury, Bradford on Avon, Calne and Marlborough will open, followed on September 21 by Royal Wootton Bassett, Westbury and Melksham. People won’t be able to drop-in and browse at these libraries but an order and collect service has been set-up providing access to books.”
• Windsor and Maidenhead – Windsor and Maidenhead library hours could be slashed to save money – Royal Borough Observer. “It is proposed to reduce opening hours during the week by 123 hours – which RBWM believes it will still deliver a ‘comprehensive library service’ and deliver savings at the same time.” … “The borough currently has 475.5 total library opening hours a week – the most in the Berkshire area.”
• Wrexham – Wrexham Library Service: research your ancestry for free – The Leader.

Editorial

Recovery continues, although the latest Libraries Connected figures showing a far slower return to libraries than to shops. This is, however, honestly to be expected as still only a small fraction of branches are fully open, with most only offering partial services and many still closed, although Sandwell is now the only library service not to have any form of physical service at all.

In other news – now there is other news – it’s been reassuring to see the huge fight put up in Glasgow over possible closures, resulting in the assurance this week that all branches are safe. Like most book readers, I do like a happy ending and the Scottish have apparently managed to get one there.

Changes by local authority

• North Yorkshire – Malton Library to be refurbished.
• St Helens – Central Library will reopen inside Heart of Glass museum on 14 September.

National news

• Boris Johnson and the revenge of the school librarian – TES. “Lining the shelf just behind Mr Johnson’s head were titles with rather unflattering associations for any political leader, including “The Twits”, “The Subtle Knife”, “The Resistance”, and “Betrayed”. And sticking out like a sore thumb was “Fahrenheit 451”, a dystopian novel about a society where books are banned.
• Burning the books by Richard Ovenden – BBC Radio 4. 14 minutes, first episode of five. “Richard Ovenden, director of the Bodleian Library, explains how attacks on libraries and archives have been a feature of history since ancient times, but have increased in frequency and intensity during the modern era. Libraries are far more than stores of literature, through preserving the legal documents such as Magna Carta and records of citizenship they also support the rule of law and the rights of citizens.”
  • Leicestershire librarian ‘feels sorry’ for PM over book backdrop – BBC. “A former school librarian has said she “feels sorry” for Boris Johnson after a book display intended as a message to her former employers ended up making waves on social media.”
• Lesley Pearse launches Libraries Connected #LibrariesFromHomeLIVE virtual event series – Libraries Connected. “Hosted via Zoom, Facebook Live and Live Webinar the series will kick-off with Bristol Libraries on the 10th September and conclude with a special Friday Fizz! Event with Manchester Libraries on the 25th September.”
• Libraries: helping local communities find work – Arts Council England. “As the country tries to recover economically from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, libraries are extremely well-placed to help people looking for work and support their communities.” … “Data provided by Norfolk Library Service, Somerset Library Service and Wandsworth Library Service to Libraries Connected for the weeks immediately following lockdown indicate that …”

“Libraries have always supported their local communities by offering resources and facilities throughout people’s lives – from toddler rhyme times to supporting the elderly, the isolated and the vulnerable. However, as the economy begins to recover from Covid-19, libraries are extremely well-placed to help those people who are looking for work. I know that up and down the country, library staff will be doing everything they can to support those in their community who need to get back to work or change career path.”

Sue Williamson, Director, Libraries, Arts Council England

• Reading Challenge aims to support pupils returning to school – Grampian Online. “he challenge is available to all primary and secondary schools as well as community groups and libraries in Scotland, and aims to build positive reading cultures and improve literacy for young people. Now in its fifth year, the programme is run by national charity Scottish Book Trust and over a third of all schools in Scotland took part in the challenge last year. The First Minister’s Reading Challenge aims to support teachers and pupils returning to school after lockdown with additional resources and funding.”
• Troubled Capita to Sell Another Software Business – CBR. “Capita’s Education Software Solutions business also includes “Reading Cloud”, a library and resource management system that is used by some 15,000 schools, and AGILIT-e: management software for universities that is used by 30 higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland, according to Capita.”
• Webinar: Phased Reopening of Libraries :Warwickshire Libraries and IF_DO Architects  – Bibliotheca. Tuesday 1 September 2pm.
• We’re back! How public libraries have been reopening their doors – Libraries Connected. “We have just a snapshot of around 1 in 3 public libraries at the moment, but we’ll be collecting this data over the coming months to build up a more detailed picture of how library services are recovering. ” … “In the first week of opening, libraries saw 8% of their usual visitor numbers, and over the 6 weeks to mid- august this rose to 15%. However, this comparison is based on footfall numbers last year when all library sites were open, so with the 15% figure is more likely to be between 20 and 40% of usual footfall for those sites that are open. “
• What Does Quality Mean for a Modern Library Service? – Libraries Connected. Recording of video chat, virtual consultation.

International news

• Kenya – Stevenage charity appeals for hands-on help with delayed library project – Comet. “A charity is appealing for volunteers to help load tens of thousands of donated books into a shipping container, which will then be sent to Kenya and converted into a library for a deprived community.”
• USA – You CAN Run a Successful Library Card Sign-up Month Campaign in the Age of COVID-19! Try These Six Ideas for Recruiting New Cardholders – Super Library Marketing. “we won’t let a pandemic stop us from bringing new cardholders into our library family”

• To-Go Library Services – ALSC Blog. “…  as the months wear on, we’ve come to realize that patrons (much like their hard-working librarians) are pretty burnt out on technology. So last month when we reopened to the public, the Youth Services Team rolled out a few fresh ideas for engaging with our community.”

Local news by authority

• Aberdeenshire – More libraries join Aberdeenshire wide click and collect scheme – Grampian Online. “Click and Collect and doorstep deliveries will be available from both Inverurie and Peterhead libraries from next Tuesday (September 1), offering a safe way to access resources.”
• Blackpool – Blackpool’s main library is to reopen and here’s what you need to know – Gazette. “Blackpool Council will be opening the library on September 1 as the start of a phased steps towards a full reopening.”
• Caerphilly – Caerphilly Libraries Launch ‘Order And Collect’ Service – Wales 247. “From Monday 24th August, residents can request items of stock which they can collect at a convenient time from one of seven libraries operating the scheme.”
• Cheshire East – Alderley Edge Library prepares to re-open – Alderley Edge .com. “The library has been closed since the early stages of the pandemic and was unable to reopen along with other libraries in Cheshire East due to its size and ability to respect social distancing. The library will initially open on Tuesdays only …”
• Conwy – Conwy libraries resume computer access after coronavirus lockdown – Journal series. “Conwy County Borough Council said its library members at Abergele, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Llandudno and Llanrwst must pre-book before arrival as there is limited access to computers to ensure a safe environment. The free call and collect service is also in action at the county’s libraries, in which books can be ordered online or by phone.”
• Cumbria – Cumbria County Council reports surge in use of online library services since Covid-19 lockdown – Westmorland Gazette. “Figures released by Cumbria County Council reveal that the number of people using eBooks and eAudiobooks more than doubled in the 19 weeks since libraries were forced to close, compared to the previous 19-week period, with 2,042 people using the service for the first time compared to 861.”
• Dumfries and Galloway – Stewartry libraries and galleries back open in latest round of lockdown easing – Daily Record. “The sites in Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Kirkcudbright are open on a limited basis due to current guidelines with the facilities in Dalry and Gatehouse remaining closed for the time being.”
• East Riding of Yorkshire – Council delivers appy news for library customers – Pocklington Post. “Using the same app that Library members already access free eMagazines and eAudiobooks – RB Digital – users will now notice that eNewspapers are also available to download. “
• Essex – Anthony Roberts Column: Here we come! The cavalry on our bikes – Clacton Gazette. “The little party we joined are walking from branch library to branch library this week. They duly set off for Stanway Library – now don’t get me started on tiny little Stanway Library, even by branch library standards it’s an absolute little peach of a library.”
  • SOLE to host protest through Essex to protect future of libraries – Clacton Gazette. “The seven day march, which started at Manningtree Library last Saturday, is set to stop at libraries across Great Wakering, Hullbridge, Hockley and Rochford, before ending outside County Hall in Chelmsford on Saturday.”
• Glasgow – Susan Aitken: Closing Glasgow’s libraries would not help us rebuild communities – Glasgow Evening Times. “Despite what some Glasgow Times readers may have heard in the past week, there are no plans to close any of Glasgow’s libraries. And no libraries will remain closed for any longer than is absolutely necessary. I say that as leader of the City Council on whose behalf Glasgow Life delivers its services.”
  • Greens Patrick Harvie launches campaign at Govanhill Library to ‘save Glasgow Life’ – Glasgow Times. Harvie’s £38m bailout plea to save libraries and leisure centres – Herald Scotland.
  • SNP leader Susan Aitken promises no Glasgow Life libraries will close amid Covid fears – Glasgow Times.
• Hampshire – Reduced opening hours for Hampshire libraries to be revealed in September – The News. ” a county council document revealed that the opening hours of some libraries could increase or decrease by up to 39 per cent ‘to achieve a standardised approach’.”
• Inverclyde – Inverclyde Libraries continue click and collect service – Greenock Telegraph. “The service runs at Greenock Central, Port Glasgow and Gourock and books can be picked up between 10am and 2pm.”
• Kent – Library to reopen at Dover Discovery Centre and browsing at Deal is expected to follow – Kent Online. “In the meantime, KCC has also re-opened the archive search room at the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone.” … “The first 12 libraries that opened across Kent in July will continue to offer a “select and collect” service for the time being.”
• Leicester – Five more city libraries to reopen next week – Leicester City Council. “From Tuesday 1 September, the Brite Centre Library, Belgrave Library, Hamilton Library, Highfields Library and New Parks Centre Library will reopen to the public”
• North Lanarkshire – Opening date announced for one local library only – Cumbernauld News. “… readers in Kilsyth and Condorrat will not be able to visit their own branches as yet – because the only other local authority library to re-open at this stage is is in Coatbridge.”
• Northumberland – Time-limited browsing now offered in some Northumberland libraries – News Post Leader. “The service to Northumberland Library members has been introduced at Rothbury, Wooler and Bellingham. Other libraries are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. Customers will have 15 minutes to browse and make their own selection.”
• North Yorkshire – Dogs Trust online workshop courtesy of Northallerton library – North Yorkshire County Council. “The Dogs Trust Education Team has teamed up with Northallerton library to host the online workshop “
  • Malton library to close for major refurbishment – Gazette Herald. “The improvements by North Yorkshire County Council will include a new-look children’s library, an IT and study area and new books for all ages.”
• Nottingham – Nottingham’s Central Library will not reopen as council prepares to sell building – Nottingham Post. “Central Library on Angel Row has been declared ‘surplus to requirements’ prior to its sale, it has been confirmed today. It is set to be replaced by the new Central Library in the Broadmarsh Bus Station and Car Park.”
• Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire libraries celebrate 150 years of education for children with events – Herald series. “School – Best Days of Your Life? will run from September 2-16 on Oxfordshire Libraries Facebook page.”
• St Helens – The new St Helens library will open next month inside The World of Glass – St Helens Star. “… new St Helens library is set to open to the public next month after being created inside The World of Glass. St Helens town centre has been without a library since the closure of Central Library, based in the Gamble Building, in March 2017.” … “on Monday, September 14, the new library site will be unveiled inside The World of Glass.”
• Surrey – More Surrey libraries to open their doors – Surrey News. “In all, 38 libraries will be open for public access and will also offer limited use of PCs in the library buildings. Customers can continue to make use of the new Ready Reads service where the library team selects books based on individual preferences.”
• Vale of Glamorgan – Bestselling author Lesley Pearse launches Libraries Connected – Barry and District News. “A much-loved author in libraries, Ms Pearse will speak at six events across the UK during September co-ordinated to lead up to National Libraries Week which runs from October 5 to October 10, 2020.”
• Wiltshire – Wootton Bassett Library to reopen as students return to school – Swindon Advertiser. “The library in Borough Fields will only be offering an order and collect service, with computers available for advance booking online.”
• Wokingham – Library stays closed for now – Henley Standard. Wargrave: “Wokingham Borough Council has re-opened the bigger Woodley and Wokingham libraries with new safety measures due to the coronavirus outbreak. But librarian Ros Fernley says she doesn’t know when Wargrave will follow suit. She said: “I guess we need to see how the big two get on first and monitor how safely we can work.””
• York – York Explore libraries all set to re-open again – The Press. “Smaller libraries, as well as the larger Explore centres which opened in July, will be open and customers will be able to drop-in to browse the books for the first time since March. Opening times will vary, with shorter than normal hours at some places and all libraries closing by 5pm. The Reading Cafes at York, Acomb and Tang Hall libraries will re-open too and there will be books to borrow again at the cafes in Rowntree Park and Hungate.”

Editorial

At time of writing, it has been 144 days since the official start of lockdown and things are continuing to open up. Holidays are being taken, relatives visited and shopping done. However, many places abroad are seeing the much-feared second wave and the curve for the UK itself is looking worryingly upward-turning. In public libraries, more services are being added and librarians continue to emerge blinking (and, one cannot help but notice, often very tanned) into the new world, with as far as I can tell only 3 out of 150 English services (Barking and Dagenham, Bedford and Sandwell) still not offering some sort of physical service.

Speaking personally, the high point of my week was hosting a very successful session from John Kirk, who did a brilliant online Twits show for 40 or so enthralled (and highly participating) children. Interestingly, that’s more kids than I’d normally expect for a physical show. We got talking afterwards (see the interview below for the result) and discussed what will be happening to libraries medium term. And basically what we agreed was that it is going to be online. It looks like Covid may well come back, or at least not go away, and that the risks it induces mean that physical events will be difficult for the foreseeable future. This, combined with more people getting used to teleconferencing, shows the need for us to do more of that. And, as time goes by, the quality will need to continue to improve.

The good news is that digital should be very cheap and it is just the skills and the will that libraries need to develop. For example, it’s far less costly for a library service anywhere in the country to hire a storyteller like John for Zoom than it would be to pay his travelling expenses. And if 2 or 3 library services clubbed together, it’d be frankly ridiculously cheaper. So the opportunity is there. Libraries just need to grab it, as they have done before, and not let the digital slip but, rather, continue to improve.

An interview with John Kirk, professional storyteller

What do you enjoy most about storytimes in public libraries? 

I have been working in public libraries since 2012.  To date, I have worked with 80 library authorities in England, Scotland and Wales and a few school’s library services.  I love working in public libraries.  For me, it’s all about getting out there, meeting new people, seeing new places and sharing the fun of stories with family audiences.  I suppose these are also the things I have missed the most during the lock down.  Nobody treats me and my work with more respect than the library staff I have worked with and it’s a real privilege to be a small part (in some cases a fixture) in some family’s summers. 

Nobody treats me and my work with more respect than the library staff I have worked with

What do you least enjoy? 

My life has changed hugely over the time I have been telling stories in libraries.  As the years have passed I do more and more travelling.  It’s very satisfying to work with library audiences across the UK but the nights away from my three year old daughter can be tough at times.  I also find it quite hard to have built relationships with librarians, to hear about cuts and restructures and then to invoice people I consider friends – there are some libraries whom I would pay to work with I enjoy visiting them so much, honestly I would! 

Is there something that a library service did that really impressed you?) 

Librarians are an incredible breed of people.  I don’t think they always get the credit they deserve for what they do in their communities.  They are also risk takers and I owe what has been a fabulous period of my life to people like Sean Edwards, Geoff James, Lesley Davies, and Hilary Marshall to name just a few of the wonderful people who have been so very supportive of my work. 

For me there are a couple of authorities who offer a really varied programme of activities and then promote them really well to their audiences (not to embarrass them but Brent and Redbridge). 

For me the biggest challenge that libraries face is telling the world how great the stuff they do is; that libraries are about more than books.  For me there are a couple of authorities who offer a really varied programme of activities and then promote them really well to their audiences (not to embarrass them but Brent and Redbridge).  Most libraries now push events on social media but nothing beats proactive staff talking to their service users about what they are doing and posters, big, colourful posters. 

Looking at the changes wrought by the current crisis, where do you see storytelling in the next year or so? 

In a word; online.  In the week before lock down I was touring Yorkshire Libraries.  On the Monday we managed to persuade a group into a library in Wakefield, on the Tuesday Rotherham Libraries ran me round to the local schools but by that evening remaining dates in Sheffield, Barnsley and York were indefinitely postponed.  In the following weeks I had to cancel my plans and bookings for summer 2020 and put an entirely new plan in place.  This summer I have run sessions using Youtube, Facebook Live, Zoom and Google Meets literally all over the country (in one day I worked with Stoke on Trent, Bristol and Swindon and North Tyneside without going beyond my front door!). 

I’d love to think that on a given date at a given time I could do an event and simultaneously broadcast to every library in a given authority.  Yes, it’d probably be a technical headache but imagine the sense of community when the different audiences could see each other joining in with a story?  Then there are all kinds of opportunities to work with other library services.  One of my favourite moments of the summer was when I told “The Gingerbread Man” and staff from Croydon, St Helens, Hertfordshire, Thurrock, Swansea, Kingston and Tameside Libraries were there because they had promoted the event in their authorities.  To be a part of the discussions afterwards was very special. 

Yes, this isn’t how I saw my summer and I am gutted not to be telling Mr Gum in libraries as planned but actually the crisis creates an opportunity for storytellers like me to work with more libraries in far flung places at much more affordable prices (I don’t have to charge travel expenses to walk from the kitchen to the spare bedroom).  I can see libraries reopening but I can’t see face to face events taking place for a while yet.  That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to do live events.  It’s a lot easier for a public audience to socially distance if the front portion of the room isn’t taken up with my kit. 

Is there anything libraries can do to adapt to the new world better? 

I think that libraries have to embrace the new normal and the technology.  If you don’t have an active social media channel where you control the content and are engaging with service users everyday this should be a priority – Greenwich Libraries Baby Rhyme Time sessions on Facebook are brilliant example of how social media can work harder for library services.  I know that there has been resistance to Zoom from some councils because of security concerns.  I will always preference video conferencing over video sharing platforms because in a shared space, albeit a virtual one, you can interact with the audience.  In my retelling of Roald Dahl’s “The Twits” I encourage the adult in charge to spray sticky glue (water) over my audience.  I have also developed a scavenger hunt storyline for families with children 3+.  These elements of my sessions have been very popular and came about because I have tried to push the limitations of the technology and make my storytelling a 4D experience. 

How did you get into storytelling? 

Twenty years ago I trained as an actor.  When I decided to stop I struggled with an office job and it was suggested that I should write my own show.  When a school described me as a storyteller the title stuck.  I am still a high energy performer with a fairly theatrical style but these days I do a lot more traditional storytelling.  I have been very lucky with the authors I have worked with; people like Jeremy Strong, Terry Deary and Tom Palmer were brilliant to work with but the key moments were when Haringey Libraries recommended me to tell Michael Morpurgo’s “Private Peaceful” as part of City Read 2014 and when I got the rights to tell Roald Dahl’s “The Twits” in 2016; in two years I went from working in a small area of north London to travelling to libraries, schools and festivals around the country and to date have worked as far afield as Germany and the UAE.  I love what I do.  I wouldn’t have changed the last twelve years for anything but it’s not been without challenges and whatever the world looks like for me after the current crisis you can be sure it’ll include storytelling. 

How do you adapt storytelling to Zoom? 

It hasn’t been easy but I try to make everything I do fit the camera.  I am very conscious of framing when I tell a story to the camera.  I also like to play with my proximity to the camera (I’ll come right up to it and I’ll talk directly to members of the audience).  I’ve already mentioned some of the ideas I have played with to make my sessions more interactive but I also encourage the children to pull faces and I do a lot of role play and movement within stories.  I am also conscious of the adult watching and encourage them to take photos, leave comments and like and share videos.  It’s all about getting them to come back to the library’s website and enagage with the next activity so that when services return, libraries hit the ground running. 

How do kids take to it? 

I do tell a lot of different stories but by far the most popular are by Roald Dahl.  I use wigs, instruments and props to find fresh and dynamic ways to tell my stories which hold the children’s attention but The Twits and The Enormous Crocodile endure as masterpieces and I reckon a child would be hooked by Dahl’s words if they were watching whilst wearing a swimsuit in an igloo.  Seriously though, the feedback has been beyond my wildest expectations and I’m just so happy to have been a part of my seventh Summer Reading Challenge. 

Have you been surprised by anything online / had an amusing moment etc? 

A couple of weeks ago I completely forgot I was supposed to be running a session and had to do all my preparation in literally ten minutes – I can laugh about it now but at the time I was frantic.  I was interrupted by a lawnmower whilst running a session for Thurrock and one of my neighbours went to check on another of my neighbours after hearing a lot of shouting – it was me, I had the windows open!  They’re all quite used to it now and some say they know all the words! 

John Kirk is originally from Chorley in Lancashire but is now based in East Sussex.  He’s trained as an actor, been involved in several theatrical productions, as well as doing other jobs. John works regularly work in early year centres, primary schools, libraries and museums and has been involved in several major events including the Cultural Olympiad (2012), Great War commemorations (2014-2018) and #Shakespeare400 (2016). His website is here.

National news

• 1000 Tiny Fun Palaces – Libraries Connected. Watch recording of webinar from Stella Duffy “This year, Fun Palaces weekend on 3 and 4 October will be different – sometimes smaller, always safer, but as ever remarkable. We hosted this webinar on 4 August led by Fun Palaces’ amazing and inspirational Director Stella Duffy to talk through the new possibilities for extra-small, hyper-local Fun Palaces in libraries.”
• ‘George Eliot’ among 25 female writers being republished using their real names – CNN. “The 25 novels are being offered as e-books, which are free to download via the prize’s sponsor, Baileys. Physical box sets of the republished titles will also be donated to libraries across the UK.”
• Library Open Data: an update – DCMS Libraries. ” How can we engage services and library staff to understand how important this data could be? How do we make sure that staff have the skills and confidence to take on a data role? We hope that some of the examples on the schema site will go some way to highlighting what can be done if data is published in an open and standard format.”
• Local advocacy – Libraries: An essential part of local recovery – Libraries Connected. “In our new local advocacy resource, we’ve identified five key areas where libraries can play a central role in meeting the needs of individuals and communities who may be struggling to overcome the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.”
• Supporting public libraries through a national digital presence – British Library. Looking at the minimum viable product (that is, the least that can be done for it to be worthwhile) and what more could be achieved, plus progress before and future plans.
• What does quality mean for a modern library service? – Libraries Connected. 21 August 2pm webinar. “The session will begin with some provocations from speakers outside of the sector talking about what a quality library service means to them. The virtual floor will then be open to everyone who would like to contribute, or just listen in on what should be a great discussion.”
• When will libraries open in Scotland and have they reopened in the rest of the UK? – Metro.

International news

• Colombia – Pandemic pen pals: How Colombian libraries lift spirits – Christian Science Monitor. ““the kids kept coming to the library,” she says, and family programming continued. “It’s the protective space of the community, a space of liberation from the problems of the neighborhood. Here, libraries have played a really important role in constructing peace, but even more than that, creating community.””

“The written word allows us to understand other humans, and whether we’re reading a novel, a story, or a letter, it helps us understand we’re not alone,”

• EU – Will European public libraries be set back tens of years from 2021? – Biblioteket tar saka. As well as the likelihood of budget cuts “it will not be easy to run, or to re-invent, a library in a generalised two-meter society where events are forbidden, 75 % of chairs are removed, services to customers have to comply with social distancing rules and library’s outreach is restricted in many ways.”
• Ireland – Libraries remove vital trans teen book after disgraceful far-right letter writing campaign linking LGBT+ lives to paedophilia – Pink News. “Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin consists of six interviews with trans teenagers about their lives and was published in 2014. Since then, the book has been assailed by anti-trans activists who have called for it to be banned. Cork City Libraries opted to remove Beyond Magenta from its shelves and have it re-processed for “adult/YA lending” – which requires adult consent – after they received a letter from a far-right activist.”
• Lebanon – Help rebuild Beirut’s libraries – Libraries Deliver. “Among the tremendous human tragedy and loss of life caused by the explosion in Beirut on the 4th August came the heartbreaking news that three of the main municipal public libraries in the city had been destroyed”
• Pakistan – Charting the Role of Pakistani libraries in a Post-COVID19 World – Global Village Space. “Crisis like these can be redefining moments and with close collaboration, technology, and digital transformation, public libraries in Pakistan can break free of their old mold and have an overhaul, which is long-due. It is a pity that very few public libraries have any online services and have remained closed, but that could change with collaboration between volunteers, NGOs and the government.”
• USA – Envisioning the New Model Library: Navigating through the pandemic and beyond – Hanging Together. “Our broad questions include:
  • Will the current environment of physical distancing and precautions persist in the post-pandemic era? • If so, will most of our services and programs continue to be offered in an online environment? • How will we – or can we? should we? – create experiences similar to the physical spaces in our libraries in our virtual library spaces?””

Local news by authority

• Argyll – Thousands of library books due back – Oban Times. “Live Argyll, which manages libraries and leisure facilities in the area, has said users can start returning books at town libraries from the week beginning Monday August 24 at designated times”
• Bedford – Bedford libraries’ reopening date still under review – Bedford Independent. “A Borough Council spokesperson said, “With the infection rate locally having been higher than in other places, Bedford Borough Council took the decision that libraries would remain closed for the time being.”
• Calderdale – Safely reopening Central Library – News Centre. “Calderdale Council is pleased to be able to offer access to selected services at Halifax Central Library and Archives from Tuesday 11 August 2020.”
• Cheshire West and Chester – Wharton Library might not reopen during the coronavirus pandemic – Winsford and Middlewich Guardian. “”Reopening the remaining libraries in Hoole, Malpas, Tarporley, Tarvin, Tattenhall, Wharton and the mobile libraries has raised some operational challenges. “We are exploring whether an alternative service, such as order and collect, can be offered safely for customers of these sites.”
  • Sandiway Library reopens from lockdown with reduced opening hours – Northwich Guardian.
• Cumbria – Cumbria’s main libraries to reopen today – News and Star. “It’s been more than 140 days since libraries across the county closed …”
• Devon – Wild film fun for Devon’s Summer Reading Challenge 2020 – North Devon Gazette. “Entertainingly Different aka performer Rob Pudner and Great Torrington-based Really Wild Learning’s Kim Insull have teamed up to create two shorts films called Entertainingly Wild.”
• Dorset – Verwood Library reopens its doors – Salisbury Journal. “The opening of the library by Dorset Council, along with others in Shaftesbury and Swanage follows the successful reopening of nine libraries, in Blandford, Bridport, Dorchester, Ferndown, Gillingham, Sherborne, Wareham, Weymouth and Wimborne.”
• East Riding of Yorkshire – East Riding Libraries Re-Open – Yorkshire Coast Radio. “Those wishing to browse books will be allocated a limited time in the library, and may have to queue based on the number of customers in the building, which will vary from site to site based on size. “
• Gateshead – Libraries and gyms in Gateshead are set to re-open over the coming weeks – Chronicle Live.
• Gloucestershire – Gloucestershire libraries reopen – Punchline. “During the past few weeks more than 25 libraries have been offering a collection service that enables customers to request books, DVDs and other available materials they would like to borrow. From this week, four libraries will reopen with strict social distancing measures in place.”
• Hampshire – Consultation on cuts to library hours in Hampshire – Salisbury Journal. “This comes after Hampshire County Council agreed to close eight of its 48 libraries and reduce the opening hours of the remaining ones.” … ““They are looking to make library hours more uniform across the county.”
  • Council’s push for volunteers amid cuts at local libraries – Advertiser and Times. ““We’re also very open to ideas from local groups or organisations who might wish to offer volunteer support to expand on those staffed opening hours to keep their library open to the public longer on some days.””
• Lancashire – More libraries to reopen in Lancashire – The Visitor. “Fourteen more Lancashire libraries will be opened on Wednesday, August 19, but people will need to book an appointment before visiting”
• Liverpool – More libraries reopen in Liverpool – The Guide. “After the successful reopening of Central Library on 13 July, three further libraries will be opening their doors to the public once again …”
• Oxfordshire – Oxfordshire library driver now delivers PPE around county – Oxford Mail. “I make safe deliveries by first ringing the door, placing the items by the doorstep before moving at least two metres further away to let the person know their goods are delivered. Other steps I have to keep safe are gloves, a mask and sanitising spray which I use for the van.”
• Pembrokeshire – Public computer access to resume at selected libraries – Western Telegraph. “Limited computer access will be available to customers at libraries in Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock and Tenby.”
• Portsmouth – Annual Short Story Competition Now Open for Entries – About My Area. “This year’s theme is ‘Reunion’, which might lead writers to take inspiration from the experience of social distancing during the pandemic, but writers can interpret the theme in any way they wish. Young adults and adults over 16 are invited to share their stories for a chance to win £500 and have their short story published on the Libraries and Archive website and in a future compilation of winning and shortlisted entries.”
• Staffordshire – Families urged to get creative with libraries over summer – Tamworth Informed. “There are two programmes, ‘Creative Explorers’ for children & young people and ‘Createspace’ for adults.”
• Stirling – Stirling libraries now offer more items for collection as part of reopening – Brig News. Click and collect includes dog poop bags, caddy liners and hearing aid batteries.
• Surrey – More libraries to reopen – Surrey County Council. “Further library services will restart in Surrey from Monday 17 August. A total of 40 libraries in Surrey will be operational from that date, offering revised services. Several libraries will newly open their doors to the public to browse, borrow and return books, whilst operating strict safety and social distancing measures. In all, 26 libraries will be open for public access.”
• Swindon – More Swindon libraries reopen after coronavirus lockdown – Swindon Advertiser. “Central Swindon North Parish Council has started a click and collect service for its Moredon and Rodbourne Cheney Library.”. Council libraries reopened: “First the Central Library operated with a new click-and-collect system. In its first week it had more than 1,000 reservations. Then the remaining four libraries – North Swindon, Parks, Highworth and West Swindon – followed suit with the same system.”
• Vale of Glamorgan – Vale of Glamorgan library buildings reopen on a controlled basis – Penarth Times. “Now residents will be able to access further facilities as the use of PCs and the physical browsing of books is permitted again.”
• Warwickshire – Kenilworth Library to re-open on Monday – Kenilworth Weekly News. 10 libraries currently open.
• Wirral – Wirral libraries launch order and collect service – Wirral Globe. Click and collect.
• Wrexham – Wrexham Library Service: Access 1,000 new comic titles – Leader Live. “We are delighted to announce that from August, there will be 1,000 additional comic titles from across the globe for you to select from your RBdigital library.”

For a guide to how each library service in the UK is approaching reopening, see this webpage.

Editorial

Physical public libraries are slowly coming back to life, with only 11 out of 150 English library services not physically open in some way. Many library services are offering at least a few open to freely borrow from as well. Meanwhile, click and collect has become the norm in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with opening up more hopefully coming soon. So reopening is continuing apace. Also in the good news category, many in libraries will also be breathing a sigh of relief, no pun intended, that it will soon be mandatory for masks to be worn in libraries.

However, with no regular or one-off events and with only a fraction of all libraries being open and a minority of them being more than than click and collect, it’s no surprise that library usage will take a dive this year. RIBA points out that the 3 months of closure along will likely have cost 50 million of an expected c. 226 million visits annually. Adding in that library service overall will still be very limited in August – the busiest month of the year for the sector – and that people may well be slow in coming back, it is possible to envisage anything up to a halving of physical visits, and of issues of physical items, to libraries this year.

I’m of course careful to say “physical” as 2020 is proving a Wonder Year for the digital offer of libraries, especially in online joining and loan of ebooks, as well as a flowering of social media. However, being this was starting from quite a low base in many library services, it seems to me at least that this is unlikely to seriously affect the overall figure to a significant degree.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have libraries slow to open and be safe than fast to open and not be. Libraries should never kill people, after all. But the cost of being such a responsible sector is a real one. The fear is that some of the people visiting us may find other ways of getting what they need and may not come back. How many that will be is perhaps, along with possible deep cuts to council budgets, the most serious question facing libraries today.

National news

• Coping with Covid: How library design will need to change – RIBA Journal. “Flexible spaces that allow for social distance, quarantined books and fewer touch points will need to maintain the sense of welcome and community” … “According to Libraries Connected, the national umbrella body for public libraries, there were more than 226 million library visits last year, suggesting that over 50 million visits were lost in the three months of closure.”

“How libraries can return to being the all-welcoming places they were before the pandemic is one of the biggest concerns for senior librarians. They are used to bringing people together, so actively keeping people apart goes against their natural instincts. It will require sterilising the space but not the experience.”

• New research will explore importance of libraries in lockdown – Press and Journal. “A new academic project to examine the importance of public libraries across Scotland and their role in communities during lockdown has received a major funding boost.”

“I’m pretty sure that library stats will be in decline, but I wanted to draw to your attention the fact that CIPFA does not collect any statistics for community managed libraries which are not part of the “statutory network”, as defined by the relevant local authority. So all books borrowed through our library, for example, are deliberately omitted from all “official” statistics. We do collect the information, but no-one seems interested in collecting it”

Chris Clarke
Friends of Jesmond Library

• Public Library Apparel is making a fashion statement for libraries – Big Issue. “Lottie is now plotting a Kickstarter campaign to kick off in September in a bid to raise £2,500 to cover printing, postage and promotion of the new brand.”

International news

• Denmark – Wanted: A new language for the value and impact of libraries – Christian Lauersen. “And that is a problem because new public management is a game libraries can not win and the value of libraries can’t be extended from statistics alone. So at Roskilde Libraries we have decided to launch a project that aims to develop a more nuanced understanding of the value that public libraries brings to citizens and societies. We want to create a new language for talking about the value and impact of libraries.”
• EU – Public Libraries in Europe and COVID-19: Findings from NAPLE Members, April-July 2020 – Naple Sister Libraries. “NAPLE has produced two reports to summarise the measures taken in response to the virus by public libraries in 20 NAPLE member countries to date, with specific focus on the extent of closures across Europe; the engagement of staff during closures; services offered to the public (both physical and online) while buildings were closed; quarantining of books and other health and safety measures; efforts by libraries to support national healthcare initiatives; and library efforts to address misinformation about the COVID-19 virus.”
• Global – Many libraries are moving to a fine-free model. Here’s why —
  and how to do this successfully – III. “Going fine-free might not be the right decision for every library. But when done well, it can remove barriers to library usage while also improving customer relations and staff morale.”
• Taiwan – ‘Not Just Library’ reopens at Songshan Creative and Cultural Park – Focus Taiwan. “”Not Just Library,” the name of the library, has a collection of over 20,000 design-themed books and more than 100 periodicals, according to the state-backed institute.” … “it also has a reading area and is a venue for design related exhibitions, lectures, and experiments”
• USA – Wardsboro Public Library staff resigns over reopening plans – Bennington Banner. “”In a nutshell, the three of us (staff) would not work in an ‘open’ library and would have liked to stay with ‘curbside pickup’ for the safety of patrons and staff”
  • Bridging divides: reimagining the public library – Medium. “We’re building something special in downtown Memphis. We’re building a space that will provide opportunities for people from all walks of life to learn, connect, and share with others. And we’re working to do it in the most equitable way possible. “
  • A Nevada library wanted to back Black Lives Matter. The sheriff said he wouldn’t respond to 911 calls there – Washington Post.
  • Libraries vs Bookstores? No, False dichotomy. They are different Animals – Brewster Kahle’s Blog. “There is a recent written attack on libraries that I find odd and somewhat dangerous– libraries overlap too much with new-book bookstores. At first I thought it was trolling, but I now believe it is sincere. More worrisome is that anti-library lobbying is generally growing in strength but their attacks on the concept of libraries have been more implied and disguised, until recently. Maybe it is time to think a bit about what a library is and what they are for.”

Local news by authority

• Cumbria – Libraries to reopen in Cumbria- Westmorland Gazette. “Cumbria County Council will open Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Whitehaven and Workington libraries on August 10.”
  • Library fines suspended as Cockermouth branch awaits reopening – News and Star. “The town council, which runs the Main Street building which contains the library, announced this week that all library fines are suspended until December 31. “
• Derbyshire – Libraries to allow people to browse the shelves as more re-open in Derbyshire – Ripley and Heanor News. “And from Monday, August 10, the council will start to re-introduce browsing at selected libraries which have already re-opened, and this will roll out as the remaining libraries begin to re-open.”
• Dorset – Dorset council libraries set to reopen their doors today – Dorset Echo.
• Dudley – Dudley’s main libraries re-open for book fans to browse – Stourbridge News. “Dudley, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Kingswinford and Sedgley libraries had been offering a takeaway service – issuing pre-selected and pre-issued books for customers to collect since July 6 – but they have now re-opened to enable customers to visit once again to select their own books between 10am and 3pm Monday to Saturday.”
• East Lothian – Fines for overdue library books are suspended – East Lothian Courier.
• Essex – More choices for readers as Essex Libraries joins the UK’s largest library consortium – Saffron Walden Reporter. “This is because Essex Libraries is joining The Libraries Consortium (TLC), the UK’s largest library consortium made up of 18 other library authorities. Joining the consortium means an upgrade of the existing library management system which will be managed by SirsiDynix. “
• Fife – Fife libraries confirm date for re-opening – Fife Today. “Limited browsing will be available from Wednesday, August 5, as libraries welcome members back to browse, albeit with restrictions in place.”
• Hampshire – ‘A great loss’ – village libraries confirmed to close – Advertiser and Times. “Blackfield and Lyndhurst are among a total of eight closures across the county. All the remaining libraries will have their opening hours reduced by an average of 20%, with a public consultation on the details.”
  • Majority of councillors recommended Odiham and South Ham libraries to close – Gazette.
• Inverclyde – Young Inverclyde bookworms still have time to get involved in a fun summer reading project – Greenock Telegraph. “Summer Reading Challenge packs – containing books, activity sheets and a special surprise – are now available from Greenock Central Library, Port Glasgow Library and Gourock Library.”
• Lincolnshire – Libraries in North East Lincolnshire ready to reopen with new rules and safety measures – Grimsby Telegraph.
• Middlesbrough – Middlesbrough’s community hubs and libraries start to emerge from lockdown – Northern Echo. “From Tuesday, August 4, a phased programme will see a number of venues re-open part-time, albeit with a different look and feel in order to ensure a safe environment for staff and visitors.”
• Moray – North-east council to offer click and collect service at libraries – Evening Express. “Libraries will offer the “order and collect” service in a phased roll-out by the end of August, starting with Elgin library.”
• North Ayrshire – New call, click and collect library service – Arran Banner. “From Monday August 3, residents will be able to borrow up to four books for four weeks. The new service has been launched as libraries remain closed to allow staff to continue delivering lifeline Community and Childcare Hub provision as part of the council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic”
• Northumberland – Select and Collect libraries pilot service includes Morpeth – Morpeth Herald. “The Select and Collect initiative is now available at Morpeth, Berwick, Blyth and Hexham as part of the phased approach to library services getting back up and running.”
• North Yorkshire – Whitby Library re-opens for book browsing – Scarborough News. “The move is the latest in the phased return of the county’s library services, which so far this month have seen the launch of a select and collect book borrowing service, the return of access to public computers in libraries and the restart of the Home Library Service.”
• Powys – Powysland Museum to reopen Saturday – My Welshpool. “All developments will run alongside the current order and collect library book scheme operating from seven sites, which will gradually extend to other libraries. It will continue to be offered for the long term, for those readers who would prefer a non-contact service. Deliveries of books which have been quarantined are provided across the county by volunteers.”
• St Helens – What to expect from St Helens’ new-look library service – St Helens Star. “Eccleston, Parr and Chester Lane libraries opened on Monday as part of a phased return, with more than 400 people attending on the first day alone.”
• Sheffield – Council announces plans to offer ‘order and collect’ service at Sheffield libraries – The Star. “Sheffield Council is currently carrying out risk assessments and making sure signage is in place as it prepares to introduce the service in some libraries from August 10.”
• South Tyneside – What you need to know as book browsing returns to South Tyneside libraries – Shields Gazette. “Library visitors will be able to browse books again from Monday, August 3, as South Tyneside Council moves to the next stage in a gradual return of services.”
• Staffordshire – County’s teens urged to take on #MissionYTF – A Little Bit Of Stone. “Now in its third year, the scheme run by Staffordshire County Council’s Libraries service is encouraging 11 to 14 year olds to compete in a series of reading themed challenges. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions in place, this year’s activities will be online.”
• Surrey – More of Surrey’s libraries due to reopen – Surrey News. “From 3 August, a further 12 libraries will start offering a click and collect door service allowing customers to return their items and collect Ready Reads and reserved books. These libraries are Ash, Banstead, Bookham, Caterham Hill, Chertsey, Dittons, Ewell, Hersham, Knaphill, Leatherhead, Reigate, and Walton. However, the public will not be allowed into the buildings for the time being.”
• Swindon – Libraries reopen across Swindon – Swindon Advertiser. “Initially only the Central Library in the town centre had reopened with a new click-and-collect system. But now the remaining four libraries – North Swindon, Parks, Highworth and West Swindon – have followed suit. Despite only reopening last week, the Central Library has already received more than 1,000 reservations.”
• Trafford – Three more Trafford libraries are set to reopen – Messenger. “Plans have been put in place to relaunch Partington, Stretford and Old Trafford libraries during August. Altrincham, Sale and Urmston’s sites were given the all-clear to restart limited services in July.”
• Wakefield – More libraries to reopen and extend hours across Wakefield district – Wakefield Express. “Ossett Library and Castleford Museum will re-open on Monday, August 3 in the next stage of the council’s phased re-opening of its libraries and museums”
• Warrington – Culcheth Library set to reopen – Warrington Worldwide. “If all continues to go to plan, the next phase of library reopening will see the remaining four libraries – Birchwood, Padgate, Penketh and Westbrook reopen in September and October.”
• Warwickshire – Young bookworms bury their heads in a good read – Leamington Observer. “Warwickshire Schools Library Service worked with the publishers, authors and Warwickshire Libraries to ensure the books were as accessible as possible for pupils during the pandemic…”
• Wiltshire – Wiltshire leader says library consultation is not about closures (but is considering click and collect) – Wiltshire Times. “”All the town libraries will re-open at some point.” But he said that some of the very small libraries run by volunteers could become click and collect services based in village shops.”
  • Author who talks of the ability of reading to free the imagination – Wiltshire Times.
• Wokingham – Wokingham Libraries To Open Next Week – Woking.co.uk. “We’re happy to announce Wokingham Borough libraries will begin to reopen from next Monday 3 August, starting with Wokingham and Woodley.”
• Wrexham – Wrexham Library Service: order and collect, and free ancestry access – The Leader. “Wrexham Libraries are taking the next step towards the phased re-opening of the service. The new Order and Collect service is being rolled out to Coedpoeth Library, Llay Library, Cefn Mawr and Ruabon Library from Wednesday, July 29. “