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Fallout in Lancashire, changes in Enfield and Yorkshire … and some refurbs and ideas
May 10th
Editorial
Big news today is the continuing fall out from the drastic cuts to Lancashire libraries and other council services. People – including in this instance two Conservative MPs – are not happy. Other news includes cuts to the East Riding of Yorkshire (remember, it’s an amalgamation, not a closure), although to be fair to them there does appear to have been an actual genuine consultation there – and a co-location in Enfield. Some more details on big refurbishments to libraries (yes, they do happen, but thy too often don’t grab the headlines) already reported here and a few good ideas for libraries, including the too-cool-for-school (well, unless, you’re doing it anonymously, naturally) Crypto Party. Finally, the Taskforce have done a very useful summary of the Taking Part figures on trends in library use, and promise changes to the way the DCMS gathers the information in future.
Changes
- East Riding of Yorkshire – £1.2m cut: mobile library service to be reduced, North Bridlington Library to become an adult education and training centre (and cease as a library). Several libraries to be co-located with other council services.
- Enfield – Ponders End Library to include Age UK local headquarters, Enfield Highway Library to include public health services department.
Ideas
So what does Lancashire and Newfoundland have in common?
May 8th
Editorial
More information has come out about the cuts in Lancashire. It’s pretty bad. The press release from the council is an unfortunate example of the best possible gloss being put on a bad situation, with the real needs of users (and the feelings of library staff, not to say their jobs) seemingly pretty much ignored. Canada is not a place I normally associate with deep cuts but it looks like the politicians in Newfoundland are trying to change that. It’s heartening to see the national reaction, not to say revulsion, that this is causing in that country, though. So things may end differently there. We can hope so. Meanwhile, there’s a nice refurb in Bradford and an extension of the embarrassing closure in Hereford and something very interesting going on in a Malaysian airport …
Changes
Libraries “save lives” says Stephen Fry
May 4th
Editorial
I’m going to pass over my editorial to Stephen Fry today. The image is shareable and copyright free.
Changes
- Blackpool – £85k cut: opening hours reduced from 307 a week to 266-and-a-half. Anchorsholme Library to experiment with café to see if it boosts income. Further £100k cut threatened: volunteers or income or further cuts will be answer.
- Merton – Nominated for best council services team in the UK by the MJ.
- Somerset – Shepton Mallet Library may co-locate into business centre “Shape Hub”
Ideas
“Fund it better”
May 2nd
Editorial
My thanks to a PLN reader who pointed out that the Atlantic article on the decline in usage of US libraries over recent years stated that the drop had a lot to do with budget cuts (or increases in areas which saw usage rise). I neglected to mention this in my summary. It’s something which has resonance in the UK where the decline in library usage mirrors closely (or, much of the time, is less than) the cuts to their budget. English library budgets have fallen far more than the 14.3% decline in usage that the BooKSeller reports or the larger figure that the DCMS figure itself suggests. Don’t get me wrong, budget cuts are not the only woe. I’m sure that some of the decline is due to general global trends like e-books – research I’m doing into the usage and budgetary trends of libraries in Europe and beyond show that it’s not just the UK that’s seeing drops, and also it’s not just those countries who have seen big cuts to budgets. That’s not a message that will be popular with everyone. However, the Atlantic article ends with a sentiment I think almost all of us can agree with: ” if the public wants to reverse the trend and make the local library more useful, it should do one thing that evidence supports: Fund it better. “
Changes
- Dumfries and Galloway – Sanquhar library, registration service and council customer service centre to be combined.
- Kensington and Chelsea – North Kensington Library to be leased to private school: library to move to a combined gym/youth centre.
Taking Part and Polish train station libraries
Apr 28th
Editorial
The DCMS “Taking Part” survey has done a special focus on public libraries. It’s useful as it looks at adult usage over the past ten years. The trend shows a clear decline – I think we all knew that that would be the case, with reasons being arguable, but with the given reasons of those surveyed being, quite simply, e-books and preferring to buy. It’s also noteworthy how important a factor children are in adult’s use of libraries. There’s a lot of crossover there that perhaps library design does not always follow. Elsewhere, I’m loving the Polish train station converted into a library.
Changes
Cuts in North Somerset, a strike in Bristol and petitions over library moves
Apr 26th
Editorial
North Somerset – quiet on these pages for a few years – has announced that libraries and children’s centres will co-locate (with all the benefits and problems that implies) for an overall cut of £500k. Meanwhile, nearby in Bristol, all libraries will be closed for day while staff strike over changes to working conditions which mean, they claim, that many are effectively being paid less for working more. Over in Staffordshire, it looks like quite a few branches have had to close temporarily due to staff shortages and, in addition, the county has received over 6,000 names on a petition over the move of Lichfield Library. People in Brighton and Hove are not looking delighted over the move of Hove Library either.
Changes
A few good nights to be a librarian
Apr 24th
Editorial
It’s been an interestingly varied few days – helping to host a thriller writer at a library event on Wednesday and then, three days later, helping out at a magic show in another library. The writer, Martin Edwards, is up for two awards in the USA this week but spoke a lot on how important joining the library was – the library he was speaking at, as it happens – in helping his career. The magic show was from a professional theatre company, funded by Arts Council England, and it was superb. Both were very well attended and top notch and I was proud to be part of them. But they were as nothing compared to being was master of ceremonies for a town award’s night on Friday. It was a real pleasure to realise I knew so many of the people in the audience and so many of the winners as well. I knew them because I’d simply worked in the town library for so many years. You get to know people. And people get to know you. There was a lot of smiles and laughter and an awareness, hopefully not just on my part, of the key role libraries play in the town. All in all, it was a good few nights to be a librarian.
More remote-controlled libraries and digital trends
Apr 21st
Editorial
Axiell have jumped on the remote-controlled libraries technology offer (for the pros and cons of which see here) meaning that the majority of library system suppliers in the UK offer something in this field. For councils, this is quite tempting – increase your hours while cutting costs – but there’s down sides to it as well, as those locked out due to IT problems or those under 16 are discovering. In other news, by coincidence, the same company Axiell has sent me a guest blog which includes somethings I’ve not come across before (“Internet of Relations” anyone?).
Changes
Top digital trends for libraries to follow in 2016; Influencers that make community engagement better
Moranifesto, promoting libraries and party manifestos
Apr 19th
Editorial
Some good “think” pieces about libraries this week, notably from Caitlin Moran and from Nick Poole. Malorie Blackman bigs up libraries in the Guardian, pointing out how important they are to having a fair chance in life. We also have a look at the manifesto for the Welsh elections by the main political parties, which always show – when it comes down to it – what parties really think about libraries. Looks like UKIP don’t think anything. Then there’s a surprising amount on libraries in Islamic countries (and all the more welcome it is for being unusual), including some spectacularly heroic work in Mali and Afghanistan. Finally, there’s a whole ton of local news, fleshing out the cuts in Hampshire but also noting library promotions like Books on Prescription and World Book Night.
Harry Potter and the DCMS library investigation
Apr 17th
Editorial
I’ve had a week off so there’s a lot of news today with the main personal bit I’d like to share with you being how utterly fantastic the Harry Potter Studio Tour is. Gosh, I remember those books when they first came out and getting them in libraries … anyway, in main library news, Dudley (not Dursley, keep up) becomes a mutual in order to meet cuts to budget. Leicestershire has announced yet another major round of cuts to libraries and Powys has also announced many of its smaller branches are under threat. Meanwhile, at the DCMS, the minister has (as expected) said there’s no problem in Lincolnshire slashing its library services but – to some shock, not least of all by the council one suspects – it has announced it will look into the cuts in Lambeth made famous by the recent sit-in. But an investigation is actually nothing much. That’s what it did to Lincolnshire. What matters is if it says that the council has not met its statutory duties. And that I’ll believe when I see it.
Changes
- Brighton and Hove – Rottingdean to have remote-control Open+ at cost of £23k to increase hours.
- Dorset – Confirmed school library service will close in July, 7 staff cut.
- Dudley – Will become a mutual.
- Leicestershire – 30% cut on top of deep cuts in previous years. Consultation.
- Powys – Up to 11 smaller libraries under threat: 50% cut expected. Consultation until July.
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