Being transported to another world

414 libraries (325 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
 
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News

  • Developing a new brand of library – OCLC. In the morning, there will be a pre-conference session hosted by Lise Robinson (OCLC Manager of the new FABLibraries initiative) entitled, “Just because you build it, doesn’t mean people will come….”  When libraries worldwide are facing unprecedented cuts in funding we need to be working to ensure that the general public see libraries as relevant to them and their lives.”
  • Helsinki’s Library 10 & Meetingpoint – Walking Paper.   A look at the amazing Helsinki Library, full of ideas up to including the lending out of guitars.  Lots of meeting spaces, no counters and a forward-looking feel but with plenty of printed books too.
  • Libraries are much more than books – An Awfully Big Blog Adventure.   Author goes through five libraries that have been important to her.  A lovely read.  

“You see, libraries aren’t just about reading are they? They’re about being transported to another world, they’re about contemplation and memories. No amount of money can buy those.” 

  • St Mary’s pupils get ebooks to tempt reluctant readers – London Evening Standard.   Sony has donated 12 e-books to flagship school library, opened recently by David Cameron, which has also benefited from donation by a Russian billionaire.  ” “The children were thrilled with the e-readers. All but one of the students said they would prefer to read on them than on traditional books – they told me it was ‘because it’s technology, Mr Brading’.”

Local News

  • Barnet – Please keep Sat 4th Feb free – Save Friern Barnet Library.  We’ll be holding an event at Friern Barnet library, our theme will be ‘love our local library’, tying in with Valentines Day round the corner. We’ll be walking in pride from outside Old Town Hall, corner of Friern Barnet Lane and Friern Barnet Rd from 2pm. Come along, bring a crowd, bring a banner, bring a heart to show your love for Friern Barnet Library!”
  • Birmingham – Library “faces” see work move ahead – Birmingham Mail.   New library will open in 2013.  “Faces” are people chosen to publicise the library: ““They will be brilliant advocates for the Library of Birmingham in their local communities, and will help spread the excitement amongst the city’s residents. “We are still looking for nine more faces, so I hope people will be inspired to leap into action and apply, so that they can be involved in this exciting project too.”
  • City of London – Have you been to the mobile library? Londonist.   “The service – which is only three months old – is a temporary stop-gap for those affected by the closure and on-going  redevelopment of Camomile Street Library, which has been out of action since March 2011. Against the backdrop of so many closures, the City of London hit upon what has been hailed as ‘a perfect solution’, according to Carol Boswarthack, Head of Barbican and Community Libraries. Instead of dying a bricky, dusty death, Camomile Street Library will be replaced with a community centre to offer “east of the City communities a one-stop-shop for facilities including libraries, adult education and much more” once it emerges in the autumn, reincarnated on the grounds of the underused Middlesex Street Estate car park.”
  • Durham – Fears for the future of our town library – Teesdale Mercury.   “Concerns have been raised about plans to hand Barnard Castle Library to a charitable trust as part of a major shake-up in council services. “
  • Ealing – Council in talks to outsource libraries – Ealing Gazette.  “Ealing Council is in talks with Brent and Harrow to establish a shared, privately-managed leisure service to save the libraries. Plans could see the council hiring independent providers to manage both libraries and sports and leisure facilities across the neighbouring boroughs.”
  • Gloucestershire – Plans up in the air for Brockworth Library – This is Gloucestershire.  Neil Hopwood, from Brockworth Community Trust, said in an ideal world, the area’s library would have more council support. He said: “At the end of the day, anything which can be provided as a statutory service is better. “The main thing, from our point of view, is we still don’t feel that Brockworth has been given a fair assessment.”
    • Campaigners plea – Alan Gibbons.  Council’s actions “…surely a display of blatant defiance of the judge’s ruling and a clear indication that this was not approached with an open mind but with a mind to try to justify their previous cuts, cuts that were based (as now) on no proper needs analysis. It only takes one look at the new EIA to see that even this has been done incredibly badly!. Cart before the horse yet again! Gloucestershire County Council are clearly incredibly confused and in need of supervision if they do not want to end up in court again. No one wants that. It is farcical and yet where is Vaizey?”
    • Council library case cost £95,000 – BBC.  “The authority said it spent £36,000 on “in-house labour” and £59,000 on expenses including barristers’ fees. In November, the High Court ruled the cuts were unlawful as the council had not complied with equity laws.”
    • National Libraries Day in GloucestershireFoGL.  Loads of author visits, organised not by the Council but by campaigners.  “All of these events have been arranged voluntarily by library users. If nothing is happening at your local library why not arrange something yourself? It doesn’t have to be a big grand event or even an author visit – the point of the day is to celebrate the role of our local libraries in our communities so use your imagination! There are some ideas at http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/get-involved/suggestions-for-library-users/
  • Hackney – Volunteer Support Officer – Hackney council.  “This is your opportunity to work with the Development and Support Manager to sustain, develop and coordinate volunteers working in Hackney Libraries, Archives and Information Services.” 
  • Hampshire – County Council set to cut library and museum posts Daily Echo.   “The latest planned job cuts include 16 library staff, five museum posts, four countryside jobs and two in sports and community services.”
  • Hertfordshire – No reprieve for Hertfordshire’s axed school library service –  Times series.  Council says “As the decision to discontinue the support services we provide to school libraries has already been debated as part of the panel process, councillors decided not to put this matter on their work programme for scrutiny.” Nearly half of all primary schools in the county and a third of secondary schools have an annual subscription to the SLS. Many more are signed on the pay-as-you-use basis.”
    • No reprieve for School Library Service – Comet.   “North Herts group We Heart Libraries had written to the county council following the decision, and it was subsequently discussed in a scrutiny meeting yesterday (Wednesday). But councillors decided to not take any further action on the matter. It means the service will still cease in March.”
  • Kent – No National Libraries Day in Kent – Infoism.   Boss of Kent Libraries is also boss of Society of Chief Librarians.  “So why are Kent libraries not supporting National Libraries Day, an event designed to celebrate the contribution libraries make to our communities?  Might it be something to do with the fact that the council is preparing to look at a range of options for libraries across the county (including closures and forcing communities to run them)?  Perhaps they don’t want people to ‘re-discover’ their local library and see the range of services the excellent staff provide?”
  • Northern Ireland – Library opening hours cut – Belfast Telegraph.   “A Libraries NI spokesperson said: “Libraries NI regrets any reductions in opening hours and the impact this will have on library users. “Though additional funding was announced recently, Libraries NI still needs to reduce opening hours in order to deliver the savings targets resulting for the Comprehensive Spending Review.”  … but councillor says “Cutting Holywood Library opening hours from 53.5 to 40 is a significant reduction with only one other library in Northern Ireland targeted for such a massive cutback.”
  • Nottinghamshire – Love Your Libraries#MyNottingham.   “To celebrate the day and your local libraries, Nottingham City Council wants as many people as possible to borrow a book, film or music CD on the same day. It is a chance for citizens to show their support and visit their library and by taking out at least one item. By the end of the day it is hoped that City Libraries will have loaned 4,000 books, films and CDs.”
  • Surrey – Council seeks libraries court order reversal – BBC.   “In a statement, the Conservative-run council said it was concerned that the temporary court order was “ambiguous and therefore should be reversed”. It added that it did not believe it prevented the authority from continuing to work with the volunteers who had come forward.” 

“Surrey County Council put out a press release yesterday saying they were seeking to overturn the injunction stopping them from progressing with their Community Partnership Library plans. SCC requested that a hearing was held within 24 hours of the request. This request has been rejected by the High Court. Instead, the hearing (to determine whether or not the injunction should be overturned) has been scheduled for next Thursday at 10.30am.” [Press release from SLAM]

    • Wasting taxpayer’s money on technical defences SLAM.  “They are seeking an expensive High Court hearing, not to argue the merits of the case, but solely to get the injunction overturned because they do not understand it. SCC’s confusion stems from the words “irrevocable steps” used in the injunction (please see our previous blog for full wording) and is claiming that the wording is too “ambiguous” for them to comply with. Rather than seek a clarification of the Court Order, they are using this technicality to overturn the injunction altogether.”

“Weapon of Mass Instruction”

Comment

I was going to call today’s offering “free market choice” after an unfortunate comment from a Bexley councillor but “weapon of mass instruction” so beautifully sums up what a library is that it wins the game hands down.  The whole point about public libraries, of course, is that they offer the complete opposite of the free market by doing such a wonderful job of “mass instruction”.  
When I do junior school class visits – and I do a lot – there is a little bit of fun that sums this up.  I get two children to come up.  One play-acts taking a book from Asda (my town has no bookshops) without paying for it.  As they almost leave, I shout “beep beep beep” and “stop thief!” to general hilarity.  The other play-acts taking a book from the public library without paying for it.  I shout “thank you” and “come back again”.  This is the difference.  One does not pay to take out a book.  One can take out twenty books retailing at perhaps £8 per book for free, as many times as one likes.  The High Street or Amazon alternative is simply not an option for many of the people I deal with.  £160 every three weeks on books?  I think not.
Libraries are not a “free market choice”.  There’d be no free access to books if it was left to the free market.  In a pure market driven economy, one would not be able to read a book without having the means to pay for it.  Believe me, there’s a lot of families who would never buy a book.  A lot of children denied the greatest chance of all life chances: that of a love of books, of a love for literacy and all the advantages that that gives.  Ladies, Gentleman and Councillors from Bexley, it’s the public library or nothing for a lot of the kids when it comes to reading.  The free market would just leave them with nothing.

415 libraries (326 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
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“I thought my dad was having me on when I was six or seven and he told me he was taking me to a building full of free books that I could take home, read and then return and swap them for more, forever. We trotted along the road – libraries need to be local so that paying a visit feels as natural and easy as popping to the shops, not like a big, extra effort to be confined to the occasional day when you have the time – and it turned out he was telling the truth. It seemed like a miracle and it still does.”

“The brick and glass presence of libraries at the heart of our towns and cities gives the unequivocal message that books matter, that imagination matters, that the principles of free and fair access to literature and education to all matter. The most democratic of spaces, libraries are places where anyone – regardless of age or sex or background, their ambitions and opportunities (or lack of them) – is welcome and on an equal basis and for free. Libraries are home to the readers of today and the writers of tomorrow.” Love your libraries on Saturday 4th February – Reading Groups for Everyone. 

“What are libraries for? Google returns 16 million hits in answer – perhaps better illustrating what librarians are for” Catherine Kearney on Twitter.

  • Love your libraries on February 4th – National Libraries Day.  “Library users new and old are being encouraged to go along to their local library and find out about the great services on offer – from book loans and homework clubs to advice on starting a business and how to get online. Regular users are being asked to bring a friend and give them the chance to speak to library staff and find out exactly what services are available locally.”

Local News

  • Bexley – Village Library will stay free despite paid for membership option – News Shopper.  Councillor says“The library is free and remains free. The fact there is the facility to buy into something that provides something more is free market choice, I would have thought.””
  • Bolton – Trust makes plea to save libraries – This is Lancashire.  “A council spokesman said: “We are aware that the Bolton and District Civic Trust has submitted a report to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and await their response with interest.” … 68 page document sent “Richard Shirres, vice chairman of the Bolton and District Civic Trust, says in the organisation’s detailed submission, that the council has failed to ensure Bolton will have a comprehensive and efficient library service. He said: “The council has demonstrably failed to safeguard and strive for a suitable standard of library service.””
  • Calderdale – Thousands to have say on controversial library plans – Yorkshire Post.  “Councillors criticised for an alleged lack of consultation over plans to move Halifax Central Library are giving the public another chance to have their say. Critics have claimed that Calderdale Council has failed to have an open and transparent consultation process over the future of the Central Library. Council leaders want to sell the Northgate House site and move the library and archive next to the Piece Hall. Now, people are to be asked their opinion on several key questions.”
  • Cambridgeshire – Council reveals budgetHeart.   “Smaller sums of cash” will be spent on “Securing library services and transforming them to provide a twenty first century service. “

Croydon – Local Council’s “Big Society” Betrayal – Save Croydon libraries Campaign.   The highly regarded and efficient Upper Norwood Joint Library is in danger of closure due to Croydon Council being unhappy with it’s partner, Lambeth, and a desire to privatise. Long and detailed article.  See also Alan Gibbons on the same subject. 

  • Darlington – Cockerton Library closure plan fails to get backingNorthern Echo.   “A report of the place committee, which is being put to the council’s efficiency and resources scrutiny committee, reads: “Bearing in mind Darlington’s poor position in a range of measures of library provision, including being the worst in the country for its number of service points per head of population, and given the importance of libraries to disadvantaged groups in times of economic recession, this scrutiny committee cannot endorse the closure of Cockerton library.” Library may still close if alternatives to closure (seeing if local schools can pay, getting volunteers in, etc).
  • Durham – Culture trust “could improve services”: council leader – Northern Echo.  “Coun Henig was speaking as his cabinet agreed ‘in principle’ to transfer into a trust the running of 39 libraries, 15 leisure centres, the Gala Theatre and all services run by Leisureworks in Derwentside and Leisure Connection in east Durham.”.  Councillor hopes Trust will avoid business rates [unfortunately this is likely to be not entirely the case later in 2012 – Ed.]
  • Gloucestershire – Fears over Wotton Library opening hours – Gazette.   “… the revised proposals are causing concern in Wotton where the town’s library is being reduced to 12 hours. Under the original restructure Wotton Library was to be professionally staffed by two librarians for 12 hours a week and open for a further 10 hours a week, with a local volunteer working alongside a librarian. Cllr John Cordwell, county councillor for Wotton, said county leaders had made no assurances that the agreement still stood.”
  • Hackney – £4m new library will blow your mind – Upcoming.   “With more than 32,000 books, CDs, and DVDs to choose from, the first library to be built in Hackney, London, in the past 20 years has something for everyone. Bigger, better and modern, Dalston C.L.R. Library opened on January 23, and has it all.”
  • Northern Ireland – “Improved arrangements” over local library cuts – Carrick Times.  “Controversial plans to halve opening hours at two of the borough’s libraries have been revised following public outcry. Under original proposals by Libraries Northern Ireland, Greenisland and Whitehead branches would have been cut to 18 hours. However, with the provision of additional £2.39 million funding by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, the Board of Libraries NI decided that opening hours at the two locations will be reduced by 90 minutes and four and a half hours respectively.”

“It’s not a total victory in any sense but it’s a very small reduction as to what was envisaged. Let’s not give reason in the future to revisit the proposal,”

“Cherish these amazing buildings”

415 libraries (326 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

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News

National Libraries Day.  Three designs. 50p from every £5 bag goes 
to the National Libraries Day campaign.
  • Library glossaryStop the privatisation of UK public libraries.   Includes definitions of various library terms and titles such as “The Technology Learning Centre – the name chosen for the Hackney Central Library when it first opened which was then very quickly changed back to Hackney Central Library due to the fact that the public kept walking past unaware that it was a library”.
  • Naked wrestling librarian – WidePr.   WWE trained wrestler works as a library assistant in Warwickshire and as a half-naked butler at parties.  [As my correspondent who sent this piece to me has written “Stereotype busting and how!” – Ed.].
  • Union sues to block library outsourcing – American Libraries (USA).   “The union’s issue is with the timing of the vote, which was taken two weeks before a California law went into effect that mandates transparency when cities contemplate leaving a county library system in order to contract out library services in documenting anticipated cost savings.”
  • Stop what you’re doing and read this! – Independent (Book Review).   Review of pro-library/literacy book.  “In a volume of pithy writing  and fierce advocacy, these authors  debate whether books should be read on Kindles or at carrels, out loud or in the privacy of your own head. Philip Pullman is long. Life  is short. What’s the answer? Stop what you’re doing and read this!”.  “A mission statement about the transformative power of reading; about the way it inspires us, the tangible impact it can have on our wellbeing, the importance it holds for us now and will continue to hold in the future.”
  • What can carers do to help children become successful readers – Local Schools Network.  “PISA and Eurydice concluded that teachers, schools and governments need to consider how they could best help busy parents play a more active role in their children’s education. In some countries there are national literacy schemes which promote reading. In this country the Bookstart scheme gives books to children at key points in their lives but the Government proposed cutting its funding at the end of 2010. It was only after a national outcry that funding was reinstated but at a much reduced amount. Libraries play a central role in the promotion of reading skills. Again, in this country investment in libraries is much reduced and many local libraries are closing.”

Local News

  • Brent – Libraries campaigners to hold public meeting – Harrow Observer.  Meeting to inform public of what is happening.  Still waiting court decision on whether the closure of half of Brent’s libraries can be appealed.
  • Durham – Libraries are to stay open – Peterlee Mail.   “Durham County Council’s cabinet will propose measures that will guarantee that libraries across the county will not have to close. Members will be asked to run a 12-week consultation on changes to the service in a bid to balance a drop in users, with a need to save at least £145.8m over the next five years.”
  • Glasgow – Secrets to the success of city’s libraries – Herald Scotland.  Karen Cunningham, head of libraries, is very positive: “At Glasgow’s Mitchell Library she will argue that the city’s lending libraries are healthier than ever before, with visitor numbers, membership figures and the number of books issued all increasing.”

“As the role of libraries changes in the city, we must remember to cherish these amazing buildings and to treat them with care, to understand their worth and to use them to inspire us through the 21st century.”

  • Gloucestershire – Young readers go for goldThis is Gloucestershire.  “The project, Train Your Brain and Go for Gold, is being run in libraries around the county. Youngsters will be given a free pack with the aim of reaching Olympic targets. Three books would be the pole vault, seven books would be the heptathlon and, of course, 26 books would be the marathon. Children taking part will be given medals and certificates to celebrate their success in the challenge, which is running until June. The project is being funded by the Arts Council.”
  • Hackney – New £4.4m library welcomes first visitors – East London Times.   Dalston CLR James Library opens: “In response to questions on the limited publicity the library’s opening received, Hackney council’s head of libraries, Ted Rogers, told EastLondonLines that today was the “soft launch” for the library. The official opening will be held in late February, he said.”.  New library is twice the size of the old one. 
Someone in this group must be a professional graphic designer.  Some excellent
images and campaigning ideas are on their Facebook wall.
“This could all have been avoided if the (ruling) Conservatives had listened and learnt from good practice in other county councils and not closed libraries.”
    • Library “fiasco” could cost £600,000 this year – Bridgwater Mercury.  “… And it must find £240,000 in annual costs for not closing any libraries; £205,000 for restoring previous opening hours; £120,000 in annual running costs for the mobile libraries – totalling £565,000 annually.”
  • Surrey – Lib Dems call on County Council to abandon expensive legal battle – Surrey County Council Lib Dems.  “I am calling on the Conservative administration at Surrey County Council to immediately end its unpopular and ill-conceived plans to axe professional library staff and replace them with volunteers, and to abandon the squandering of council taxpayers money on an expensive and drawn out legal battle in the High Court.”
  • Westminster – Bibliosonic – Soundsofjag.  “taking place on National Libraries Day, Bibliosonic will mark the live debut of Raven Beats Crow’s new ‘Dark Matters’ EP. Their trademark live visuals will be provided by Tartan Walrus” at Westminster Reference Library.

Quiet day: only a £100k cut in Peterborough and a confirmed closure in Harrow

415 libraries (326 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

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  • 1964 Public library standards in 2012 – Gareth62.  Questions the legality of the dropping of Library Standards a few years ago.
  • Eating the Seed CornCharlie Stross.  “… if the drop in my PLR loans reflects library closures, then we have just slammed the door in the face of a new generation of readers. I got my start reading fiction from my local library; the voracious reading habits of a bookish child aren’t easily supported from a family budget under strain from elsewhere during a time of cuts. I hate to think what the long term outcome of this short-term policy is going to be, but I don’t believe any good will come of it.”

Change

Local News

  • Bolton – Meeting room rent charges set to soar – Bolton News.   Room hire charges up by 14%, due to improvement in facilities.
  • Gloucestershire – Rural/Community libraries: the facts behind the fiction – FoGL.  Council is deliberately maximising cost and minimising usage of mobiles in order to make closing them easier: Mobiles make only monthly stops to reduce demand and are operational only two-thirds of the time.  Mobiles doublestaffed, with driver being a highly paid “agency” one due to the council one being made redundant.  Mobiles have had bookfund cut by 60% with stops cancelled if there is a (very frequent) staffing shortage. 
  • Harrow – Plans to merge Harrow libraries still in pipelineHarrow Times.   Merging Gayton and Civic Centre libraries in new library, effectively meaning closing one, has been confirmed in council.  Hatch End Library may move into Harrow Arts Centre. 
  • Kent – Save libraries on National Libraries Day in Whitstable – Voices for the Library. “Everyone is asked to bring a “quotation” from one of their favourite books or dress up as a character from a book – you can do both, of course.  Your “quotation” should be less than 140 characters in length (like a Tweet) and you can write it on a placard or poster or read it aloud at the meeting. Whitstable has a reputation for creativity, dressing up and putting on a show; so let’s make this a memorable celebration of how important libraries are.”
  • Northern Ireland – Local library hours hardest hit in ProvinceBalleymoney Times.  ““The Minister shares the views of the many thousands of people who responded to the public consultation that Libraries are an important public service with an essential role in the heart of our communities.”.  However, cuts would still mean 10% less opening hours locally.  Need to promote service.
  • Oxfordshire – 20 volunteers needed to keep village library open – Henley Standard.  “Each one would work two hours every other week in order to make up for the loss of 50 per cent of staff funding in cuts agreed by Oxfordshire County Council.”  £4 to £5k p.a. needed to keep Benson Library open, with campaigners hoping to keep a paid member of staff on site at all times.  Moving towards volunteers cleaning the library and also to increase donations.
  • Peterborough – Library fears over Vivacity cash cut – Evening Telegraph.  Council will cut funding to Trust by £100k per year (from £3.1m to £3m).  Councillors fear library hours will reduce.  Vivacity has already had cut of £180k this year.

“The Lib Dem group has always argued that libraries are a basic service which should be kept under direct local authority control. Libraries help children to learn to read and enable people of all ages, particularly those on lower incomes. Many councils have set up leisure/cultural trusts but only a few have included libraries.”

  • Warrington – Rename our building, win an iPhone – Friends of Grappenhall Library.  As you know our old local library in  Victoria Avenue is re-opening again very soon. Its planned to be far more than just a library and the energy and commitment of local people in Grappenhall and wider afield in South Warrington, will help us do far more. To mark the change to a wider community use, we are holding a competition to rename the building. The prize is an iPhone”
  • Warwickshire – Evening and weekend opening cut at libraries –  Weekly News.  “Hours were shortened in attempts to save more than £2 million in Warwickshire County Council’s library network. This week results of public votes on new hours were announced. In new opening times starting on April 1 Leamington library will be the only one opening on a Sunday or into the evenings on weekdays.”

Time Magazine: Money, teddy bears, hugs and … librarians.

Ed Vaizey is backing a bid for Oxford to be the World Book Capital.  The bid appears to highlight the new Bodleian library, another university library and the bookshops but strangely does not mention the public libraries in the county, which are financially in such a bad way that they will soon have nearly have their branches staffed partially by volunteers.  In other news, Time Magazine puts librarians in the “not dangerous” and “not feared” category.  Spot on.

415 libraries (326 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

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News

“Sometimes you can judge a government by its approach to the marginal detail as well as to the big picture. Along with the public-library system itself, the Public Lending Right legislation that has since 1979 granted authors a tiny payment for each library loan counts as a national treasure. Since the amount seems so small (just over sixpence per withdrawal) and the annual pot so modest (around £7m.), it’s easy to assume that the benefit to writers is purely notional. Not so. In 2009, 232 authors qualified for the maximum payment of £6,600. For popular but non-celebrity children’s authors or genre writers, that’s not pocket money. Now the PLR rate per issue has dropped, from 6.25 to 6.05 pence, as the size of the yearly fund slips from £7.22m. down to £6.96m. Piddling sums, by Whitehall standards. Yet they matter: in practical terms for some writers; in symbolic terms for all. And the squeeze reveals a default position of carping meanness towards culture, even as an extra £40m. funds the Olympic ceremonies.” Whitehall dips into our treasure Independent (Boyd Tonkin). 

Changes

Local News

  • Inverclyde – Library move for social care and health staff  Inverclyde Now.  Central Library will move to ground floor at Wallace Place, Greenock at cost of £1.5m while old library becomes “the headquarters and main office for Inverclyde Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP) although it will not be big enough to accommodate all CHCP staff of whom there are 405 at present. Work is expected to start in August 2012 and be finished by July 2013.”
  • Kent – Grieving families caused distress by new death-register system in libraries – This is Kent.   “Kent County Council ended the practise of registering deaths at Register Offices, including Aberdeen House in Ramsgate, from January 1. Instead people have to make an appointment at a library. KCC claimed the move was to give the bereaved “greater flexibility” but undertakers say it has meant people potentially have to travel further and that families are trying to register a death in a busy library.”

“Now we are hearing stories of people actually leaning across the counter to return books as a person is trying to register a death. It’s absolutely crazy.”

  • North Tyneside – Council hold library find amnesty – BBC.  As part of National Libraries Day, 12000 items are normally overdue at any given time from councils’ branches. 
  • North Yorkshire – Still time to give your view – Wetherby News. “Coun Chris Metcalfe, executive member for library services, said: “We have been working very hard over the last year to extend our partnership working with our partners, including parish, town and district councils. As a result of excellent partnership working, this means that in some cases we will actually be able to deliver an increase in library opening hours.””
  • Oxfordshire – Oxford bids to be World Book Capital – Cherwell.   “Oxford’s bid to become UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014 has received official government support. The move was confirmed by Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey MP, who stated the government’s intention to back the bid, in the hope of promoting the benefits of books and reading throughout the country.”.  New Bodleian and Oxford Brookes Libraries mentioned in bid, as are bookshops, but not public libraries.
  • Somerset – Librarians in “lose, lose situation” – Mercury series.  Councillor says library closures and use of volunteers in libraries would have saved money that could have been used to buy books in surviving branches. 
  • Surrey – Another victory for campaigners fighting to save Surrey’s libraries – Eagle.  “We’re obviously very pleased because it means that we now have a chance to get Surrey to reconsider yet again.  We do not believe there’s a long term future for libraries run by volunteers only.  Volunteers are notoriously fickle, a lot of publicity at the beginning will bring people in and then they start to fall off and so on.”

Ealing looks towards privatisation, points out tax savings for Trusts very likely to change

Comment

Labour-controlled Ealing is considering privatising/outsourcing its library services.  This piece of news is discussed in a committee paper and does not appear to have been publicised, although the council says it has been “soft market testing” options for months.  Possible companies/partners include LSSI, Laing, GLL and what appears to be a complete list of Trusts currently running libraries in England.  The fact that it is a Labour council considering this move adds fuel to the argument that there is only an illusion of difference between the coalition and the opposition on the matter, a point also brought home this week by Ed Milliband’s decision to keep the pay freeze/cut for public sector staff.

Moving off the whole privatisation and Milliband controversies, another very interesting aspect about the proposals is that Ealing appears almost certain that the tax privileges that go with Trusts will be soon be lost.  It says:

“Central government has responded to the consultation and are proposing to proceed with NNDR changes as originally suggested. Details of how baselines are to be established is not yet clear, but is highly likely that Ealing will have to fund any additional charitable relief awarded from 2013/4, and until baselines are reset which could be for a number of years (yet to be determined). As a result there may not be any savings for Ealing as a result of these services being provided by a charity.”

If so, this is really bad news for those councils currently pushing forward with Trusts as this possibly soon to be removed financial benefit is the key factor.  Suffolk has just this week appointed a new manager for its Trust and Durham announced a transfer earlier this month. Warrington, also, is unlikely to be a happy bunnyThe trade unions in Greenwich are already not overly delighted with transfer of its libraries to a Leisure Trust and this is not going to make them any more pro.   The reason this matters is the process of transferring a library service from a council to a Trust can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.  Money which is wasted if the main reason for the move – taking advantage of rates and VAT exemptions – is going to be removed.  And the reason that matters in these straitened times can be seen is such stories as the one quoted below:

“The library, literally, saved me. To cut a long story short, I was an alcoholic in the 1990s. I used to shelter in the local public library some days when it was raining, before my local opened. One rainy day, with no intentions of reading and being bored waiting, I browsed some of the titles. One on alcoholism stood out. Flicked through it, and found a case study that uncannily mapped my own family experience. I didn’t go to the pub that afternoon, reading the book cover to cover instead. It didn’t cure me of alcoholism. There is no cure really; not having a drink becomes a lifelong conscious choice. I still drank afterwards, but also became aware of the damage to my family and myself, and set about fixing this.If I hadn’t been in the library that day and browsed the books, I’d probably be in the pub now. More likely, I’d be dead.” Comment on “The privacy of the library patron, and mental illness” on WordShore

Quote the comment above whenever someone says libraries are a luxury and that it is selfish to keep them going as it would mean cuts to other social services.  I said “other” there because I mean it.  Public libraries are not highbrow nice-things-to-have-for-the-middle-classes.  They present a vital part of the community, helping thousands every day improve their life chances and, as this comment above shows, their chances of life.  I have, personally, over the library counter, had a person tell me that they would commit suicide (quietly, not making a fuss) if they did not have the escape that the library offered him.  They’re a place of refuge and a place of hope in many ways.  Libraries – outsourced or not – embody, perhaps, the real meaning of the word “Trust”.

415 libraries (326 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

Can you help by…?

News

  • Apple: iBooks 2 will “reinvent textbooks” – Guardian.  “There are social division issues here. Is it going to be possible to borrow these books from school libraries? Is the school going to be the organisation to provide these books to students? What about those who can’t afford to buy the books themselves?””
  • Bookseller Awards open for business – BookSeller.   Libraries included for the first time ever.  “The leading book trade awards have been expanded for 2012 with the addition of three new categories: to find the best library; the top academic, professional and educational publisher; and the overall National Bookseller of the Year.”
  • Bringing books to life: get involved in the conversation – Arts Council England.  Cheshire East issues the most books of any authority in England.  It has worked with authors and poets in its libraries and at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre.

Community Library ServiceExcellent video on the Hackney “Books on Wheels” Service that provided books, CDs, DVDs and talking books to the housebound.
  • Egyptian librarians found first unionAhramonline (Egypt).  200,000 librarians, archivists and information specialists form association.  “Despite the issues facing librarians, there is a rush on this vocation throughout Egyptian universities. During the 1970s and 1980s, a public post was guaranteed for library studies graduates. With the rush to work in the Gulf, the speciality came into high demand, given its basis in language. “We can only accept 100 students in some of these departments, and receive some 1000 applications, so we create certain requirements, such as knowledge of other languages, and sometimes even using interviews to filter students going in,” Kassem explained.”
  • Help This Week in LibrariesDP Green.   Show needs funding for 2012.  “This Week in Libraries (TWIL) is a vital professional development resource for library workers who want to learn, engage and get excited about our profession (i.e. everyone). TWIL brings educative and inspiring conversations with passionate presenters and guest professionals to our screens, whenever we choose to watch, for free! Innovation is always on the menu; served with passion, pride and collaboration.”
  • How Ed Miliband’s cuts policy is dividing Labour’s heartlands – Guardian. “While Liverpool city councillors are closing libraries and swimming pools, voters are asking who will fight the coalition?”.  Labour leader says he will cut in similar fashion to the coalition, Labour council is closing Woolton Library so locals who oppose this are left with no-one representing their point of view.  Liverpool cut “£91m last year and has to lose £50m this year. On Wednesday night it agreed £16m of those cuts – closing three libraries, including Woolton, a swimming pool, axing school uniform allowances and cutting funds to the children’s mental health team, among others.”

“In this submission we comment that authors are not only suppliers to libraries; they are also heavy users of the library services and many were inspired to become readers, and later writers, because of libraries. The planned library closures will have a devastating, long-lasting and irreparable effect on local communities as well as on the wider community and the nation and constitute a breach of the requirements of the Libraries & Museums Act 1964 and the Charteris Report. While it is not for the Society to dictate details of how library services are best provided, a comprehensive and efficient library service for the 21st century must allow free access to a wide range of books in a safe, comfortable, convenient and accessible space. Libraries must be knowledgeably managed and curated by trained professional staff.” SoA Submission to the CMS Select Committee Inquiry into library closures – Society of Authors.  

Changes

Local News

  • Brent – Council claim library closure delays cost them £400,000 – London 24.   Due to costs of legal challenge, cuts will need to be made in other areas.  “Services including pest control, animal welfare, waste, parks and transport will be hit.”  Campaigners point out that closures were the most unimaginative way to cut costs and the one most damaging to local communities.  “The council could have made savings of £400,000 by diverting ward working monies and still have change. What has been done with money returned by Icelandic Banks?”
    • Estate agent sponsors boards in support of library campaign – Brent & Kilburn Times.   Save Libraries placards are being offered by estate agent, with £15 promised to campaign for every one erected. “If you are able to have a Daniels Estate Agent board outside your home contact Rachael Newberry by emailing rlnewberry1@gmail.com with your address and any specific instructions.”
  • Coventry – Punch-up breaks out in Earlsdon Library – Coventry Telegraph.   “It is believed the argument started between the two library users over the use of bad language while they looked at computers next to each other. Coventry City Council, which runs the library, has now banned the 58-year-old man from all its libraries for a year.”
  • Derbyshire – County Council plans £25m to budgetBBC.   “Adult care, libraries and youth services will have to find savings but the authority is proposing a freeze in council tax for 2012/13.”
  • Durham – Culture idea may save £1m – Peterlee Mail.   “One option is for the authority to place such venues in a not-for-profit charitable trust, or a Non-Profit Distributing Organisation (NPDO). The Cabinet is being asked “in principal” to consider agreeing to the change, which the authority says has significant financial advantages and could save more than £1m a year.”
  • East Sussex – Tories cut and spend in East Sussex – Argus.   “The council has also admitted it is looking at whether some libraries could close, with bookworms being warned to expect longer waits in libraries and fewer books bought in.”
  • Gloucestershire – Lawyers “seriously concerned” as Gloucestershire County Council approve library plan – FoGL.   ““Gloucestershire County Council, unlike Somerset County Council (who also had their library plans quashed at the hearing), are rushing this process to hit the new financial year deadline. This risks putting the cart before the horse for a second time. Despite telling the court that they had taken deprivation into account, it is gratifying to see that, now that it has, Hester’s Way and other libraries in deprived areas have been saved. But we are concerned that there are still serious flaws in the council’s approach” inc.  equalities/user information deficient, method of consultation unclear, role of communities unclear, future of mobiles unclear, equality impact assessment problems, council need to guarantee “community partnerships” in case they fail as they are relying on them.

“…we cannot stress enough how important it is that the people of Gloucestershire engage with the consultation process, and that community leaders and councillors make sure the people they represent are listened to. No one wants to end up back in court.”

  • Hampshire – Nearly £500,000 saved but 17 jobs are lost – This is Hampshire.   Opening hours cut from 1/4/12 as part of £446k cut this year.  “112 hours will be cut at an average of 5.8hours per facility and will result in a loss of 17 full-time jobs.”. 5500 responses received from consultation.
  • Hertfordshire – Slideshow: New chapter for Hertford Library – Mercury.  “It’s more or less got the same space as the old building except the other library was on three levels and this is on one, so it’s a lot more accessible to everybody, which was one of our aims.” Previous library at fourteen different floor levels. Includes wi-fi and babychange facilities. “The library was officially opened this morning (Thursday January 19) by MP Ed Vaisey [sic], the minister for culture, communications and creative industries.”
  • Merton – Council hint on Dons return to SW19 – This is Local London.   “The sites and policies development plan also suggested Colliers Wood Library could move up the road to the Colliers Wood community centre – which is earmarked for rebuilding as a mixture of community and residential space. It features plans to rebuild or improve libraries in West Barnes, Mitcham and Wimbledon – something that could be paid for by adding residential units to the library sites.”
  • Milton Keynes – StonyWords 8 programme of events – About My Area.   Many literary events happening, including several at the library saved from closure last year.
  • Monmouthshire – Chepstow library to re-open after £120,000 refurbishment – Free Press.  “The £120,000 refurbishment came after Monmouthshire Council secured the funding through the Welsh Government’s CyMAL (Museums Archives and Libraries Wales) organisation.”
  • North Tyneside – Council ends library axe bid – Chronicle.  “North Tyneside Council was proposing to shut two libraries, one in Monkseaton and the other on the Coast Road, in North Shields, as part of cost-cutting measures. But the plans sparked protests from residents and a petition was launched to save the branch. More than 4,400 people backed the campaign. Now Mayor Linda Arkley has withdrawn the proposal and confirmed the Monkseaton library in Woodleigh Road will stay open.”.
  • Nottinghamshire – “Staggering” facelift welcomed at Mansfield’s new £3.4m library – Chad.   “Library bosses say that in the facility’s first week alone 5,252 people passed through the doors and 7,643 books, DVDs or audiobooks were issued by staff.”

“The whole library has been reorganised and transformed – a far cry from the 1977 vintage interior and a massive improvement, too,” he said. “One thing that struck me about the library has nothing to do with the new surroundings: it is the friendly and welcoming staff. “They seem to enjoy working in the new environment.””

  • Somerset – New opening times for Burnham on Sea library announcedBurnham on Sea.com.   Hours reinstated after campaigners won legal case.
  • Suffolk – Libraries charity appoints new manager BBC.   “The council said it would be able to reduce the amount it spends on libraries from nearly £9m in 2010-11 to £6.4m in 2012-13.”
  • Surrey – Judge grants injunction against library closures – Get Surrey.   Council cannot close libraries or pass them to volunteers pending court case deciding on legality of the cuts. SLAM campaigner says “We can concentrate on the case for now as all the libraries are safe and can’t be brought towards community run status. A date has yet to be set to the hearing but SLAM believe this injunction shows it will be “sooner rather than later”.”
    • Court halts Surrey library volunteers plan – BBC.   “”We were expecting a three-week wait while the judge considered the merits of the case before deciding whether to issue an injunction,” he said. “It didn’t take the judge very long to decide that our case was strong enough to merit a quick injunction. We are very pleased about that.”

Because that’s the problem

414 libraries (325 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

Can you help by…?

News

Because that’s the problem, Mr Cameron. The 1,500 books that have been donated to St Mary’s will languish on the shelves unread, or disappear entirely, if nobody is being paid to look after them. Yes, I said “paid.” Volunteers come and go. Who is going to find the money for a database so the school actually knows where those books are, and when a class in Y3 is doing the Ancient Romans next term you can find the right resources for them? You can get a purpose-built package , but it’ll cost you a more than a grand to install and several hundred pounds a year to run. And believe me, you’d need a lot of volunteers to do the equivalent on 6 x 4 index cards. I know, I’ve tried.” Story of a rather silly man Miranda’s Island.

 

 
  • Sex Pistols artist takes Brent library protest to USLondon Evening Standard.   “Jamie Reid is educating art lovers in Los Angeles about Kensal Rise library, closed by Brent council. He has designed prints with the slogans “Education is a birthright!” and “Free the books/ books for free/ save Kensal Rise library” and put them on display during the Moods of Norway art exhibition at the Paul Stolper Gallery in LA. He has also donated 200 of the limited-edition prints to protesters in Kensal Rise, who plan to sell them to raise money for the campaign.”
  • We are cutting ours, go use theirs: They are cutting those as well – Question Everything.   Oxfordshire library campaigner notices Gloucestershire is telling is users affected by cuts to use bordering Oxfordshire libraries – but those libraries are being cut as well.  Oh dear.

“So according to GCC 30% of the library service from Wychwood and Burford covers the residents of Gloucestershire. But wait, we are being cut too! Burford and Wychwood are having the staffing cut by 50% and the volunteers are going to have to cover this and lots of the other duties of the paid staff. We are also no longer statutory so presumably the 1964 act which states provide a service to those who live, work and study doesn’t apply.”

Changes

Local News

“Coun Reynolds told the Express that this was a dark day for democracy in the borough, and fears this is a great loss for the community of Aberbargoed. He said: “The library is now going to close, which means our community will be without its own library. We will continue to fight it, as will the people of Aberbargoed. “These buildings are what make a community and they are slowly being taken away. “The revenue the council will save from the closure is only £5,500 a year, which I find disgraceful. The decision is absolutely disgraceful. Are the people of Aberbargoed not worth even £5,500 a year?” Caerphilly – Library closure “a dark day for democracy” – Wales Online.  

  • Conwy – Campaigners to meet with council over future of Penrhyn Bay library – North Wales Weekly News.  Penrhyn Bay Library Users Group (PLUG) examining possibility of running its library.  “If we can’t come up with a model that works, that has to be appreciated as well. But I’m confident we have a strong enough community to support that.”.
  • Croydon/Lambeth – Letters respond to “gaff-prone Eddy” tell the truth and remind campaigners – Save Croydon Libraries Campaign.  Croydon councillors attacked for library closures.
  • Durham – Council wants to transfer sport and leisure services to a charitable trust – Civil Society.  “The council has to make spending cuts of £145.8m in the next five years and hopes it can save money by putting the services into a charitable trust known as a non-profit distributing organisation (NPDO). It predicts it could save more than £865,000 in national non-domestic rates in the financial years 2012/13 and 2013/14 because the new organisation would be eligible for a discount of 80 per cent. An NPDO would be exempt from VAT on fees and charges at sport, leisure and cultural facilities and libraries. It would also be able to apply for funding from bodies such as Sport England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.”.  Libraries would be one of the first services to be transferred.  
    • Anxious wait over job cuts at libraries Northern Echo.   “Labour-run Durham County Council wants to cut opening hours at all but one of its libraries – some by more than half – before outsourcing their management to a nonprofit- making trust. Last night, the council said 250 staff, in the equivalent of 134 full-time posts, could be affected, but it was too early to say how many jobs would be lost.”.
    • Cutbacks to Durham library serviceBookSeller.   
  • Halton – Award-winning author, Helen Walsh, visits Widnes Library as part of National Library Day – Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News.  “An award-winning yet highly-controversial author will be visiting Widnes Library as part of National Libraries Day next month. Helen Walsh, who was born in Warrington, has a reputation for writing what other authors are afraid to say. She will be guest of honour at the annual event, which is being held on Thursday, February 2.”
  • Hampshire – Plans altered for library opening changes – Hampshire Chronicle.   5500 responses to cuts proposals.  £4.7m [sic] cuts for libraries, inc. £446k cuts to opening hours.

“An exciting and unique two year opportunity to join our innovative management team and lead our offer of consultancy and services to other local authorities. In Northamptonshire, we are ahead of the curve with libraries as prosperity centres, cutting edge engagement with 27 established Friends groups and over 450 volunteers – and there’s another 570 who want to offer time. With our innovative Library Plus offer, you will lead the achievement of commissioned services, shaping and delivering the offer. Northamptonshire – Principle Librarian: Transformation – Lisjobnet. 

  • North Yorkshire – New appeal over cuts in library opening times – Yorkshire Post.   Council asks volunteers to come forward to avoid cuts to libraries.  “With the consultation coming to a close at the end of this month, the county council says it is now “challenging” volunteers to help libraries keep open for longer.”
  • Northern Ireland – Extra funds see revised Northern Ireland plan – BBC.   Extra £2.4m found to reduce expected cuts.  “Lurgan library was to have lost 13.5 hours but instead it will gain 3.5. Glengormley was to have lost 17 hours but will now not have any change. However, Fintona and Newtownstewart will still be reduced from 23 to 18 hours.”.  See also comments by Alan Gibbons.
  • Suffolk – New libraries body appoints first member of staff – EADT.   “Alison Wheeler, who has worked in the libraries industry for nearly 33 years, will become Suffolk’s Libraries IPS’ general manager next month. She is currently Suffolk County Council’s head of service development for information, advice and library services.”.
  • Surrey – Protestors ready to take library fight to High Court – Get Surrey.  ““We fear the dismantling of these libraries will be the beginning of a period of managed decline for local communities. We just can’t let this happen.” Surrey County Council now has three weeks to serve its evidence to the High Court. SLAM will then seek an injunction preventing the council making any further progress towards implementing the community partnered libraries scheme prior to the judicial review.”
  • Warwickshire – New opening hours of 16 Warwickshire libraries decided – BBC.  9000 responses to choosing between two sets of opening hours for each branch.  “In October 2011, the council said 16 other libraries would only remain open if run by community groups.”

 

However busy you are, read to your children

412 libraries (323 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below.  The librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries could be under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries).  The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.

Can you help by…?

News

  • Get It Loud In Libraries: 2012 show dates so far – Never Enough Press.  Get It Loud In Libraries is a unique award-winning project (Love Libraries Award 2007 winner) that curates fantastic shows in public library buildings. GILIL showcases a whole array of groundbreaking acts and can count Florence & The Machine, Holly Miranda, The Thrills, Alessi’s Ark, Ellie Goulding, Diana Vickers, Bat For Lashes, British Sea Power, Juliette Lewis and Daisy Dares You as having graced its stages before (and while) hitting the big-time.”

“Launched in May 2005, the innovative Get It Loud In Libraries project stages numerous one-off, kick-yourself-if-you-miss-it gigs per year, pulling in people who haven’t been inside library walls for years, or those who never have. Since conception, it has been featured on BBC’s The One Show and Newsround, as well as many other publications, blogs and industry know-alls.”

  • However busy you are, read to your children, says PM – London Evening Standard.   “”I try to read to my children a couple of nights a week,” he said. “I think that however busy you are in life, you should always try to read to your children.” Mr Cameron astonished parents and pupils at St Mary’s primary in Battersea when he arrived for a surprise visit to open a new library sponsored by the Evening Standard.”.  David Cameron especially keen on the volunteers who help with reading to the children and on the £100k donated by a Ukrainian billionaire to pay for 85 reading volunteers for three years [That’s more than £1000 each – why? Ed.]. See comment by Alan Gibbons.
  • PLR rate drops again – BookSeller.  “Authors hearing news this week of PLR payments for loans made during the year from July 2010 to June 2011 learned that the rate per loan has dropped to 6.05 pence, down from 6.25 pence in 2009-2010, and 6.29 pence the year before (2008-9).”.  This is due to 15% cut in funding over next four years.  
  • UK library closures and the High Court decision on Brent Council – World Socialist Web Site. “Both councils [Glos and Somerset] came away satisfied that the ruling authorised them to make cuts to existing library services. They are aware of the hostility to their proposals and are moving warily. But they have not changed their basic plan. As one correspondent who disagreed with our article noted, the November ruling only prevented the councils from “continuing with their plans in their current form.” (Emphasis added).”

“Libraries, like other social services, cannot be defended on a piecemeal, council by council basis. Councils will look to incorporate opposition groups that take this approach and use them as advisers or pawns in their cuts agenda. Similarly, there can be no expectation that the Labour Party will advance any opposition to these measures. In many councils, like Brent, Labour is the very force imposing cuts.”

  • Who needs libraries? Apparently lots – Sun Chronicle (USA).  Providing ebooks, online resources and help for the unemployed has made Mansfield Public Library more popular than ever.

Changes

Local News

  • Bolton – Library service faces more changes – Bolton News.  “The report, which is due to be considered by councillors next week, says that income from library fines has been gradually reducing over the past few years, after users became able to renew books online.”
  • Brent – Sex Pistols artist Jamie Reid donates prints to Save Kensal Rise Library campaign – London 24.  “Legendary artist, Jamie Reid, who created the Sex Pistols’ album cover for God Save the Queen has designed and donated 200 signed limited edition prints to the Save Kensal Rise Library campaign. The prints will be sold for £30 a piece at the Masons Arms, in Harrow Road, Kensal Green on February 3. The event will mark National Libraries Day, which falls on February 4.”
    • Plans to redevelop Willesden Library agreed – Build.   “The new ‘Willesden Green Cultural Centre’, as it will be known, is expected to open its doors in the spring of 2014, providing residents with a state of the art library and cultural centre.” … “Brent Council will retain the freehold while developers Galliford Try have the right to build homes at the back of the centre for market sale in return for the development.”
    • Public meeting to save Preston library – Preston Library Campaign.   Thursday 31st January.
  • Caerphilly – Borough libraries faring well in Wales wide comparison – Campaign.   “The report includes performance indicators of how Caerphilly County Borough Council’s libraries service is performing compared with other local authorities in Wales.”

“Cllr Phil Bevan, Cabinet Member for Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning said: “While many libraries in other parts of the country are being closed down, here in Caerphilly we are investing in these important community facilities. It is fantastic that these brand new facilities have proven so popular, and these schemes will shortly be followed by other exciting new library developments across the county borough.”

  • Durham – Library hours could be cut by trust plans – Durham Times.  “Last night, proposals emerged to cut opening hours to 36 a week at town centre libraries and 20 a week at community libraries. Mobile library services would also be cut. The bus would only visit settlements more than four miles from the nearest library and stop only once in each village. Readers would also be warned to “use it or lose it”.”
    • Libraries face cuts – Peterlee Mail.   “The news comes as Durham County Council, which provides library services in the east Durham area, also considers transferring some library services to be run by a not-for-profit charitable trust in a bid to safeguard services.”
  • Edinburgh – Frankie Boyle to appear at free Dalkeith Library show – Scotsman.   “But Frankie Boyle is to make an unexpected deviation from his usual routine next month – by promoting libraries across the Lothians. The stand-up, and former Mock the Week panellist, will swap the bright lights of concert arenas and television studios for Dalkeith Library.”
  • Gloucestershire – Libraries do have a future: Mark Hawthorne – This is Gloucestershire.   Article by Leader including belief no library will close [7 will close if volunteers do not take them over, 5 mobiles will close – Ed.].  Says that “some believe” libraries should be immune to cuts.  “Fundamentally, we want to create a sustainable, affordable network of libraries that really works for Gloucestershire people. I firmly believe that working in partnership with communities is the best way to do that and with our continued support I believe they will succeed. I know we’ll be looking to use the excellent work we have already carried out here to help us shape more services into the future.”
    • Fight is on to save Lechlade Library after cuts announced Wilts and Glos Standard.  “Cllr Coakely, chairman of Lechlade library working group, said: “What’s really galling is that officers have said we can go to Highworth for library services. But we expect our services to be provided by the council that we pay our council tax to.”.  Statistics also appear to unfairly measure (by halving it) Lechlade’s population. 
  • Harrow – Plans to merge libraries and “nurture” cultural services – Harrow Times.   “More than 2,000 people were consulted on the plans which could also see improvements to public IT systems in libraries and the restoration of the borough’s Headstone Manor and museum. Another idea focuses on libraries being moved into cultural facilities, for example Hatch End Library relocating to Harrow Arts Centre.”
  • North Yorkshire – Dales communities’ views sought on library hours – Westmorland Gazette.   “North Yorkshire County Council has written to town and parish councils and other partners asking for comments, and proposed revised opening hours have been distributed via libraries throughout the county.”

“We have been working very hard over the last year to extend our partnership working with our partners, including parish, town and district councils. As a result of excellent partnership working, this means that in some cases we will actually be able to deliver an increase in library opening hours for local communities.”

“It would be a downgrading of the library. It’s probably going to be smaller because, at the moment, It has a reference section area, a computer room and a little area where children go to read stories. The foyer is used for information leaflets and what’s on posters. That would be lost if it moves.”

Anything goes?

It is a matter for each local authority to configure their library services to fulfil the statutory duty placed on them under the 1964 Act—namely to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” public library service for their local library users. There is no absolute or single standard. Local authorities must assess local need and arrange their services to meet that need in light of available resource. It is for elected council members and local officials, in consultation with their communities, to make any necessary decisions about how money is being spent, to fulfil all their legal duties and having regard to all their community needs. A community supported [meaning “volunteer-run” – Editor] library can be used in addition to the public library service or, in a measured way, as part of it but only in appropriate circumstances and after careful analysis.” Ed Vaizey, Written Answers, Hansard

With this, the minister for libraries has announced that volunteer-run libraries will be counted as statutory as long as the local authority can prove it has done its homework.  Given the completely hands-off, indeed one could say almost non-existent, oversight of the sector by the DCMS over the last year, this will be seen as a further green light by cash-strapped councils to do what they like.  While Ed Vaizey’s comments in Parliament will raise a few eyebrows, it is completely in line with the strategy of giving councils carte blanche to do what they want in order to cope with the deepest financial cuts in British peacetime history.  It goes completely against Ed Vaizey’s comments while he was in opposition but, again, this will not be surprising to the many who have followed his u-turn from evangelical library campaigner while in opposition to a seemingly comatose “anything goes” minister now.

The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) – another body that has been notable in its absence over the last year – has announced a National Digital Promise.  It seems to include a multitude of things that every library service should be doing anyway.  The list is below, with my thoughts, as should be fairly obvious, in italics:

  • A promise to work towards a webpage “portal” for available online resources a national catalogue of library stock. This is just a promise, but should be relatively easy to set up, though, given willing by all parties. 
  • Free online access in every library for a minimum period.  This is a reassuring move, as authorities would doubtless be looking at this possibility.  Some no doubt are already charging.  There is a slight worry that there is no definition of a “minimum period”.  Half an hour would be the absolute minimum: one hour would be preferable as this is the minimum useful time for writing CVs/jobhunting etc.
  • “Clear and accessible online information about library services”. Does some council somewhere not have a webpage like this? 
  • Staff trained to help users access digital information. They should all be trained anyway and it is embarrassing that it seems by this that many are not. There is no mention, incidentally, that these staff should be paid.
  • Access to online public resources that don’t turn off in the evenings or weekends. Does anyone’s online resources actually turn off for the evenings now?  Where?
  • Libraries to be able to use emails for answering enquiries. Hmm, the SCL is promising libraries will enter the white heat of technology c.1998.
  • Ability for customers to join online.  Great idea which all libraries should already be doing.
  • A single standard of library user authentication, which will be adopted nationally to allow collaborative access to digital resources.  No idea how this will happen.  Each library authority currently registers people in a different way, with different identification requirements using different computer systems.  Presumably, this could mean having another national library user ID in addition to one’s own library card, using a simple online form?
The Promise is, of course, better than nothing and at least provides evidence that some things may move forward despite the historically high level of cuts and threat to the service.  That, at least, is promising.

News

  • Digital standards agreed for public libraries – Guardian.  “The heads of more than 4,000 public libraries across the UK have agreed to national digital standards, which include providing free internet access in every library, and the ability to join a library and renew and reserve items online.”.  See comment  above.
  • Libraries go online 24/7 under digital promise – Public Service.  “Libraries have helped more than a million people go online for the first time over the past year. The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) said libraries offered many people their only point of access to the web. And it argued that libraries helping people to get online also helped them gain access to local council services, many of which are becoming digital. SCL president Nicky Parker said: “With this digital promise we hope to expand and improve the standard of online resources in libraries both now and for the future.”
  • End the stigma of adult illiteracy says top author –  London Evening Standard.  “Backing the Evening Standard’s literacy campaign, [Mark]Haddon said poverty and library closures are also to blame for preventing people from reading. Haddon, whose book shows the world from the perspective of a boy with  Asperger’s Syndrome, said: “The illiteracy rate in prisons is a sign of the damage that’s done to people if they don’t have basic literacy. “You are shut out from the rest of society and it’s something seen as shameful. People are embarrassed.”.
  • Library lesson – Yorkshire Post.   “Yet the Education Secretary would be advised to consider the merits of Rotherham’s Imagination Library that was being championed in the House of Commons last night by John Healey MP.  It has achieved outstanding results since it launch four years ago when every child in the borough aged under five started to receive a free book once a month to, hopefully, inspire a love of reading, and help youngsters improve their literacy, before they start primary school. It has also been effective in sparking the interest of parents.”
  • Wikipedia is closed for business tomorrow, but your local library isn’t – Diary of a contrarian librarian.  Most library authorities provide great online resources such as Britannica for free and also – shock – even have buildings with printed sources of information in them. 

Changes

Local News

  • Bexley – Library to bring in membership fees – BookSeller.  The library will continue to keep free membership but users will also be able to pay for extra benefits through memberships of £24 or £75 a year.”.  Comments are interesting – if one pays then one can keep books for as long as one likes which means interlending is difficult/impossible.  Also, it restricts books for other borrowers. 
  • Bolton – Quiet first day at new library collection point – Bolton News.  One tenth of the stock of the old library has been moved into a children’s centre, with a self-service terminal.
  • Brent – Library campaigners still awaiting appeal news – Harrow Observer.   Still not clear if an appeal can be made to the Supreme Court.  Barham Library campaigners setting up an expanded “pop-up” library including CDs/DVDs.  Also hoping Government will intervene.
  • Croydon/Lambeth – Rouse tells Lambeth to plan closure of library in secret – Inside Croydon.   “In his letter, Rouse is at pains to ask for “discretion” – some might characterise that as meaning “secrecy”  – over the valuation of the site, the library’s fixtures and fittings, and books, “so as not to undermine the ongoing work of staff at the Library, and it would be appreciated if Lambeth would carry out its initial planning work with similar discretion”.”.  Article says that Croydon has valued Upper Norwood Library in preparation for closure, with letter from Croydon leader to Lambeth leader on the issue reproduced in full.
  • Durham – Charity plans for council’s assets – Darlington and Stockton Times.  Libraries/museums/theatres etc may be put under a charitable trust inc. 39 libraries.  Could be a “Non Profit Distributing Organisation” [NPDO – yes, this is a new one on me too.  Ed.].  Would save £1m by avoiding rates and VAT.

“However, questions still remain. Who will run this new trust? How accountable will it be to voters? How much freedom will it have from County Hall? Who will set its budget and spending priorities? What happens when spending cuts bite? Before final decisions are taken, taxpayers will want reassurances their museums and libraries are not being privatised by stealth.”

  • Gloucestershire – County Council reveals new library plan – BBC.   Council leader says “We’ve got some really tough decisions to make in our overall budget and libraries can’t be excluded from that and I don’t think it will be realistic for anyone to expect that libraries shouldn’t be delivering a saving,” he said. “It’s up to Friends of Gloucestershire library to decide what they want to do next but I would encourage them to actually engage in this consultation process.”.
    • GCC announces new library plan: cuts in Stroud district unchanged – Stroud News & Journal.   “The fresh strategy will see no changes to libraries in the Stroud district from the previous proposal, with libraries hours in Nailsworth and Stonehouse reduced to 12 hours and the service in Minchinhampton handed to the community. Stroud Library will keep its full hours.”
    • Gloucestershire Counct Council in libraries u-turn – This is Gloucestershire.  
    • Thinking it through for Matson – Friends of Matson Library.  “Now we are being guaranteed 21 hours (currently we have 23) of open library as a minimum. We were united in being pleased that the library service is being kept but there was a good deal of discussion on the pros and cons of keeping the library where it is or moving it to another site.”
  • Lambeth – Fears West Norwood Library will be permanently closed – Guardian series.  “The library, along with the adjoining Nettlefold Hall, was closed in June last year after callous vandals stole copper wiring from the roofs, causing substantial rain damage. Repairs were delayed after asbestos was exposed and Lambeth Council has stated that until a condition survey is completed it is impossible to estimate an opening date.”

“Our beloved library was not just about books. There really is no substitute.”Concerned long-term resident, Lillian Bedford, said: “I can’t get about very well and I’ve had to go to charity shops to get my books. The library is a vital service for elderly people – if it didn’t reopen I wouldn’t know what to do.”

  • Lincolnshire – £2m to be slashed from library services budget in Lincolnshire – This is Lincolnshire.  “Book loans to schools will be abolished from April and a number of the county’s mobile library stops are under threat.” … “Outlining his plans at a communities scrutiny committee meeting at Lincolnshire County Council, Mr Platt revealed more volunteers were needed in libraries. He insisted there were no plans to close static libraries but that opening hours were going to be reviewed in order to maximise usage.”
  • Surrey – Library campaigners continue legal action against council – Guardian series.  “SLAM said the council has claimed the group’s protests and letters of objection served as an ‘alternative mechanism’ to a public consultation releasing them from any legal obligation to consult before a decision had been made.Mr Godfrey added: “We expected them to defend their position. But we are slightly disappointed with the quality of their defence.””