News

Comment: suicides, literacy and space hoppers – Politics.co.uk.  “The truth is that people are not marching through country towns or forming a human chain around a library just to feel good about themselves” [NB this article is written by me]
For the love of libraries: Faye Clowe on the value of public libraries – Read, Write, Repeat USA). “Yes, I believe in public libraries. They were a haven for me as a child. They are a free resource every day for countless people. They nurture reading. They are a fundamental ingredient of this democracy.”
Public Libraries: Where life begins again and friends live forever – JJ Brown, Author (USA). “Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, new friends, old friends and friends that live forever–a great thing about the public library is here you can find them all. And no matter where you find yourself on the curve of normalcy or abnormality, wealth or poverty, a friend is a good thing to have. Even if it’s for a week or two and then you have to take him back to his place on the shelf at the public library.”
Pubs “a good option for libraries” – Morning Advertiser.  “We are very pro-pubs on the grounds that they are the last remaining public facility in villages and suburban areas — a place where people can consume alcohol in a controlled and supervised environment.” says chief of Hertfordshire.

Change to Library Services

Dorset – 10 reprieved, 10 still under threat (Burton, Bradstock, Charminster, Chickerell, Colehill, Corfe Castle, Portland Underhill, Puddletown, Stalbridge, West Moors, Wool), 10 reprieved (Beaminster, Corfe Mullen, Crossways, Littlemoor, Lyme Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Portland Tophill, Sturminster Newton, Upton, Wyke Regis). £800k cuts still need to be made.
Hackney – Events to reduce from 500 annually to 200, mainly run by volunteers. Most staff will be paid £2000-5000 less as jobs downgraded.
Hertfordshire – Central Resources Library to move to WGC Library, some stock put in warehouse rather than in open shelves.
Northamptonshire – May move to a trust model.  Aim to increase income and lower costs in order to reduce council contribution by up to 50%.
Wirral – Some under threat. Job losses has meant libraries are now “empty shells”.
Worcestershire – £1.8m (28% cut) over four years.

Local News

Croydon – How Croydon Council tries to hide a consultation (Part 94) – Inside Croydon. 
Dorset – Councillors throw Dorset’s threatened libraries a lifeline – Ad Lib.   All councillors on Policy Development Panel want all libraries to be saved, library management want to close ten as otherwise service would be unsustainable given £800k budget cuts.  Decision on 20th May.
Gloucestershire – Concerns over privacy and date protection in the new library structure – FoGL.  Date Protection Act not yet sorted out – volunteers will have access to library management system and will be able to see people’s contact details and what they’re reading, presumably even in normally run libraries.
Hackney – Defend Hackney’s libraries! Support Hackney’s library workers! – Hackney alliance to defend public services.  “There will also be reduction of opening hours in all but the 3 main Hackney Libraries. Many of us fear that this concentration of resources, staff and events in the 3 main libraries, will result in less people using the other libraries and that the resulting drop in footfall could be used to justify closing libraries in the future.”
Hertfordshire – Plans to move Hatfield library services into warehouse – Times 24.  Services to be split three ways, including one in a warehouse, as land needed for an incinerator.  “By making these changes we will be able to preserve the library services currently provided by the Central Resources Library, but at a reduced cost to taxpayers.”
Monmouthshire – Libraries get the thumbs up from users – FreePress.   “Two recent surveys have given the thumbs up to Monmouthshire’s libraries with 94 per cent of adults considering their local library to be very good or good, and nine out of ten children and young people awarding the service the highest possible rating.” 
Northamptonshire – Donations could save libraries – BBC.  Volunteers asked to raise £2k to spend on activities, corporate sponsorship being explord.  John Hodder, a member of the Friends of Desborough Library, said: “There has got to be another way of funding this situation, the council has admitted to not having enough funds to run libraries, but asking friends of libraries is not the best way to do it.” Also Community may be asked to volunteer or donate cash to help Northampton’s libraries survive in Northampton Chronicle. 
Northamptonshire – First stage of library review begins with possibility of Sunday opening considered – AboutMyArea.  “This is why we are starting our review by speaking with our partners and key stakeholders as libraries need their help.  The thousands of responses we received during our library closure proposals earlier this year showed us just how much libraries are valued by people living and working in the county and we want to harness this enthusiasm and support.  In fact, many people have said that they would be prepared to pay something towards keeping their service.”
Oxfordshire – Friends group vows to fight reworked library funding cuts – Henley Standard.  “The news comes just six months after Watlington library was re-opened following a £700,000 refurbishment in which the size of the High Street building was doubled.”
West Sussex – Happy story as mobile library escapes axe in Bognor Regis – Bognor Regis Observer.”Regular Nan Macauley, 77, from the Flansham Park estate, said: “The mobile library is very important to me. I have an invalid husband, John, and I come here every week and take seven books and six taped books because he is a prolific reader.”
Wiltshire – Volunteers set to man Wiltshire libraries – Gazette & Herald.    
Wirral – Libraries future threatened again by council job cuts – Liverpool Daily Post.  “The borough’s new Labour administration claimed they were left as virtually “empty shells” with no one to work in them after massive job losses in the council.” Also reported as “Impossible” to run Wirral libraries as staff cuts take their toll” – Wirral Globe where Conservatives fear the comments from Labout mean it is “softening up” the public for closures.  Also in BookSeller as Libraries now “empty shells”.  “Councillor Chris Meaden, the cabinet member for culture, said it was “literally impossible to run the library service we used to with the skeleton staff we have remaining” and “creative thinking” would now be needed, the Liverpool Daily Post reports”
Worcestershire – Staff to do all they can to keep library open – Malvern Gazette.  “I genuinely believe that community partnership might be a solution that fits for Upton. We are already quite a community hub anyway, and if we were to go down that route then while we would undoubtedly see some change, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.”

News

Campaign for the Book June Newsletter – Alan Gibbons.  Gives an overview of the new allies for libraries this month – the children’s laureate, the WI, even (more equivocally given Brent and Lewisham) the Labour Party.
Donaldson backs National Libraries Day – BookSeller.  “Hooray for National Libraries Day! So many wonderful things go on in libraries—not just reading, browsing and borrowing, but storytelling, rhyme times, book clubs, activity days, author events and holiday reading challenges—and this special day will be a celebration of them all.”
Don’t privatise that book! – City Journal. Anti-union, pro-privatisation viewpoint on the Californian law that now makes it harder for libraries to be privatised.
Future Library – BookSeller.   New “Library of Birmingham” biggest public library project in Europe, “shop window for the city and culture of the city”.  Birmingham Council says it will not close any libraries.
Happy in the Library – Blog posts on people using the library.

“Surprisingly, far from being made obsolete by the Internet, public libraries are becoming more important. Forty-four percent of people living in households below the federal poverty line use the library to access the Internet. Yet many librarians report they cannot keep up with the demand of these patrons. (Chapter 18, Libraries.)” Information needs of communities – Federal Communications Commission (USA).

Landmark US library to close – Guardian. ‘The greatest nation on earth’, as we still call ourselves, no longer has the political will to arrest its visible and precipitous decline and save the institutions on which the workings of our democracy depend … Their slow disappearance is a tragedy, not just for those impoverished towns and cities, but for everyone everywhere terrified at the thought of a country without libraries.”
People matter – Annie Mauger blog post, CILIP.
Reading buddies project helps the blind use North East libraries – Journal Live.   Training for volunteers to help visually impaired users in libraries.
Somewhere special – Voices for the Library.  Touching descriptions of people using public libraries.

Women’s Institutes joins battle to save libraries – Guardian.  ““It’s fabulous news for the millions of people across the UK that love their libraries. Libraries are an essential education and information resource. They are at the heart of communities across the country and are too important to lose,” (Annie Mauger, CILIP).

Changes to Library services

Birmingham – 39 less under threat. 
Islington – Guarantee no libraries will close.  10% (£600k) cut.  May be job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service.  Seriously considering turning into a Trust to save £450k p.a. in tax. 
North Yorkshire – £300k off bookfund as part of bid to keep more libraries open. £592k cut to mobile libraries meaning no standard mobile libraries to remain running.
Somerset – The four (out of six) mobile libraries to be closed are based at Minehead, Bridgwater, Taunton and Wells meaning 209 communities will still receive a mobile library service whilst 206 communities, which currently receive a service, will no longer do so
Wokingham – Privatised libraries may include community groups taking over libraries as well. 

Local News

Bexley/Bromley – More than 70 posts to go as Bromley and Bexley libraries merge – Bromley Times.
Bolton – High school offers to open its library to community – This is Lancashire. If Astley Bridge library closes, local high school could open a public library in its building if it was paid to do so.

“If you removed every single public library from the budget, it wouldn’t affect the budget crises we are trying to resolve. From a budget point of view libraries aren’t that significant. From a point of view of their contribution to a community and health of a local community, they are enormously important.” Brian Gambles, Assistant Director of Culture, Birmingham

Brent – Save out libraries: fight goes to the High Court – Londonist. “Unfortunately, no legal fight is cheap. There are lots of ways to lend your support; for starters, check out the comedy night at the North London Tavern on Friday 10th June. The Save Kensal Rise Library crew will also be at the Queen’s Park Literary Festival on Saturday 11th June.”
Croydon – Book Trail tragedy averted as Bashford overlooks the law again – Inside Croydon. Plan to have volunteers helping children without any CRB checking quashed.
Isle of Wight – Library campaigners report successful meeting with DCMS – Ventnor Blog.  DCMS officials interested and impressed by documents received. They also appeared surprised by lack of consultation by council and its lack of looking for alternatives of closure.  Campaigners have produced a full newsletter on the subject.
Islington – Library service could be run by charity trusts to save thousands in taxes – Islington Tribune.  10% (£600k) cut in Islington library service, no closures – some job losses, cuts in hours, more self-service. Turning to a Trust would save £450k per year.
Manchester – Homework clubs axed at Manchester libraries in council budget cuts – Manchester Evening News.  Qualified tutors stop, librarians will be trained up instead.  Campaign started in Levenshulme against this – “The teacher at the homework club is brilliant and knows all the children, what their weaknesses are and what they need help with”.
North Yorkshire – Library chiefs look to cut amount spent on new books by £300k – Press.
North Yorkshire – End of road for mobile libraries – Whitby Gazette.  ““I think if we were in a town there would be enough heads to make a great big wave to stop this, but we can only create a ripple.
“It’s almost as if because you are rural you are not important because there’s not enough of you to fight back.”.  Only 3.4% of those consulted were in favour of closing mobile libraries but the cost per user is £77 per year.
Somerset – County Council plans to cut mobile libraries – BBC. 
Wokingham – “Council consulted no-one” claim as libraries row rages on – Get Wokingham.  Council says  that just because a private company will run the libraries, it does not mean they are privatised.  Opposition councillors point out there was no consultation and no detailed business case. “Library services are being privatised for ideological reasons. They could be the first in a long line of services that could be outsourced by the Conservative council. History tells us that outsourcing leads to cuts.”

A Regional Manager from the MLA gave a talk yesterday to the Cambridge Library Group on “Libraries and the Big Society”.  Annie Johnson, who was there, has kindly sent me a summary of this talk which I have tailored for posting below. It is worth reading as it gives an overview of what stage public libraries are at now, albeit a surprisingly upbeat one and one which some library staff/campaigners would disagree with on a few points:

There are many negatives to the current situation. There have been falling (physical) visitors since 2005-6, Libraries and Culture are being disproportionately cut by councils, the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act makes libraries statutory but in a “hard to define” way, there are too few library advocates “higher up” and Public Library Service Standards are now abolished so there is no way for libraries to demonstrate performance.  Cutting because one has to is not a good way to review a service or to prepare for the future.

In other ways, there’s some positives. Libraries are now constantly in the news and high on the public agenda, campaigns have proved that libraries have an unprecedently high level of public support and “creative solutions” to the cuts are being found.

Public libraries are, and are seen to be, an embodiment of the Big Society in action (and were long before this became a political buzzword). The values that are important to libraries include community empowerment, information literacy, openness of public services, social enterprise. Volunteers are a difficult issue. Volunteers should not replace paid employees, but creative use of volunteers as a supplement to paid staff is good, filling gaps in services libraries would like to provide but can’t due to budget constraints (e.g. silver surfers, local history etc.).

Possible efficiencies (this does not mean simply cost-cutting) include less back-office staff, more self-service, more collaboration (eg. Essex runs Sloughs’ public libraries), more market research, more shared services and shared locations (eg. with trading standards), more commerical businesses (e.g. cafes).

My thanks to Annie Johnson for the reporting.

455 libraries (383 buildings and 72 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)  

News

Are libraries a dying breed? – Barbara Talley.  
CLG talk on the Big Society – Wee Bookworms.
Don’t be afraid to go in you library and read every book – Voices for the Library.  Matthew Hyde guest posts “Nowadays people don’t tend to be burning down libraries, at least not in Dudley, but they’re under threat. It’s easy to take them for granted, but in a world where we can access a mountain of information with next to no quality filter, librarians should rule. Somewhere along the line, that building full of books has seen the skillsets of the people who work there gain in currency.”
Government plans to block extremist websites from public internet – v3.  “”Internet filtering across the public estate is essential. We want to ensure that users in schools, libraries, colleges and Immigration Removal Centres are unable to access unlawful material,” the report said.” but, on the other hand, Jim Killick of the Open Rights Group calls it a “step too far” – “Libraries are a resource for sharing knowledge and study, no matter who you are. Adults must be assumed to be responsible and capable of making their own judgements,”

Libraries and the WI – Walk You Home.  Lauren Smith was there.
Public libraries briefing – CILIP.

“Next time you’re driving or walking past your local library maybe break the habit and step inside. It’s even cheaper than Amazon… all of it’s free. No wonder those that use libraries regularly are up in arms about proposed closures of them. It just strikes me as something a nation can boast about – we lend people books for free.” This place will lend you books for free – Sabotage Times. See also the excellent comments (and not just the one recommending Public Libraries News).

Windows on the world, keeping them open: the prospects for public service broadcasting, libraries and arts – Voice of the Listener and Viewer, public meeting in Leeds, 16th July.
Women’s Institute will campaign for libraries – BookSeller.

Change to library services

Camden – 2 more under threat (1 branch, 1 mobile) – 3 libraries to transfer to being run by volunteers, Mobile Library to close, Regents Park Library to close. 10% opening hours cut for all, bookfund cut, 35 jobs lost,

Local News

Bexley – Mobile library service faces axe – Bexley Times.
Brent – Another chapter in bid to save libraries – Wembley and Willesden. 
Cambridgeshire – Longer opening hours for Linton Library – Haverhill Echo.  3 hours per week more but library still under threat of “divestment”.
Cambridgeshire – Huntingdonshire library open hours cuts planned – Hunts Post 24. ” “I would say I do not see the point in knocking two hours off the opening times. The library should be the hub of the town. It should have the tourist information centre there. In some communities, the town council offices should be there.”
Camden – Library funding cuts: Town Hall approves plan for three branches to be run by volunteers – Camden New Journal.  Camden, Belsize and Heath to be managed by volunteers by mid 2012, or closed, mobile to close, Regents Park Library to close (mothballing may happen).  ““The lack of trust in the management of Camden’s libraries is palpable. We will be holding meetings to discuss our options. One major issue will be having faith in the Town Hall to work with us.”
Isle of Wight – Library campaigners meet officials today – Ventnor Blog.  Meeting appears to have been positive but, as normal, with no guarantees of action. Also covered on Isle of Wight Radio.
North Yorkshire – Council U-turn over village facility – Craven Herald & Pioneer.   Gargrave and Embsay Libraries will not survive without volunteers, council withdrawing broadband “churlish”.
North Yorkshire – Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley libraries saved by people power – Gazette & Herald.  Malton and Norton libraries, though, will be shut and a combined library opened instead.
Northumberland – Cafes could help to keep libraries open, council told – New Post Leader.  Councillors also suggest charging for libraries and suggests German public libraries do this, less management, more opening hours.

Julia Donaldson, the new Children’s Laureate, is to make saving public libraries one of her key tasks over the next two years.  She will be visiting threatened libraries, doing author visits in libraries rather than schools and even, perhaps doing a library tour from Land’s End to John O’Groats.  She sounds like exactly the sort of person that we need doing the job at the moment.  More power to her, especially as the person who should be championing libraries, Ed Vaizey, continues, in the words of the Penguin children’s MD, to be “woolly” on the subject. This, as the next sentence (in bold, with the big number at the start of it) shows, is the last thing we need.
 
453 libraries (384 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

All aboard for National BookStart Week this June – BookStart.
Back from the field – Walk you home.   Lauren Smith from Voices for the Library about her experiences for the cause at Hay.
Donaldson puts libraries centre stage – BookSeller.  New children’s laureate Julia Donaldson will focus on public libraries, visiting threatened Whithorn Library in ten days’ time.
Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson is new childrens’ laureate – Guardian.   “In recent months she has flung herself into the campaign to save libraries, leading a protest meeting at the Scottish parliament, signing petitions, and turning up at readings in libraries in Scotland and England.”.  Also reported by BBC as Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson is childrens’ laureate.  Her aims in the new job are suggested for her at What should the new children’s laureate do (Guardian).  Julia has been on record for a while in support of libraries, for instance her message at Voices for the Library and her appearance on BBC on 5/2/11 on saving libraries.
John Berger, Julia Donaldson the children’s laureate – Front Row, BBC Radio 4, 1.20 to 6,50 “I’m going to do a lot of library visits, if I get asked to visit a school I’ll tell them to bring the class to the local library…”.  Julia was a writer in residence at a library. 
Libraries are part of the safety net, no wonder governments hate them – Care2 (USA).  “If a community doesn’t feel ownership of its library, it’s going to go away. And if the people at the city and the county aren’t made to understand a library’s value for the community, they’re not going to fund it. It breaks my heart that libraries have to be fought for, that their role and their potential isn’t known by heart by everyone. But that’s where we are. If we want to keep our libraries, our libraries need champions.”

“[Ed Vaizey]  needs to take responsibility for his role. It’s not good enough to come to a room full of children’s experts and have a woolly line on libraries. It’s not endearing.” Penguin children’s m.d. Francesca Dow

Changes to Libraries

Croydon – Full paper to Council on decision to invite private tender for library services. 
Dumfries and Galloway – Plus one (previously no cuts known) – Whithorn Library, due to close mid June.
Islington – Some under threat (previously thought all libraries safe) Consultation,  £250,000 cut 2011/12 on top of £330,000 staffing cut already made. May share services with other authorities, may change to a Trust allowing cutting of tax paid by £400k, may use more volunteers or give libraries to community groups.

Local News

Cambridgeshire – Have your say on library cuts – Fenland Citizen.  Consultation starts on cuts, including to opening hours.
Croydon – Labour calls council plans “outrageous” – This is Surrey.  “Under the proposals, the council would retain strategic control of the libraries but any contractor would be free to try to raise extra money.”

Gloucestershire – report from Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries on their dealings with the DCMS – “So, basically the meeting Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries had with DCMS policy officials in May 2011 WAS a waste of time. We only were invited, after spending 6mths requesting that someone talk to us, in order to shut us up it seems. The DCMS has said if we had wanted our fees reimbursed we should have said before the meeting and they would have informed us this was not possible. Well, we say to the DCMS that if they had informed us they merely sought to meet with us in order to nod sympathetically in our direction, pat us on the head and send us back to the Shires, then we would not have wasted our time and money making the trip.”.  Also reported in BookSeller.

Islington – Libraries Consultation 2011 – Islington Council.
North Yorkshire – Council set to debate changes to library service – Northern Echo.   
Telford and Wrekin – Targets co-operative council – BBC.   
Nottingham – Children give libraries the thumbs up – My Nottingham.  Survey shows how children use libraries – half used it for homework. “It is wonderful to hear how much children are enjoying their library and thanks go out to all the hard work of the library staff who organise numerous events and activities to ensure the children have fun whilst learning”
Somerset – Fresh fears raised over viability of threatened Highbridge Library – Burnham on Sea.com.   Some of the people who offered to work as volunteers now not available.  Local town council cannot afford the full costs passed to them from the county council.
Warwickshire – Libraries talks set to finish – Coventry Telegraph.  2000 written replies in consultation, 2000 online.  ““This will be the biggest transformation in the history of Warwickshire’s library service”.
Wokingham – Libraries will not close says council – Get Wokingham. 

“Retired librarians working on a volunteer basis are killing their profession.  Where do they think future retired volunteer librarians will come from if they collude in running libraries voluntarily?  These people will have to give up sooner or later.” Patricia Richardson

This point was borne out by the discussion on volunteer-run libraries on the Jeremy Vine Show where it was pointed out that Chalfont St Giles Library has retired librarians helping out.  While this says a lot for the dedication of the ex-library staff in question and is certainly a help locally, sadly in the current climate, this simply encourages councils throughout England to close more libraries. So, if you’re a librarian reading this approaching retirement or, more likely, facing voluntary or compulsory redundancy, don’t consider going back to the job you love when you are “let go”.  It’s heartbreaking but you would simply be helping to birth a cruel new world of libraries available only in wealthy areas, with unpaid employees – and underfunded/non-existing libraries in those areas not blessed with large numbers of retired professionals.

Library staff up and down the country are facing people who seem to think that they can be got rid of and anyone who who fancies having a go can run a library.  Don’t, for the love of libraries you have worked your life for, be one of them.

448 libraries (379 buildings and 69 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”)

News

“Do everything you can to support libraries – God knows, they need every bit of help they can get nowadays. I find it incredible and outrageous that public and school libraries are being forced to close – we’ll all pay the price in the long term.” Children’s Laureate: cuts are “outrageous” – Independent. 

Civil servants blow your cash on flowers, booze and gift vouchers – Mirror.  DCMS spends £250,000 via credit card for flowers, expensive hotels, films.
Councils that can’t afford libraries are still recruiting highly paid “sustainability” officers – Telegraph. 
Make it hard to privatize libraries, California Assembly says – Sacramento Bee (USA).  Also reported in the Times-Union.
People versus the cuts (and, as ever, the lawyers will be the winners) – Independent. “Dan Corey, a solicitor acting for library campaigners in Gloucestershire and Somerset, said the level of cuts was behind the rise. “Judicial review is proving a very useful tool to look carefully at these kinds of cuts and to pick up where councils have just had one eye on their balance sheet and have tried to rush cuts through without consulting properly.” 
Rural cuts in Somerset and Gloucestershire bite hard – BBC.  Conservative councils in Somerset and Glos have introduced cuts (inc. libraries) harder than the ones they blamed their Labour predecessors for, citing the global recession, 
Snoring snoozers upset library users – New Zealand Herald. 
Supporters give “hug” to budget-pinched NYC libraries – CNN (USA).
Swingeing cuts give the lie the notion of the big society – Guardian. “We shouldn’t be arguing about whether we need libraries or domestic violence services. We need both.”

Local News

Croydon – Council’s announcement on the future of libraries looms closer – Sanderstead Library Campaign. Less opening hours and more use of volunteers expected. 

Milton Keynes – Inviting ideas – Milton Keynes Library Service. 
Oxfordshire – Libraries facing uncertain future – Guardian series.
Warwickshire – “Horrific” plans to cut hours at Lillington library face criticism – Courier.  Cut from 37.5 hours to 20 hours per week.  Computer users charged.
Warwickshire – Saturday morning review of the week – JohnnieB’s Blog.  Review of workshop in setting up a community library.
Wiltshire – cutting library positions – Wiltshire Times.  10 smallest libraries will open with help from volunteers.  13 full-time job cuts, self-service machines installed. 
Wokingham – Controversial library plans approved – Reading Chronicle.  No consultation with schools or library users before decision to privatise approved.  Also covered by the BBC.