News

ALA commends Sen. Reed for efforts to ensure FEMA provision includes libraries as temporary relocation facilities – American Libraries (USA).  “Libraries are vital information hubs, and in the aftermath of a disaster, libraries take on an even greater community role, providing free and easy access to technology and essential information.”  This legislation is really coming into play at the moment as Tornadoes Rip Apart Several Libraries in Alabama.

“First they came for the public libraries…” Thoughts on professional duty – Undaimonia.  Some, non-public, librarians have suggested avoiding supporting their less fortunate public librarian brethren.  Others see supporting their colleagues as essential. 
High Court reviews for library closures – BookSeller.   Mentions the court case involving Gloucestershire and Somerset and the council climbdown over closures in Suffolk.
Make a noise in libraries (MANIL) fortnight 6-19 June 2011 – RNIB.  Campaign to improve access and resources for blind and partially sighted people.
Plans to outsource public services scaled back – BBC.  Government sees widespread privatisation of public services as unpalatable for the public and targets Big Society alternatives, according to leaked CBI document. 
Public Libraries, Social Media and News Media – Walk You Home.  Notes and slides from a talk to MA Librarianship students on the Voices for the Library campaign.

News by authority

Dorset – Council improve offer to libraries under threat – View Online.  Improved offer of books/computers/staffing “goes nowhere near solving the problem”. 
East Riding – Book lovers get their library back after £85,000 four-month revamp – Hull Daily Mail.  1930s building needed complete refit, better disabled access. “The parish council is very pleased with it. We want to see services kept in the village. It’s important for villages to retain services like doctors and libraries because it’s not always easy for people to go elsewhere.”
Enfield – Grand re-opening for threatened Ordnance Road library – Enfield Independent.  Two self-service machines installed, new jobs club started. Closure of library not certain as yet. 
Gloucestershire – Mark Hawthorne claims he has been “forced” into a costly legal process – FoGL.  “The only person to have ‘forced’ Mark Hawthorne into a costly legal process is himself”
Hammersmith & Fulham / Kensington & Chelsea / Westminster – Details of councils’ merger begin to emerge – Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle.   Plans to combine libraries could save £1.4m.  “”Combining services is not only more cost effective but would also allow us to improve services in many areas such as allowing Hammersmith residents to access libraries in Westminster and vice versa.”
Lewisham – Campaigners letter – Alan Gibbons. Reaction to Lewisham’s divestment proposals.
Somerset – Legal challenge launched over library closure plans – This is Somerset.  “”Councils have a very clear and specific statutory duty to provide a comprehensive library service. “That is a duty owed by councils, not the Big Society. Taxpayers are entitled to expect compliance. Libraries are a lifeline for the disenfranchised.”
Surrey – Elmbridge borough council elections Molesey East – Elmbridge Today.  All three candidates are campaigning on a keeping Molesey Library open platform.
Warwickshire – £100k fund to help communities set up their own libraries – Coventry Telegraph.  “Strong interest” from people to run 16 threatened libraries.    
 

News 

Architecture of access to scientific knowledge – 50 minute CERN lecture demonstrates how expensive and difficult access to information is on the internet [without public libraries that is – but they’re not mentioned]. 
Don’t close the books on libraries! – Miami Herald (USA).  Brad Meltzer writes on the importance of libraries but how, in a recession and when the public needs them most, the US is cutting its funding.  Nice quote on library cards – “Back then, we didn’t have money, but those cards gave us books, which served as passports to a better life”.
Village to close after contributing nothing to Tesco – NewsBiscuit. Spoof news item with more than a passing resemblance to the arguments sometimes advanced for the closure of public libraries.
Who can we count on? – Horn Book.  Editorial on Michael Gove’s remark that children should read fifty books per year with special attention paid to the experience of public libraries.
William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind – TED.  Malawian used local library to discover how to make wind turbines with transforming effects on his community.

News by authority

Gloucestershire – Children protest against mobile library closure – FoGL.  Three letters by children about the proposed withdrawal of Blockley mobile library stop on 14th July.  Consultation taking place after decision made to withdraw service.  Alternative council proposal of posting books impractical as user would need to pay postage so a hardback would cost £10 to order.
Suffolk – Libraries set to be saved – EADT.   “Pressure from communities” has forced council to rethink its plan to “divest” most of its libraries.
Suffolk – County libraries get a late reprieve – EADT.  Communities will still have “an opportunity to help run individual libraries”.

“The threat to library services brought out protesters on to the streets of places which had never seen marches before – and sparked a significant online campaign against the proposals.
It was the strength of these campaigns in what are seen as Conservative heartlands that are believed to have persuaded many county councillors that a change in direction was needed in last month’s group leadership contest.” Suffolk

Suffolk – No divestment for Suffolk libraries – Rosehill Readers.  Decision due to protest – 19000 signatures, 350 people marched through Ipswich, “one Sudbury resident” took legal action.
Suffolk – Libraries “saved” announcement reeks of political opportunism – Life in the country.  May elections expected to see Labour seize Ipswich from the Conservatives.  Submissions from consultation not read. Community interest company would make “savings” of 30%.
Suffolk – Eye, Debenham and Stradboke libraries to be saved? – Diss Express.  28 hour read-in at Debenham Library.
Suffolk – Town petition to save library service – Bury Free Press.  1000 signature petition against Needham Market Library closure gains backing of MP David Ruffley – “Libraries are a fundamental part of small town life.”. 
Wiltshire – £16m bill for speedier net – Gazette & Herald.  “We will also use the funding to support local digital literacy projects, getting wifi in public buildings such as libraries and recycling computers for families and individuals on low incomes.”

By the way, it’s an American website but don’t let that put you off – although you may have to randomly click on state on the “Choose State or Province” choice, it won’t affect your positioning on the map.

519 libraries (445 buildings and 74 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4517 in the UK

News

Bookseller Industry Awards 2011: Library innovation of the year –  BookSeller.  On the shortlist are Public Library Online, Hillingdon libraries, Space Station 2010 (Essex Libraries), London Libraries Consortium, New Writing North, Neilsen BookScan and Yate Library. 
Discussions “ongoing” over e-book lending – BookSeller.  “Constructive” discussions between libraries and publishers on allowing easing of e-book restrictions folllowing on from USA example.

“I don’t get it… In this day and age, why should people be able to read a book for free? Maybe it’s about time all lending was stopped and people who want to read are encouraged to pay for the book, it’s not as if books are now out of reach (in money terms) of most. Just a thought.” (comment from BookSeller)

Dollars, sense and public libraries: landmark study of the socio-economic value of Victorian public libraries – Public Libraries Victoria (Australia).  Libraries in Victoria “return $3.56 for every $1 spent”. 
Do we really need our libraries? – Creative Loafing (USA).  Another article arguing that because ebooks and the internet exist, all public libraries should be closed down.

Have librarians fallen out of love with books? – Futurebook. “No Furniture So Charming” debate presented by many non-librarians. “Libraries are not in crisis, it is the commitment to libraries that is in crisis”.  “Librarians issued more books last year than were sold in book stores”.  Read comments too.

“By encouraging reading, providing access to information and representing a focus for community activity, public library services contribute significantly to the national cultural landscape. They deserve statutory protection. There are no proposals to remove the duty on local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient public library service.” Ed Vaizey, House of Commons – in response to Yvonne Forvargue MP asking if statutory commitment still safe – Hansard.

Librarians without borders on the ground in Guatemala – LISNews.  27 US librarians promoting literacy and libraries to eliminate “education disparities”. 

Changes to tally

Camden – 27 job losses in last 18 months  (17% of workforce), St Pancras and Camden Town libraries subject to possible property sale.
Somerset – (Plus 2 to total as previously listed as 9 under threat) 6 libraries under threat this year, five more in 2012. 20% opening hour cut proposed – some libraries to open later and close earlier, some will not open at all on certain days, for £205k saving, compulsory staff redundancies.

Libraries by authority

Birmingham – Bestselling author calls up Birmingham book club – Birmingham Mail. Katie Fforde joins 2000 strong monthly tele-book club for the elderly and housebound.
Camden – Save our libraries: Following meeting, Labour more upbeat but won’t sign up for no closure pledge – Camden New Journal.    Councillors distance authority from privatising libraries, talk about expanding children’s library services … but delete pledge to keep all libraries open. Scale of responses “so vast” that a radical rethink may occur.  Meeting turns into slanging match between parties. 
Doncaster – Meaningful consultation? – Save Doncaster Libraries.  Council consultation process cost only £474 (sic), questionnaires only distributed to libraries and “hidden” online.
Dorset – Villages in fight to keep library open – Daily Echo.  2000 sign petition to save West Moors Library, Campaigners argue that a 1994 £64k bequest may mean money needs paying back if closed.
Ealing – Residents defend under-threat Ealing library – Ealing Gazette.  Northolt Leisure Centre Library (opened Jan 2010) under risk of closure – users say it is far away (two buses) from Central Ealing and “a life-line” but council thinks will raise income if sold.  “Looking increasingly strained, Councillor Bell said he would rather make cuts to leisure services than cut care packages for elderly and young people”.
Gloucestershire – Youngsters stage protest at loss of their “book bus” – Cotswold Journal.  Blockley will lose its fortnightly mobile library stop on July 14th.  Council will consult with users after decision to end service was made.

“The library service is very handy for Callum and his brother Jordan because I can’t drive and my wife’s at work until 6pm most nights. They love reading and it’s good for their school work.” (father on loss of mobile library service in Glos)

Isle of Wight – £700k a year to supervise PFI – IWCP.   13 HQ staff will monitor PFI contracts.  “Is it value for money to spend more than double the annual costs of the Island’s libraries and loos on monetary minders?”
Somerset – Proposals to cut opening hours of Somerset libraries – BBC.   Somerset revised proposals threaten 11 libraries over two years, plus mobiles and will result in deep opening hour cuts.  Comment from Friends of Somerset Libraries “deeply disappointed”.
Suffolk – Over 18000 sign libraries petition – EADT.   Only 3600 needed to force council debate. ““Our library in Leiston is at the heart of the community and serves people from children to pensioners. If it wasn’t worth fighting for I wouldn’t be here.”
Wiltshire – James Gray MP question to Ed Vaizey in parliament – Youtube. Wiltshire are expanding openeing hours.  “Effective stewardship” says Mr Vaizey.

News

Google can’t be trusted with our books – Guardian.  Last week, Google decided to delete its entire videos archive, in order to focus on it’s search business, but public outcry persuaded them not to.

“Publicly funded libraries and archives are important precisely because they are not committed to the “market fundamentalism” of pursuing profit above all other motives. Some libraries and archives need to modernise and make resources digitally available but this requires support and the protection of our public sector libraries.” (Simon Barron on Google Books).

Libraries vital for nation’s happiness – BookSeller.  Archbishop looks at happiness dureing Easter sermon and suggests libraries are important.
LibrariUS: Stories from the Library – ALA (USA).  New interactive website to publicise how people use libraries and boost libraries in the media. 
Library News – Private Eye (via Alan Gibbons).  Many authorities wasting money on big PFI-funded libraries while hundreds of others are under threat – (i) Worcestershire £43m library while forcing Pershore Library to move out of the town centre, (ii) Oldham pays £2.9m p.a. for 2006 library and moves other libraries to council buildings/hours cut/jobs cuts, (iii) Newcastle £3.3m library in 2008 and 9 of its libraries being turned into “Library Express”, (iv) Dorset 20 libraries threatened while Bournemouth pays £2m p.a. for £20m library built in 2002, (v) Liverpool will sign £5m p.a. contract for new central library while cutting £1.9m in 2012. PFI schemes are “off the books”.
NUT conference: education for liberation – Socialist Worker.  Alan Gibbons spoke at fringe meeting “Finland and South Korea rate highly for children’s reading standards. Britain doesn’t. In Finland and South Korea, education is based on creativity, not testing. Here it is not. In Britain the government is closing more than 500 libraries. South Korea is opening 180 new ones.”
Thatcher still despised in red heartland – Wales Online.  Cynon Valley – “The libraries and bus services mean a hell of a lot to people living here but someone in a suit somewhere makes the decision without a second thought, it’s disgusting.”
UNESCO message on World Book and Copyright Day – UNESCO.  Organisation will have “The Book Tomorrow: the future of the written word” conference in Italy in June; aims to protect and project the importance of the book, in all its forms.
Your local library: for reading, learning and … watching porn (at least if you live in New York) – Mail.  Porn allowed on library computers due to the First Amendment, as long as site is legal.

Changes to tally by authority

Haringey – Hornsey, Marcus Garvey and Alexandra Park libraries to be closed on Sundays.   
Liverpool – £460k cut 2011/12, £1.9m 2012/13 – Central Liverpool Library will cost £42m with PFI meaning c. £5m p.a. charge.
Oldham – £1m cut – moving libraries into other council buildings, cutting hours, less paid staff.

News by authority

Derbyshire – library hours are slashed – Ilkeston Advertiser.  Ilkeston closed on Monday and Friday evenings, Sandiacre on Wednesday afternoons, Long Eaton on Monday evenings.
Derbyshire – Editorial: Give libraries a future lifeline – Bakewell Today.  “Let’s be grateful that this time around we still have a library but take heed that unless we support it we may very well be fighting for its retention in the future.”
Ealing – Letters: now we’re aware of their priorities – Ealing Gazette.  Libraries meeting was “was a big disappointment”, questions had to be short but answers “waffled on endlessly”.  £5m car park will cost £500k p.a. to service, 5 libraries to close cost £400K to run.
Haringey – Council u-turn could see libraries close on Sundays – Hornsey Journal.   Lib Dems angry that Labour council is closing libraries on Sundays despite previously saying they wanted to expand their role.
Suffolk – Final week of library consultation in Suffolk – Diss Express.  2500 responses including 15 expresses of interest in running the 29 libraries under threat.  Consultation closes this week.
Suffolk – Last effort urged in bid to save libraries – EADT.  3300 names on petition. Beccles Town Council has asked Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt for his “assistance and advice”.

News

Dreaming Libraries – Unlibrary. Argues public libraries essential for “1) inspiring, inclusive local spaces for thinking, writing and browsing. 2) access for all to professional advisers who can help us to find exactly what we need, be it advice on bankruptcy or the very latest research into a favourite writer”
Libraries and Freedom of Information gazebos – Michael Zimmer.org.  (Specialist) suggesting librarians should work more on providing council/government information.
Libraries: Changing but still free! – Wall Street Journal (USA).  Examines public libraries in the USA and ask readers if they’re users. Reader’s comments show a lot of love for them. 
Library card as a pop-culture fiend’s ticket to paradise – NPR (USA).  Even cool people can like libraries.
Love our Libraries – Proper Noun (USA).  Stories about how important libraries are, including the “if democracy were a religion” quote.
No furniture so charming: the future of libraries – Thoughts of a [wannabe] librarian.  Summary of library debate from London Word Festival.

“A world of ubiquitous free or near-free ebooks is coming, in 5 or 10 or 20 years. And when that happens, a library that defines itself as “a place where you can get free or near-free books” will no longer be an institution providing a service deemed important enough to be maintained by its community. But libraries have never been solely about free books. They are about something deeper, about information, about access to knowledge, about providing a public space where citizens can interact with each other, all within the context of an exchange of knowledge. Libraries are at the core of our understanding of civilization, and if we are to keep them healthy, we’ll have to make sure that they continue to answer deep needs in our society, rather than provide particular services because they’ve always done so.” What are Libraries for? – In the library with the lead pipe

What will the library of the future look like? – Literary Platform.  A librarian asks children what libraries will be like…
Will books vanish along with bookshops? – Guardian.  Bookshops disappearing from High Streets in USA, UK and Australia.  “When Borders went, publishers believe that while some of the sales they made migrated to other retailers such as Waterstone’s and Amazon, some simply disappeared.”

News by authority

Camden – Libraries “stand for civic decency and respect” – Camden New Journal.  Green Partycouncillor describes libraries as a “treasure beyond price” and resists closures/privatisation. He will be on holiday during vital vote.
Ealing – Northolt Leisure Centre library all stitched up? – Phil Taylor. Opposition councillor suspects library closure already agree as will save money and site may generate income.  Carnegie status of Hanwell Library will not prevent its sell-off. 

“It was great to see the fantastic range of books and IT services on offer in the mobile library. With the libraries service facing dramatic cutbacks, it’s really important that as many people as possible find out about the mobile service, and make the best use of it.”  Leeds – Mobile Libraries – Rachel Reeves MP.

Dan Poulter MP signing Suffolk Petition

Sheffield – Decisions made for the right reasons – Sheffield Telegraph. Lib Dem deputy leader defends cuts in libraries, says Labour would close libraries deliberately to blame coalition.
Suffolk – Needham Market: More than 1000 names on petition – EADT.  David Ruffley MP collected petition to present to House of Commons. 
Suffolk – Suffolk libraries petitions with over 13000 signatures to be handed in – James Hargrave’s Blog.  Labour and Lib Dem leaders will be present at handing in of petition, possibly also the new Conservative leader.
Swindon – Fionuala steps down from council cabinet – Swindon Advertiser. Councillor in charge of Libraries was firmly against library closures and privatisation but will leave office before private consultancy publishes libraries review.