9 Year Old Girl starts national petition and an email from the MLA boss
Feb 14th
491 libraries (430 buildings and 61 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below) out of 4490 in the UK.
– Redbridge – Goodmayes Library saved but no change as overall figure as number still remains at 5 out of 12 under threat.
– Thurrock – considers closing all libraries on a Monday or reduce opening hours of smaller libraries
– Thurrock – considers closing all libraries on a Monday or reduce opening hours of smaller libraries
Summary
Roy Clare CBE, chief executive officer of the quango MLA sent an email today about a young library campaigner. A 9 year old girl had written to David Cameron to save her libraries and then, when this was deflected, Jeremy Hunt, about saving libraries – who said she should talk to the relevant council. At this point, Jessica gave up and complained to the “First News” who have started a petition.
Roy Clare CBE, chief executive officer of the quango MLA sent an email today about a young library campaigner. A 9 year old girl had written to David Cameron to save her libraries and then, when this was deflected, Jeremy Hunt, about saving libraries – who said she should talk to the relevant council. At this point, Jessica gave up and complained to the “First News” who have started a petition.
Roy asks, presumably ironically, if anyone has (a) explained the state of the national finances to Jessica, (b) does she know that councils are accountable in law and that governmental intervention is very rarely used “and only in the most extreme cases”, (c) if she has asked her relevant council [the logo on the door behind suggests it is Buckinghamshire] if it has a plausible and efficient strategy, (d) that a national petition is “froth without substance” unless addressed at the offending council, and (e) only local lobbying and local campaigns could bring changes. He ends the email with..”after all, when tearful teenagers wrote to the PM about the break-up of Take That more than a decade ago No.10 couldn’t fix that either.”
Leaving aside apparently equating dismantling the national library service to the fate of a pop group this can be seen, in a certain light, as actually a handy help sheet for local campaigners about what to do. However, Mr Clare does come across as slightly … [insert your own words here] … talking about the efforts of a nine year old girl unhappy with the closure of her two nearest libraries. It also is another piece of evidence suggesting he is unlikely to advocate many interventions to the Government – which is a shame as Ed Vaizey has indicated he will not act without the MLA’s recommendation. Having said that, there are some encouraging signs.
David Cameron on the BBC Ten O’ Clock News today was directly asked whether people would blame him or the council for closing a library (or a SureStart Centre). He answered that clearly people are going to blame him.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive
Brent – Philip Pullman slams council over plans to shut Kensal Rise – London Evening Standard
Dorset – campaigners urge merge of Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole – Bournemouth Echo
Gloucestershire – scrutiny committee farce, councillors slow hand-clapped – FoGL
Leeds – don’t shelve our library! 100 protesters take out 2000 books – Pontefract and Castleford Express
Lewisham – what to do with five closed Lewisham libraries? – Londonist
Milton Keynes – Statistics used to threaten Stony Strafford are flawed, and challenged – About My Area
Milton Keynes – Critique of the porposal to close Stony Strafford – FoSSL
Northern Ireland – denials that up to 30 libraries may close – Belfast Telegraph
North Yorkshire – proposed closures “don’t make sense” – Voices For The Library
Brent – Philip Pullman slams council over plans to shut Kensal Rise – London Evening Standard
Dorset – campaigners urge merge of Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole – Bournemouth Echo
Gloucestershire – scrutiny committee farce, councillors slow hand-clapped – FoGL
Leeds – don’t shelve our library! 100 protesters take out 2000 books – Pontefract and Castleford Express
Lewisham – what to do with five closed Lewisham libraries? – Londonist
Milton Keynes – Statistics used to threaten Stony Strafford are flawed, and challenged – About My Area
Milton Keynes – Critique of the porposal to close Stony Strafford – FoSSL
Northern Ireland – denials that up to 30 libraries may close – Belfast Telegraph
North Yorkshire – proposed closures “don’t make sense” – Voices For The Library
Oxfordshire – libary cuts may be unlawful says councillor ““We note as a matter of law that the statutory duty of the council under the 1964 Act cannot be substituted, in whole or in part, by any Big Society initiative.” – Henley Standard
Redbridge – Goodmayes library saved, 5 out of 12 still under threat – This is Local London
Somerset – campaigners propose solution – Alan Gibbons
Suffollk – Clare community fights library closure, next nearest library is ten miles away – Haverhill Echo
Surrey – Elderly readers furious at mobile library cut – Surrey Herald
Surrey – Elderly readers furious at mobile library cut – Surrey Herald
Wigan – last consultation meeting takes place – Wigan Today
National News
Big Society – BBC Newnight “Ever since I heard the term “Big Society” I’ve seen my nearest library as the thermometer for its success”
Chetham’s library – 350 years of being a public library – Daily Mail
Government may take direct control over libraries – BookSeller
Big Society – BBC Newnight “Ever since I heard the term “Big Society” I’ve seen my nearest library as the thermometer for its success”
Chetham’s library – 350 years of being a public library – Daily Mail
Government may take direct control over libraries – BookSeller
MMU Lecture on saving libraries – Walk You Home (swear-word at end of slideshow)
One library saved … but what about hundreds more? – Guardian
Schoolgirl asks David Cameron to save our libraries – First News
Ten misperceptions about libraries – Heydeadguy
UK libraries face devastation – World Socialist Web Site
Would I have discovered Nevinson and Ravillious? – Voices for the Library
One library saved … but what about hundreds more? – Guardian
Schoolgirl asks David Cameron to save our libraries – First News
Ten misperceptions about libraries – Heydeadguy
UK libraries face devastation – World Socialist Web Site
Would I have discovered Nevinson and Ravillious? – Voices for the Library
Jeremy Hunt may take over Libraries
Feb 12th
491 libraries (430 buildings and 61 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below) out of 4490 in the UK.
– plus one mobile – Bexley article mentions mobile could be cut, not previously listed.
– minus 3 – North Ayrshire – no libraries to close 2011.
– minus 6 – Walsall – no libraries to close 2011.
– Newcastle – £245k cut, 12 jobs lost.
– plus some – – £935k off £6m p.a. service
– plus 1 – Nottingham – one library closed in Sep 2010 (S)
– plus 2 – Ealing – Hanwell and Perivale are feared to be under threat (S)
– plus 1 – Nottingham – one library closed in Sep 2010 (S)
– plus 2 – Ealing – Hanwell and Perivale are feared to be under threat (S)
Summary
Strong rumours in the Sunday Times and other sources are circulating that Jeremy Hunt is taking over the control of the Libraries brief with Ed Vaizey taking a more junior role. The Government may step in and take over libraries in areas where the councils are not showing “restraint” with cuts in libraries. Libraries are, due to massive national protest and media attention, now firmly on the news agenda and the Government is taking note. Who would have thought that three months ago? (S)
Strong rumours in the Sunday Times and other sources are circulating that Jeremy Hunt is taking over the control of the Libraries brief with Ed Vaizey taking a more junior role. The Government may step in and take over libraries in areas where the councils are not showing “restraint” with cuts in libraries. Libraries are, due to massive national protest and media attention, now firmly on the news agenda and the Government is taking note. Who would have thought that three months ago? (S)
Unsurprisingly given his previous inaction, Ed Vaizey said recently he cannot call a national public inquiry but he will look into challenges after councils have their final meetings. He appears already to have let pass the cut in Hertfordshire’s hours by one third – this has not made the headlines (much) as no libraries would close but it’s still a cut of one-third. Two legal challenges to the cuts have been agreed to be worked upon by solicitors. We need to be aware that with the concentration on keeping libraries open, it is easy to miss other cuts to them. In the Wirral, 50 library staff are to leave (nearly one-third of workforce). That’s going to have to hurt the service to the public, even though some are going to be replaced. All around the country, bookfunds and opening hours are being cut. In Newcastle, none may close by some definitions but some appear to be about to open unstaffed. So, the headline figure at the top of the blog is eye-catching but deceptive. Only a fully funded national public library service can, after all, tell the whole story.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive (S) shows item added on Sunday
Bexley – library merger with Bromley? – Bexley Times
– News Shopper
Buckinghamshire – save the libraries for our children – Buckinghamshire Advertiser
Cambridgeshire – show your love for your library on Valentine’s Day – Friends of Arbury Library
Carmarthenshire – protests at library closures – This is South Wales
– This is Croydon
Croydon – hundreds protest against closures – Croydon Guardian (S) Film of protests here (S) Malcolm Wicks MP for Croydon North speaks here (S)
Croydon – hundreds protest against closures – Croydon Guardian (S) Film of protests here (S) Malcolm Wicks MP for Croydon North speaks here (S)
Doncaster – How libraries can help the Mayor – Save Doncaster Libraries
Doncaster – Don’t close a library if you don’t want media coverage – Save Doncaster Libraries
Doncaster – Library review called in to Overview and Scrutiny – Save Doncaster Libraries (S)
Ealing – 2 libraries in particular feared to be under threat – Ealing Today (S)
Doncaster – Library review called in to Overview and Scrutiny – Save Doncaster Libraries (S)
Ealing – 2 libraries in particular feared to be under threat – Ealing Today (S)
Gloucestershire – library cuts formally challenged – FoGL
Gloucestershire – it’s a “political stunt” says Council Leader – This is Gloucestershire (S)
Gloucestershire – it’s a “political stunt” says Council Leader – This is Gloucestershire (S)
Gloucestershire – library users fight cuts – ITV Westcountry Regional News “Up until the age of 19 I couldn’t even read. I taught myself to read in this library”. Library about to close.
Gloucestershire – libraries packed with campaigners – Wilts and Glos Standard
Greenwich – Protesters take to the streets – News Shopper (S)
Gloucestershire – libraries packed with campaigners – Wilts and Glos Standard
Greenwich – Protesters take to the streets – News Shopper (S)
Isle of Wight – self-service machines could cost £11k per library – Ventnor Blog
Isle of Wight – Tim Coates to meet with council – Ventnor Blog (S)
Isle of Wight – Tim Coates to meet with council – Ventnor Blog (S)
Kingston – council becomes 14th member of London consortium – Surrey Comet
Lambeth – Read-In – Friends of Minet Library
Lambeth – library where “John Major did his homework” is facing closure – BBC News (S)
– Manchester Evening News (S)
Lambeth – library where “John Major did his homework” is facing closure – BBC News (S)
– Manchester Evening News (S)
Monmouthshire – 1500 petition handed in just in case (no closures planned) – South Wales Argus
Newcastle – city council looks at major cuts to libraries, libraries to lose staff – Chronicle
North Ayrshire – Halls and libraries saved – Largs and Millport News
Oxfordshire – council “wins more money” for libraries – Oxford Mail “None of us have ever known a budget process whereby central Government is still informing councils of funding updates in February.” says Leader.
Sheffield – 800 job losses “not the end of the world” says Leader – Library Workers for a Brighter Future
Somerset – protests to save Watchet library – This is the West Country (S)
Stirling – how the library saved her life – Voices For The Library
Sheffield – 800 job losses “not the end of the world” says Leader – Library Workers for a Brighter Future
Somerset – protests to save Watchet library – This is the West Country (S)
Stirling – how the library saved her life – Voices For The Library
Stockton – investment leads to increased use – Northern Echo
Suffolk – library closure protestors battle on – Diss Express (S)
Suffolk – library closure protestors battle on – Diss Express (S)
– This is Local London
Walsall – Libraries safe for one year, self-service to be installed – Express and Star
Warwickshire – search is on for library champions – What’s in Kenilworth
Wigan – Library opens early for DJ Shaun – Bolton News “It’s about community, it’s about inclusion”.
Wirral – 50 library staff cut – Liverpool Echo
Wirral – libraries “safe” despite 50 job cuts – Wirral Globe
National News (S) shows item added on Sunday
Authors call for moratorium on library closures – BookSeller
Bad week for the big society – Mirror – ““helping ourselves” has become in the eyes of many “fending for ourselves” (S)
Bad week for the big society – Mirror – ““helping ourselves” has become in the eyes of many “fending for ourselves” (S)
Bloated councils are cheating democracy – Daily Mail
Book-Rap by Maria Tolly “We all agree that the place to be is the library”
Book-Rap by Maria Tolly “We all agree that the place to be is the library”
Britain faces closing the book on libraries – National Public Radio (USA)
Britains’ do-it-yourself government – Globe and Mail (Canada) “the inexpert but enthusiastic will take over libraries” (S)
Britains’ do-it-yourself government – Globe and Mail (Canada) “the inexpert but enthusiastic will take over libraries” (S)
Britain’s PM is killing his country” Star (Canada) “He is closing libraries and making university unaffordable. He is hacking at the BBC and cutting its worldwide audience by 30 million listeners. He is destroying the literacy that is one of the few attractive things left in this country.”
Ed Miliband – Big Society: a cloak for the small state – Independent on Sunday “Mr Cameron should visit the local libraries in my constituency. These are not some monolithic institutions of crude Conservative caricature. They have classes for new mums and babies, after-school activities for young people, clubs for the elderly. They are owned by government but they nurture community. And now many of them are threatened with closure.” (S)
Ed Miliband – Big Society: a cloak for the small state – Independent on Sunday “Mr Cameron should visit the local libraries in my constituency. These are not some monolithic institutions of crude Conservative caricature. They have classes for new mums and babies, after-school activities for young people, clubs for the elderly. They are owned by government but they nurture community. And now many of them are threatened with closure.” (S)
“Good libraries with skilled staff like ours are are part of our social fabric and despite my surname, I’m heartened that in Rye at least we are not yet bookless” – Guardian (David Bookless)
In it together – BookSeller “the next few weeks are the most crucial. During February, most LEA consultation periods come to an end and council budgets for the year ahead will be finalised.”
Libraries survive on borrowed time – Scotsman (partial paywall)
Lisa Nandy MP “Bring the tories to book over library closures” – Tribune
Ministers may grab control of libraries if councils fail to act with restraint – Sunday Times (S) behind paywall.
Lisa Nandy MP “Bring the tories to book over library closures” – Tribune
Ministers may grab control of libraries if councils fail to act with restraint – Sunday Times (S) behind paywall.
Nick Clegg says “some council’s had managed to make sufficient cuts without losing services like libraries or leisure facilities.” This is South Devon
PM says “libraries should wake up to new technology”, commenters point out they have– Public Service
Politics UK – BBC World Service (9:35 to 19:00) featuring Kate Mosse “the library is the heart of the community … the one free space”. Adam Smith Institute say its “nostalgia”, “we’re all connected” and “we have huge access to books” and advocates private company control. Two different worlds (S).
Politics UK – BBC World Service (9:35 to 19:00) featuring Kate Mosse “the library is the heart of the community … the one free space”. Adam Smith Institute say its “nostalgia”, “we’re all connected” and “we have huge access to books” and advocates private company control. Two different worlds (S).
Quiet rebellion against the Big Society – Financial Times
Tim Coates versus CILIP and, possibly, more – Good Library Blog
Tim Coates versus CILIP and, possibly, more – Good Library Blog
Two legal cases under way to save libraries – Good Library Blog
Unhappy ending for books – Express (Comment) – “we should be wary of creating a world in which the younger generation has no real access to the written word” (S)
Unhappy ending for books – Express (Comment) – “we should be wary of creating a world in which the younger generation has no real access to the written word” (S)
Why save libraries? – Telegraph “at their best, they set the tone for what I suppose Kenneth Clark would have called “civilised” values”
Withdrawal Method – SchNews
Withdrawal Method – SchNews
Reasons to be cheerful – except in Carmarthenshire and Nottingham
Feb 10th
496 libraries (436 buildings and 60 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below).
– plus 1 – Nottingham – (Carlton Road, St Ann’s and Bulwell). I will count this as one closure on the grounds that the three will be replaced with two new libraries. Charging for computers introduced.
– minus 4 – Isle of Wight – new proposals mean 4 saved, 5 (out of 11) still under threat
– plus 5 – Carmarthenshire – five under threat (Pontyates, Pontyberem, Dafen, Tumble and Llanybydder)
– Sheffield – none to close, opening hours to reduce
– minus 1 – Kirklees – 1 previously feared as under threat, council has declared none will close this year.
Summary
Several authorites have today announced there will be no library closures to. Over 30 authorities have guaranteed no closures so far for 2011, although the number that have announced no cuts in service is substantially lower. Two other things brought a smile to my face. One was a spoof “Downfall” Hitler clip that made me laugh out loud. I particularly liked the bit where Hitler asks all those generals who used a library recently to leave the room. Another item was a rather impressive live music event/mini-festival to take place to protest against the biggest cuts to libraries since the Dark Ages.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive
Bexley – £1m (out of £6m) cut, 5 under threat – News Shopper
Carmarthenshire – five under threat – This is South Wales
Cheshire West and Chester – no library closures – Northwich Guardian
Conwy – Schoolboy leads fight to save Penrhyn – North Wales Weekly News
Essex – opening hours cuts – Yellow Advertiser
Flintshire – Deeside residents protest in 1000 petition – Flintshire Chronicle
Gloucestershire – mystery surrounds talks with “partners” Is it Glos Police? – FoGL
Gloucestershire – support for volunteers “seriously underestimated – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Sally Grindley adds support – FoGL
Hammersmith & Fulham – access to public records cut/suspended – Fulham Chronicle
Hertfordshire – Cuffley against near halving of it’s library’s hours – Hoddesdon News
Hounslow – Brentford Library Read-In “wonderful support” – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – protest march to take place – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – protest meeting held – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – reporters take to the streets for petition – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – lifeline offered – BookSeller
Isle of Wight – verbatim speech details new proposals – Ventnor Blog
Kirklees – none to close – Examiner
Leeds – Holbeck Library closure “another nail in the coffin” Guardian (Leeds Today)
North East Lincolnshire – none to close – This is Grimsby
North Yorkshire – Easingwold closure would cut town’s lifeline – Press
North Yorkshire – Liberals (NB not Lib Dems) to propose keeping open libraries but with less hours – Gazette
Northern Ireland – Save Greystone Library – Antrim Times
Bexley – £1m (out of £6m) cut, 5 under threat – News Shopper
Carmarthenshire – five under threat – This is South Wales
Cheshire West and Chester – no library closures – Northwich Guardian
Conwy – Schoolboy leads fight to save Penrhyn – North Wales Weekly News
Essex – opening hours cuts – Yellow Advertiser
Flintshire – Deeside residents protest in 1000 petition – Flintshire Chronicle
Gloucestershire – mystery surrounds talks with “partners” Is it Glos Police? – FoGL
Gloucestershire – support for volunteers “seriously underestimated – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Sally Grindley adds support – FoGL
Hammersmith & Fulham – access to public records cut/suspended – Fulham Chronicle
Hertfordshire – Cuffley against near halving of it’s library’s hours – Hoddesdon News
Hounslow – Brentford Library Read-In “wonderful support” – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – protest march to take place – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – protest meeting held – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – reporters take to the streets for petition – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – lifeline offered – BookSeller
Isle of Wight – verbatim speech details new proposals – Ventnor Blog
Kirklees – none to close – Examiner
Leeds – Holbeck Library closure “another nail in the coffin” Guardian (Leeds Today)
North East Lincolnshire – none to close – This is Grimsby
North Yorkshire – Easingwold closure would cut town’s lifeline – Press
North Yorkshire – Liberals (NB not Lib Dems) to propose keeping open libraries but with less hours – Gazette
Northern Ireland – Save Greystone Library – Antrim Times
Nottingham – 3 libraries threatened with closure, 2 new will be built – This is Nottingham
Nottingham – charges for using computers introduced – This is Nottingham
Oxfordshire – Concern over library outsourcing (LSSI) – Friends of Summertown Library
Scottish Borders – multi-function centres inc. libraries with “generic customer services staff” proposed – Berwickshire News
Surrey – Virginia Water – volunteer or see it closed– Staines News
Warwickshire – Bidford library’s future “in balance” – Tewkesbury Ad Mag “We only got the library five years ago”
Worcestershire – Pershore library to move from town centre – Evesham Journal
National News
17 Lib Dem Leaders compain – Coalition faces local revolt over cuts (inc. libraries) – Reuters ““Rather than assist the country’s recovery by making public sector savings in a way that can protect local economies and the front line, the cuts are so structured that they will do the opposite,” the Lib Dems wrote in a letter to the Times.”
David Cameron’s literary agent protests against library closures – First Post (The Week)
Ditch the library cuts – Socialist Worker
Grandstanding councils playing politics with front-line budgest says Pickles – 24dash
Hilary Benn says councils have a statutory requirement to provide a quality service – DeHaviland (paywall)
Libraries need the cash more – Financial Times (2/9ths of Bob Diamond’s bonus would save every library in North Yorkshire)
Library should not be a glorified Starbucks – Spiked (argument versus libraries being cafes/community centres)
Lib Dem grassroots turn on Government – Spectator “The numerous protests outside town halls, community centres, libraries and so forth are indicative of something deeper than tribal political activism.”
17 Lib Dem Leaders compain – Coalition faces local revolt over cuts (inc. libraries) – Reuters ““Rather than assist the country’s recovery by making public sector savings in a way that can protect local economies and the front line, the cuts are so structured that they will do the opposite,” the Lib Dems wrote in a letter to the Times.”
David Cameron’s literary agent protests against library closures – First Post (The Week)
Ditch the library cuts – Socialist Worker
Grandstanding councils playing politics with front-line budgest says Pickles – 24dash
Hilary Benn says councils have a statutory requirement to provide a quality service – DeHaviland (paywall)
Libraries need the cash more – Financial Times (2/9ths of Bob Diamond’s bonus would save every library in North Yorkshire)
Library should not be a glorified Starbucks – Spiked (argument versus libraries being cafes/community centres)
Lib Dem grassroots turn on Government – Spectator “The numerous protests outside town halls, community centres, libraries and so forth are indicative of something deeper than tribal political activism.”
LSSI – concern over data protection – Library Journal (USA)
LSSI – as it loses vote in California, company turns it eye to beleaguered up to 12 UK library authorities – Library Journal
Police could “set up shop” in libraries – LocalGov
Simon Hoggart’s Sketch – Guardian – “librarians, and people who work in citizens’ advice bureaux or run community centres, are going to be fired. This will leave them with loads of free time to do voluntary work in libraries, citizens’ advice bureaux and community centres.”
List of cuts by authority (click on name of authority for link to relevant report)
NB. From 2012, the MLA will be abolished – the Arts Council will take over its role for libraries with a budget of £3m rather than £13m. Therefore, libraries start 2012 with £10m less, regardless of any further cuts.
Library campaign list is here
Aberdeen – 8 (out of 16)
Aberdeenshire – some, (brief mention here seems to suggest all but this very unlikely)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five) (£1m – 16% cut)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – 1 mobile (reduced opening hours) cut, opening hours reduced, bookfund cut.
Aberdeenshire – some, (brief mention here seems to suggest all but this very unlikely)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five) (£1m – 16% cut)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – 1 mobile (reduced opening hours) cut, opening hours reduced, bookfund cut.
Blackpool – 2
Brent – 6 (out of 12) (talking to private company LSSI)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Carmarthenshire – 5
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Carmarthenshire – 5
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Cornwall – (23% cut, 102 hours opening lost)
Coventry – (opening hours cut, more fees)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Cumbria – (review under way, no closures yet, 3 of 6 mobile libraries closed in 2010)
Darlington – (£250k) off budget
Derbyshire – (Opening hours to be cut)
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Dundee – (to transfer to the same trust as swimming pools/basketball)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Edinburgh – (£550k cut)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access, access to be suspended) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)(self-service machines to increase)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed) (some mobile stops saved)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 5 (out of 11) (£100k offered as temporary extra)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Edinburgh – (£550k cut)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access, access to be suspended) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)(self-service machines to increase)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed) (some mobile stops saved)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 5 (out of 11) (£100k offered as temporary extra)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Kingston – (50% adult bookfund cut)
Lambeth – 4 branches and 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Lambeth – 4 branches and 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Manchester – 5 (plus no libraries open on Friday or Saturday)(£394k cut) (end of homework clubs)
Milton Keynes – 2
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Nottingham – 1 (3 libraries to close, 2 new ones to open) (computer use to be charged)
Milton Keynes – 2
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Nottingham – 1 (3 libraries to close, 2 new ones to open) (computer use to be charged)
Nottinghamshire – (22 out of 28 libraries to have their opening hours cut, 80 FTE jobs to go, 50% off bookfund, 1 library already closed.
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – (£2m) list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m) (no closures, opening hours reduced)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – (£2m) list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m) (no closures, opening hours reduced)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Southend – some
Southwark – (school libray service closed)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Sutton – (school library service to close)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Trafford – (mobile library to be staffed by volunteers)
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Warwickshire – 16 (out of 34) (30%, £2m cut) – official report from council here, special county map of closures here.
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
Western Isles – (cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer)
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Authorities which have announced there will be no library closures (2011 financial year)
Anglesey – 4 libraries earmarked for closure have apparently been (temporarily) saved. Brighton. Barking and Dagenham. Cheshire West and Chester. Cornwall – (one stop shops moving into them, book supply being done differently to save money, no guarantee for 2012) (23% cut in library budget, 102 hours p.w. cut). Coventry (but less opening hours, fees to rise). Devon (may have reduced opening hours, less mobile stops, no new Exeter Library – although this article suggests mobile library service has improved). BBC article confirms no closures. (“brutal” cuts to Exeter Record Office). Edinburgh (£550 cut) (pledge to keep open is for the lifetime of the administration). Essex(but other cuts – see list above). Haringey . Harrow. Highland (but other cuts – see list above). Hillingdon. (number of libraries actually increasing here). Kirklees. Leicestershire (but opening hours and bookfund cut – £250k). Lincolnshire. Merton – (£118k cut – 2 libraries will have reduced hours but reprieved from threatened closure). Moray – (may move to being in a Trust, another article here). Newcastle. Norfolk – (no closures but staffing cut, bookfund cut, opening hours cut, less mobile visits). North East Lincolnshire. Nottinghamshire – no plans to close any branches but massive reductions in opening hours. Plymouth (opening hours to reduce, managers to go). Poole. Portsmouth. Southampton. Staffordshire (free internet access also retained). Sheffield (cuts in opening hours). Swindon. Trafford – (but mobile library staff will be replaced by volunteers). Windsor and Maidenhead. Wirral
“Only the Prime Minister could blame libraries for closing themselves” Ed Miliband at PMQs
Feb 9th
495 libraries (435 buildings and 60 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below)
– plus eight – Aberdeen to close 8 (out of 16). Report says closing 8 would allow the remaining eight to have more opening hours.
Summary
David Cameron during Prime Minister’s Question Time –
“But I think we all know, we all know a truth about libraries, which is those that will succeed are the ones when they wake up to the world of new technology, of the Internet and everything else, and investment goes in. That is what needs to happen, and should councils look at community solutions for other libraries I believe that they should. And I think instead of sniping and jumping on every bandwagon, he ought to get behind the big society.”
Ed Milliband –
“Mr Speaker, only this Prime Minister could blame the libraries for closing”
Transcript and recording taken here, with kind permission of John Kirriemuir, who also provides further analysis on his blog. More analysis in National News section below.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive
Aberdeen – councillors advised to close eight libraries – Press and Journal
Dorset – Minette Walters joins the fight – Dorset Echo ““If the Victorians – who invented libraries – believed that rural dwellers deserved the same access to fact and fiction as town dwellers, and have the same ability to understand it, then shame on you for thinking otherwise.”
Dorset – Minette Walters joins the fight – Dorset Echo ““If the Victorians – who invented libraries – believed that rural dwellers deserved the same access to fact and fiction as town dwellers, and have the same ability to understand it, then shame on you for thinking otherwise.”
Essex -protest at cuts in hours – Daily Gazette
Gloucestershire – councillor says don’t worry, there’s still school libraries -FoGL
Gloucestershire – councillor says don’t worry, there’s still school libraries -FoGL
Gloucestershire – Don’t give up the fight to save our libraries – This is Gloucestershire
Haringey – No plans to close libraries, will develop into “hubs” – Haringey Council
Harrow – libraries will stay open but with more self-service, less staff – Harrow Times
Harrow – libraries will stay open but with more self-service, less staff – Harrow Times
Isle of Wight – library closures could be avoided – Ventnor Blog
Isle of Wight – £100k more for libraries – Ventnor Blog
Isle of Wight – Council reduces the reduction – BBC
Isle of Wight – Council reduces the reduction – BBC
Manchester – homework clubs in libraries to go too – Manchester Evening News
North Yorkshire – first protest march in history of town is against library closures – Financial Times
Oxfordshire – West Oxfordshire Council leader (and David Cameron’s election agent) joins protest against library funding cuts – Witney Gazette
Oxfordshire – £450k one-off extra for closing services like libraries, private US company LSSI in talks to take over libraries – Oxford Mail
Plymouth – opening hours reduced, managers to go – This is Plymouth
Southampton – no libraries to close – Daily Echo
Southampton – no libraries to close – Daily Echo
Wandsworth – York Gardens campaign – This is Local London
National News
“Big Society punch up” – Telegraph – “Ed started talking about libraries. Dave said: “I think we all know the truth about libraries!” Do we? Maybe the truth about libraries is like the truth about the Big Society. We all know what it is, but we can’t explain it out loud.”
Caring, sharing way to bad times – Independent – “Libraries, for example, must be one of the best examples of society, paid for communally, in which everyone has access to books, newspapers and computers. So a Big Society would surely build more of them; but instead it’s shutting hundreds down, presumably because we’re all sick of the stifling nannying ways of the library service.”
Campaign to save libraries continues – Guardian
“I’m a child of the library” (song) – Just a Summary “A sea of story waits for you behind the lib’ry door,
Don’t say we can’t afford them any more.”
Don’t say we can’t afford them any more.”
In defence of the public library – Courier “Policymakers eager to pare costs should be wary of viewing libraries as easy targets for cuts — the public like them and with each closure or contraction a community is deprived of a free, safe, valued and valuable public space.”
Labout votes against the local government finance settlement, citing unfairness inc. libraries – Labour
Labout votes against the local government finance settlement, citing unfairness inc. libraries – Labour
Match of today – David Cameron v. Ed Miliband – London Evening Standard
Save your local library – Spectator
Simple way to get public libraries open – Institute of Economic Affairs (same organisation, different person to the speaker on “Your and Yours” yesterday, the “simple way” is to ask everyone for a charitable donation).
Simple way to get public libraries open – Institute of Economic Affairs (same organisation, different person to the speaker on “Your and Yours” yesterday, the “simple way” is to ask everyone for a charitable donation).
Social networking success story – Voices for the Library
Speech against library closures – Artsfunding
Speech against library closures – Artsfunding
– Witney Gazette “It has been suggested that our libraries can be run and funded by volunteers. This approach was tried in the post-war years. The initial set-up was fine, but quite soon the stock of books became worn and dated, and the volunteer pool dried up to a very few dedicated people. When they gave up, there was nothing until the county council stepped in”
Well-fought fight – Spectator – (on David Cameron on libraries …”To suggest that some kind of freemarket Darwinism should overtake cherished public services is a reckless move)
Well-fought fight – Spectator – (on David Cameron on libraries …”To suggest that some kind of freemarket Darwinism should overtake cherished public services is a reckless move)
List of cuts by authority (click on name of authority for link to relevant report)
NB. From 2012, the MLA will be abolished – the Arts Council will take over its role for libraries with a budget of £3m rather than £13m. Therefore, libraries start 2012 with £10m less, regardless of any further cuts.
Library campaign list is here
Aberdeen – 8 (out of 16)
Aberdeenshire – some, (brief mention here seems to suggest all but this very unlikely)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – 1 mobile (reduced opening hours) cut, opening hours reduced, bookfund cut.
Aberdeenshire – some, (brief mention here seems to suggest all but this very unlikely)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – 1 mobile (reduced opening hours) cut, opening hours reduced, bookfund cut.
Blackpool – 2
Brent – 6 (out of 12) (talking to private company LSSI)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Cornwall – (23% cut, 102 hours opening lost)
Coventry – (opening hours cut, more fees)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Cumbria – (review under way, no closures yet, 3 of 6 mobile libraries closed in 2010)
Darlington – (£250k) off budget
Derbyshire – (Opening hours to be cut)
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Dundee – (to transfer to the same trust as swimming pools/basketball)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Edinburgh – (£550k cut)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)(self-service machines to increase)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed) (some mobile stops saved)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 9 (out of 11) (£100k offered as temporary extra)- most serious cuts I am aware of (consultation ends 7 Feb)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Edinburgh – (£550k cut)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)(self-service machines to increase)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed) (some mobile stops saved)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 9 (out of 11) (£100k offered as temporary extra)- most serious cuts I am aware of (consultation ends 7 Feb)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Kingston – (50% adult bookfund cut)
Kirklees – at least 1
Lambeth – 4 branches and 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Kirklees – at least 1
Lambeth – 4 branches and 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Manchester – 5 (plus no libraries open on Friday or Saturday)(£394k cut) (end of homework clubs)
Milton Keynes – 2
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Milton Keynes – 2
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Nottinghamshire – (22 out of 28 libraries to have their opening hours cut, 80 FTE jobs to go, 50% off bookfund, 1 library already closed.
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – (£2m) list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – (£2m) list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Southend – some
Southwark – (school libray service closed)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Sutton – (school library service to close)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Trafford – (mobile library to be staffed by volunteers)
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Warwickshire – 16 (out of 34) (30%, £2m cut) – official report from council here, special county map of closures here.
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
Western Isles – (cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer)
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Authorities which have announced there will be no library closures (2011 financial year)
Anglesey – 4 libraries earmarked for closure have apparently been (temporarily) saved. Brighton. Barking and Dagenham. Cornwall – (one stop shops moving into them, book supply being done differently to save money, no guarantee for 2012) (23% cut in library budget, 102 hours p.w. cut). Coventry (but less opening hours, fees to rise). Devon (may have reduced opening hours, less mobile stops, no new Exeter Library – although this article suggests mobile library service has improved). BBC article confirms no closures. (“brutal” cuts to Exeter Record Office). Edinburgh (£550 cut) (pledge to keep open is for the lifetime of the administration). Essex(but other cuts – see list above). Haringey . Harrow. Highland (but other cuts – see list above). Hillingdon. (number of libraries actually increasing here). Leicestershire (but opening hours and bookfund cut – £250k). Lincolnshire. Merton – (£118k cut – 2 libraries will have reduced hours but reprieved from threatened closure). Moray – (may move to being in a Trust, another article here). Newcastle. Norfolk – (no closures but staffing cut, bookfund cut, opening hours cut, less mobile visits). Nottinghamshire – no plans to close any branches but massive reductions in opening hours. Plymouth (opening hours to reduce, managers to go). Poole. Portsmouth. Southampton. Staffordshire (free internet access also retained). Swindon. Trafford – (but mobile library staff will be replaced by volunteers). Windsor and Maidenhead. Wirral
Cuts in Manchester, “You and Yours” hour-long libraries special
Feb 9th
487 libraries (427 buildings and 60 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below)
– plus five – Manchester– Five to close, all libraries to close on Fridays and Sundays
– plus four – Southwark
– minus eight – Newcastle Upon Tyne – this library service has been in contact and assured VTFL that these libraries will not be unstaffed. Until this is confirmed either way, I have in the interests of accuracy, taken the branches off the list.
– plus one mobile library – Blackburn with Darwen
Summary
The stand out today is the cuts in Manchester, of which the cut of five libraries has featured prominently in all the media coverage I have seen.
The stand out today is the cuts in Manchester, of which the cut of five libraries has featured prominently in all the media coverage I have seen.
You and Yours did an hour-long discussion on libraries featuring Annie Mauger from CILIP, the mayor of Doncaster and a spokesman from the IEA who said at the start that “Books are cheap so that’s not a problem for anybody” and that “amateurs can do the job” of librarians. “Fury doesn’t even come close” to the reaction that the public gave to his views that everyone should have a Kindle and that grandmother should be sent SD cards. The programme was overwhelmed with emails and “Uniquely, they all say the same thing, libraries are not just about books”. People phoning in also seemed very much in support of libraries. 2 out of 700 were in favour of closing libraries. 2. Out. Of. 700. Listen if you can.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive – (S) shows items added on Sunday evening
Birmingham – pupil’s bid to save Kings Heath Library – Birmingham Mail
Blackburn With Darwen – Meeting about library cuts – Lancashire Telegraph
Blackburn With Darwen – cuts announced – Lancashire Telegraph
Brent – Lib Dems (opposition) plan to save libraries with £100k trusts – Harrow Observer
Edinburgh – pledges not to close any libraries but £550k still to be cut – New Scotsman
Edinburgh – pledges not to close any libraries but £550k still to be cut – New Scotsman
Gloucestershire – “Life of Pi” author Yann Martel compares closing libraries to having a “lobotomy” – Cotswold Journal
Gloucestershire – Don’t downgrade Bourton library – Cotswold Journal
Hampshire – less mobile visits for Twyford – Hampshire Chronicle
Hertfordshire – less mobile stops to be cut – Herts Advertiser 24
Hounslow – Resident campaign at Cranford – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Library rocks to sound of protest – Isle of Wight County Press
Kent – Special Library closures programme – ITV Meridian Tonight (Trailer at 29:00)
Manchester – Five libraries to close, all to close on Fridays and Sundays – Manchester Evening News
Manchester – cuts described – Mirror
Northamptonshire – day of action to stop libraries closing – Northantset
Northamptonshire – day of action to stop libraries closing – Northantset
Somerset – US company LSSI interested in taking over libraries – This is Somerset
Somerset – 15 volunteers required to save Highbridge – Burnham on Sea.com
Southwark – Closure threat libraries revealed – South London Press
Suffolk – Jim Brooks of community-run Little Chalfont Library talks – BBC Radio Suffolk (1:07 to 1:15)
Surrey – Mobile libraries facing the chop – This is Surrey Today
Surrey – Mobile libraries facing the chop – This is Surrey Today
A culture without libraries is a failure – Tenpercent
Asda offers £52 eBook reader in wake of library closures – International Supermarket News and Mail
Breaking the silence on libraries – Red Pepper
Council Central Service Charges and libraries – Good Library Blog
Council Central Service Charges and libraries – Good Library Blog
Cruel futility of hope – Sintoblog
Eric Pickles “weak” – 24dash
Is Cameron able to rescue the Big Society – Telegraph (“why does it follow that libraries or social care should suffer as a consequence?”)
Josephine Cox joins library campaign – BBC News Lancashire
Let them buy their own books – Guardian (cartoon)
Library cut protests on the rise – Scottish Big Issue (289 comments)
Manchester – Local Government Minister Shapps questions cuts in Labour-controlled Manchester – BBC (I can find no record of Mr Shapps criticising deeper cuts in non-Labour controlled areas).
Our libraries are updated but they can still survive – London Evening News (Simon Jenkins)
“The MLA have been advising councils to close libraries” (Tim Coates); Vince Cable joins protests
Feb 7th
485 libraries (426 buildings and 59 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
– Western Isles – opening hours reductions.
– Darlington – £250k cut off libraries budget
“My impression is that everywhere we have been involved the MLA have been advising councils to close libraries. They appear to be more interested in how to handle the closures in such a way that such action will somehow lie within the law and they are handing out tens of thousands of pounds to consultants to confirm this view.
Summary
The “You and Yours phone in” on Radio Four (tomorrow, Tuesday 12 Noon) will feature a discussion about public libraries with Annie Mauger, the president of the library professional association CILIP. CILIP have produced a report stating that Westminster is failing libraries, that fully 20% (600) could close and that charging for libraries (being proposed for volunteer-run libraries) is unlawful under the Act. CILIP also produce a pile of reasons why closing libraries is a poor idea, such as this report released on Saturday. Perhaps Vince Cable will get on board after his joining the library campaign in Richmond?
The “You and Yours phone in” on Radio Four (tomorrow, Tuesday 12 Noon) will feature a discussion about public libraries with Annie Mauger, the president of the library professional association CILIP. CILIP have produced a report stating that Westminster is failing libraries, that fully 20% (600) could close and that charging for libraries (being proposed for volunteer-run libraries) is unlawful under the Act. CILIP also produce a pile of reasons why closing libraries is a poor idea, such as this report released on Saturday. Perhaps Vince Cable will get on board after his joining the library campaign in Richmond?
Tim Coates on the MLA
I have recently received this email from well-known library campaigner Tim Coates on the MLA. He has given me permission to publish it. The role of the MLA is especially important as the Minister for Libraries Ed Vaizey has said that he will not legally intervene to overturn closures (as is his power under the 1964 Libraries and Museums Act) until after he has consulted with them. I would be happy to publish a (similarly brief) response from the MLA.
“My impression is that everywhere we have been involved the MLA have been advising councils to close libraries. They appear to be more interested in how to handle the closures in such a way that such action will somehow lie within the law and they are handing out tens of thousands of pounds to consultants to confirm this view.
Roy Clare has often said that he thinks there are too many libraries and both he and the Minister say that closures do not contravene either the letter or intention of the law. They cite ‘movements of population’ as an Open Sesame to shut buildings -as if the British population lived on a moving caravan site .- where the law clearly says that libraries should be comprehensive and efficient for those who wish to use them.. Every newspaper I open tells me that those who wish to use libraries want them to be open and well stocked.
Even councils which fought off closures last year are asking for help because after their long struggle to keep libraries the MLA are now seeming to be telling them how they can close them without falling foul of the law. Of course the council officials latch on to this.
My deduction is that the MLA are pushing down the hill the snowball we are trying so hard to roll up it and that they see their role as working for councils rather than for local people. My view is also that during the months since May, when it was so important to get these matters right, the MLA, LGA and DCMS have totally funked the questions about budgets and efficiency, even though the DCLG and Eric Pickles have asked everyone to look at these so closely.”
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive – (S) shows items added on Sunday evening
Birmingham – £200m Super Library arrives as hundreds face closure – Guardian
Bolton – Please save libraries – Bolton News
Bolton – Please save libraries – Bolton News
Dorset – Support shown for libraries – Daily Echo
Hounslow – wonderful support for Brentford Library Read-In, inc MP Mary Macleod – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Osterley is an engine of economic regeneration that will be closed just after it has been refurbished – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Brentford protests as one-third of all libraries in the capital under threat – ITV London News
Hounslow – Local is the key word – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – 4300 name petitions presented – Ventnor Blog
Leeds – Sit Down protest at Leeds Central – Guardian
Lewisham – Save Sydenham Library – Stripyhorse
Lewisham – Sit-in ends at New Cross – Press Association
Northamptonshire – Save Our Libraries Day at Roade – Scribble City Central
Richmond – Vince Cable joins protest – This is Local London
Richmond – Vince Cable joins protest – This is Local London
Sefton – Have your say on Sefton libraries cuts – Sefton Council
Suffolk – Save Rosehill in Action – Rosehill Readers
Suffolk – level of support for libraries speaks volumes – Evening Star
Warrington – Comments airbrushed – Warrington Guardian
Western Isles – Cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer – Hebrides News
Western Isles – Cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer – Hebrides News
National News
500 plus messages of support for libraries – Voices for the Library
Alan Moore shares the importance of libraries “If my work means anything to anyone out there then should not thank me for it, they should thank the institution of libraries that created me” – Bleeding Cool
Campaigning sweeps the nation – CILIP
Dress Rehearsal on the Wirral – How library closures were defeated in 2009 – Library Campaign. Copy of the Inquiry Report is here.
Library helped me believe in myself – Voices for the Library
Make way for the new in the book world – Guardian (see comments section too)
Mystery Shopper report into public libraries in Wales – Wales.gov.uk
National Public Library Service Inquiry – Steve Ross
Public libraries being failed by Westminster, set of actions for Jeremy Hunt – CILIP (estimates 20% of libraries – 600 – could close: charging by any library is an unlawful act)
Read-Ins to stop closures – Herald Scotland
Why libraries must be saved – Mirror “Libraries make the world fairer. They are the place where a child with no books at home can go to discover, learn and dream.” (Tony Parsons)
Why libraries must be saved – Mirror “Libraries make the world fairer. They are the place where a child with no books at home can go to discover, learn and dream.” (Tony Parsons)
Feb 7th
485 libraries (426 buildings and 59 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
– Western Isles – opening hours reductions.
Summary
The “You and Yours phone in” on Radio Four (tomorrow, Tuesday 12 Noon) will feature a discussion about public libraries with Annie Mauger, the president of the library professional association CILIP. CILIP have produced a report stating that Westminster is failing libraries, that fully 20% (600) could close and that charging for libraries (being proposed for volunteer-run libraries) is unlawful under the Act. CILIP also produce a pile of reasons why closing libraries is a poor idea, such as this report released on Saturday.
The “You and Yours phone in” on Radio Four (tomorrow, Tuesday 12 Noon) will feature a discussion about public libraries with Annie Mauger, the president of the library professional association CILIP. CILIP have produced a report stating that Westminster is failing libraries, that fully 20% (600) could close and that charging for libraries (being proposed for volunteer-run libraries) is unlawful under the Act. CILIP also produce a pile of reasons why closing libraries is a poor idea, such as this report released on Saturday.
Tim Coates on the MLA
I have recently received this email from well-known library campaigner Tim Coates on the MLA. He has given me permission to publish it. The role of the MLA is especially important as the Minister for Libraries Ed Vaizey has said that he will not legally intervene to overturn closures (as is his power under the 1964 Libraries and Museums Act) until after he has consulted with them. I would be happy to publish a (similarly brief) response from the MLA.
“My impression is that everywhere we have been involved the MLA have been advising councils to close libraries. They appear to be more interested in how to handle the closures in such a way that such action will somehow lie within the law and they are handing out tens of thousands of pounds to consultants to confirm this view.
Roy Clare has often said that he thinks there are too many libraries and both he and the Minister say that closures do not contravene either the letter or intention of the law. They cite ‘movements of population’ as an Open Sesame to shut buildings -as if the British population lived on a moving caravan site .- where the law clearly says that libraries should be comprehensive and efficient for those who wish to use them.. Every newspaper I open tells me that those who wish to use libraries want them to be open and well stocked.
Even councils which fought off closures last year are asking for help because after their long struggle to keep libraries the MLA are now seeming to be telling them how they can close them without falling foul of the law. Of course the council officials latch on to this.
My deduction is that the MLA are pushing down the hill the snowball we are trying so hard to roll up it and that they see their role as working for councils rather than for local people. My view is also that during the months since May, when it was so important to get these matters right, the MLA, LGA and DCMS have totally funked the questions about budgets and efficiency, even though the DCLG and Eric Pickles have asked everyone to look at these so closely.”
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive – (S) shows items added on Sunday evening
Hounslow – wonderful support for Brentford Library Read-In, inc MP Mary Macleod – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Osterley is an engine of economic regeneration that will be closed just after it has been refurbished – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Brentford protests as one-third of all libraries in the capital under threat – ITV London News
Hounslow – Local is the key word – Hounslow Chronicle
Leeds – Sit Down protest at Leeds Central – Guardian
Lewisham – Save Sydenham Library – Stripyhorse
Northamptonshire – Save Our Libraries Day at Roade – Scribble City Central
Sefton – Have your say on Sefton libraries cuts – Sefton Council
Suffolk – Save Rosehill in Action – Rosehill Readers
Suffolk – level of support for libraries speaks volumes – Evening Star
Warrington – Comments airbrushed – Warrington Guardian
Western Isles – Cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer – Hebrides News
Western Isles – Cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer – Hebrides News
National News
500 plus messages of support for libraries – Voices for the Library
Alan Moore shares the importance of libraries “If my work means anything to anyone out there then should not thank me for it, they should thank the institution of libraries that created me” – Bleeding Cool
Campaigning sweeps the nation – CILIP
Dress Rehearsal on the Wirral – How library closures were defeated in 2009 – Library Campaign. Copy of the Inquiry Report is here.
Library helped me believe in myself – Voices for the Library
Make way for the new in the book world – Guardian (see comments section too)
Mystery Shopper report into public libraries in Wales – Wales.gov.uk
National Public Library Service Inquiry – Steve Ross
Public libraries being failed by Westminster, set of actions for Jeremy Hunt – CILIP (estimates 20% of libraries – 600 – could close: charging by any library is an unlawful act)
Read-Ins to stop closures – Herald Scotland
Why libraries must be saved – Mirror “Libraries make the world fairer. They are the place where a child with no books at home can go to discover, learn and dream.” (Tony Parsons)
Why libraries must be saved – Mirror “Libraries make the world fairer. They are the place where a child with no books at home can go to discover, learn and dream.” (Tony Parsons)
List of cuts by authority (click on name of authority for link to relevant report)
NB. From 2012, the MLA will be abolished – the Arts Council will take over its role for libraries with a budget of £3m rather than £13m. Therefore, libraries start 2012 with £10m less, regardless of any further cuts.
Library campaign list is here
Aberdeenshire – some, (brief mention here seems to suggest all but this very unlikely)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – (reduced opening hours)
Anglesey – 4
Angus – 4 libraries closed this year (April) to be possibly replaced by a mobile. More info here
Argyll and Bute – 3 libraries and mobile library.
Barnet – some – public consultation here
Barnsley – up to 8
Bedfordshire – 1 mobile to go
Bexley – 3 (3 from a list of 5 will go, plus one mobile) (this is the five)
Birmingham – 39 (three libraries lose hours so Tower Hill can remain open) (school library service to close)(all branch libraries under review, £200m super library being built)
Blackburn with Darwen – (reduced opening hours)
Blackpool – 2
Brent – 6 (out of 12) (talking to private company LSSI)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Bromley – (KAB talking books cut)
Buckinghamshire – up to 14 to close or be staffed by volunteers (this article says 11)(£688k cut)
Bury – 1 (1 other reduced hours) – Manchester Evening News
Calderdale – Some? (£350k cut inc.12 jobs, £200k stock)
Cambridgeshire – 13 (36% cut in funding, £3.2m, closures down from previously reported 19) (mobile services already “slashed”) (£1.1m cut) (school library service closed)
Camden – several plus one mobile library (£2 million cut)
Central Bedfordshire – one mobile library to go
Conwy – 7 (out of 12)
Cornwall – (23% cut, 102 hours opening lost)
Coventry – (opening hours cut, more fees)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Croydon – Up to 6 (public gets to choose which), (£690k saving)
Cumbria – (review under way, no closures yet, 3 of 6 mobile libraries closed in 2010)
Derbyshire – (Opening hours to be cut)
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Doncaster – (one final step needed on 21st Feb before officially confirmed) 14, (may also be taken out of council control) (over 50% cut in funding)
Dorset – up to 20 (out of 34) to close or be given to community groups (£143k off bookfund). Dorset is the sole council to receive an actual increase in funding for 2010/11. (£800k cut for libraries)
Dumfries – 7
Dundee – (to transfer to the same trust as swimming pools/basketball)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 9 (out of 11) – most serious cuts I am aware of (consultation ends 7 Feb)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Durham – some (£1.4m cut)(or is it £1.5m?)
Ealing – some
East Sussex – (£313k cut) (less books bought)
Essex – 1 mobile (extensive opening hours cuts, 21 jobs to go)
Falkirk – (transferred to Trust)
Flintshire – 5 and at least one mobile
Gateshead – some (school library service, music library, AIRS talking newspaper under threat)
Gloucestershire – Up to 18 and 6 mobiles – 10 to close or go to volunteers. 7 to close if they don’t find a partner (43% total cut in funding). (Cinderford saved)(revised proposals here) A further 11 reduced to 3.5 days a week. 100 library jobs to go say UNISON, 40 FTE to go says council, inc 36 managers cut to 9, 3.5 FTE librarian posts cut (to 10)
Greenwich – (could be turned into a Trust) (school library service closed)
Hammersmith and Fulham – 2 and 1 mobile (record office to charge for access) (£310k cut)
Hampshire – 13 mobiles (58 FTE jobs to go) (and mobile libraries cut within two miles of each branch, this report says 18FTE to go)(libraries merged with IT/property etc) Source of number of mobiles is UNISON Hampshire, No extra overtime or weekend pay
Haringey – (staff cuts)
Harrow – (34 FTE to go)
Hartlepool – 2 (out of 7) to close (another to merge with community centre, all library’s hours cut)
Herefordshire – (new Ledbury Library delayed) (no branches to close but mobile library review)
Hertfordshire – 5 mobiles (2011 Confirmed – opening hours to be cut by one third – from 2236 hours down to 1575) (mobile libraries cut) – At least one library (Borehamwood) faces a 40% cut. (£580k cut in first year, £1.4m after) (cuts confirmed)
Highland – (Wick Library to close and merge with school library) (may move to being in a Trust) (this report says no closures) (suggestion that professional staff are being lost – a source is needed).
Hounslow – initial plan to close 8 cancelled after public consultation, £300k cut in bookfund, some libraries may still be at risk as cuts “postponed”.
Inverclyde – some
Isle of Wight – 9 (out of 11) – most serious cuts I am aware of (consultation ends 7 Feb)
Kent – some (volunteers to be asked to run some) (83 FTE to go as self-service comes in)- Isle of Thanet one of areas hardest hit (School library service closed)
Kingston – (50% adult bookfund cut)
Kirklees – at least 1
Lambeth – 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Milton Keynes – 2
Newcastle Upon Tyne – 8 (to be unstaffed, entirely self-service quasi book stacks)
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Kirklees – at least 1
Lambeth – 2 mobiles (setting up a trust “which will give you a chance to run libraries”)
Lancashire – 2 mobile libaries (plus 16% staffing cut)
Leeds – Up to 20 (out of 52) – council says 20 closures are not about cuts but to make service viable.
Leicestershire – NB This information is under doubt. I have received a call saying this article relates to Leicester. Article, though, seems to be indicate it is Leicestershire. No libraries are down for closure according to his article, although they could all/some be transferred to a trust or privatised (merge of lending/reference- 14 FTE jobs lost).
Leicestershire – (£250k cut in bookfund and hours)
Lewisham – 5 (41% cut – £800k)
Liverpool – some
Milton Keynes – 2
Newcastle Upon Tyne – 8 (to be unstaffed, entirely self-service quasi book stacks)
Newport – 7
Norfolk – (£1.5m over 3 yrs proposed cut inc opening hours cut, staffing cut, bookfund cut, less mobile visits)
Northern Ireland – 10
Northamptonshire – 8 out of 38 may close, 2 mobile libraries to end. Cuts to management and support also.
Northumberland – some
North Ayrshire – 3
North Lanarkshire – 1 (closed March 2010)
North Norfolk – some (c. £1m reduction)
North Somerset – 1 closed, 2 proposed, volunteers may run libraries. Weston Mercury update
North Yorkshire – 24 (out of 42) to close or be staffed by volunteers, 9 mobiles to go off road, surviving libraries could have funding cut to share out with any community-run libraries established. (£2.3m cut from £7.5m total)
Nottinghamshire – (22 out of 28 libraries to have their opening hours cut, 80 FTE jobs to go, 50% off bookfund, 1 library already closed.
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Oldham – (increase in volunteers, merging, cuts)
Oxfordshire – 20 – list of those under threat here, Oxford Central hours extended to 7 days per week
Redbridge – 5 out of 12 may close, another may relocate.
Renfrewshire – 1 (1 library to move into smaller sites in community centres)
Richmond – 1 (£351k cut) (service may be privatised)
Rochdale – 1 (some library managers to to go in first phase of cuts)
Rutland – (6 libraries to have reduced hours, staff cut)
Salford – some
Sandwell – some
Sefton – 3 (consultation here)
Sheffield – (30% cut expected, £2.5m)
Shropshire – 2 and 3 mobiles(reference library to merge with central library)
Somerset – 11 (out of 34) will be closed/offered to community groups over 2 years. 4 (out of 6) mobile libraries will also go. 25% cut in funding. Full (revised) plans here (20% cut in opening hours). Rethink on mobiles may happen – article here. Public will be asked for “voluntary contributions”.
Southampton – 2
Southend – some
Southwarkshire – (school libray service closed)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Stoke – 2 and 1 mobile library, (ends RNIB service)
Suffolk – 29 (out of 44) – (consultation here, £2m cut)
Sutton – (school library service to close)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Swansea – some
Thanet – some
Thurrock – (RNIB subscription ends)
Tower Hamlets – (staff made to reapply for their own jobs -23 library staff replaced)
Trafford – (mobile library to be staffed by volunteers)
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Wakefield – at least 2 , new central library but local closures
Walsall – 6 (30 FTE) Count cut from 8 to 6 due to article here
Waltham Forest – some
Walthamstow – some
Wandsworth – 1 (mention in Guardian here) plus reduction in hours in others.
Warrington – (2011 Confimed) 2 and 1 mobile library confirmed . More info here. Journals stopped also, £25k off staff. £10k off reference.
Warwickshire – 16 (out of 34) (30%, £2m cut) – official report from council here, special county map of closures here.
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
West Dunbartonshire – 3 (some staff losses too)
West Sussex – Some (5 FTE lost, some librarians pay reduced to library assistant)
Western Isles – (cuts in opening hours by one day per week and during Summer)
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Westminster – (Marylebone may never reopen)
Wigan – Up to 15 out of 17 (£1.1m cut off £4m budget)
Wiltshire – 10 (plus reductions in hours in all but one of the others) (26 FTE posts have gone in Dec 2010 inc. 9 out of 13 community librarians)(cuts include a £940k library opened Dec 2010)(self-service in all)
Worcestershire – some (Pershore library to move out of town centre) , contact centres may combine with libraries
Authorities which have announced there will be no library closures (2011 financial year)
Anglesey – 4 libraries earmarked for closure have apparently been (temporarily) saved
Brighton
Barking and Dagenham
Cornwall – (one stop shops moving into them, book supply being done differently to save money, no guarantee for 2012) (23% cut in library budget, 102 hours p.w. cut)
Coventry (but less opening hours, fees to rise)
Devon (may have reduced opening hours, less mobile stops, no new Exeter Library – although this article suggests mobile library service has improved). BBC article confirms no closures. (“brutal” cuts to Exeter Record Office)
Essex(but other cuts – see list above)
Devon (may have reduced opening hours, less mobile stops, no new Exeter Library – although this article suggests mobile library service has improved). BBC article confirms no closures. (“brutal” cuts to Exeter Record Office)
Essex(but other cuts – see list above)
(number of libraries actually increasing here)
Leicestershire (but opening hours and bookfund cut – £250k)
Lincolnshire
Merton – (£118k cut – 2 libraries will have reduced hours but reprieved from threatened closure)Moray – (may move to being in a Trust, another article here)
Leicestershire (but opening hours and bookfund cut – £250k)
Lincolnshire
Merton – (£118k cut – 2 libraries will have reduced hours but reprieved from threatened closure)Moray – (may move to being in a Trust, another article here)
Newcastle
Norfolk – (no closures but staffing cut, bookfund cut, opening hours cut, less mobile visits)
Nottinghamshire – no plans to close any branches but massive reductions in opening hours.
Poole
Norfolk – (no closures but staffing cut, bookfund cut, opening hours cut, less mobile visits)
Nottinghamshire – no plans to close any branches but massive reductions in opening hours.
Poole
Nationwide day of protests, number of libraries under threat increases by 17
Feb 6th
485 libraries (426 buildings and 59 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
– Plus one – Bolton – news article lists 10 under threat (out of 16) – previously listed as 9 under threat
– Plus two – Doncaster – news article lists 14 under threat (out of 26) – previously listed as 12
– Plus one – Hartlepool – news article list 2 under threat (out of 7) – previously listed as 1
– Plus eight – Newcastle Upon Tyne – these are to be turned into unstaffed quasi-libraries
– Ealing – some libraries now under threat (no exact figure so does not affect headline figure)
– Plus five – Hertfordshire – all five mobiles to go. Previous reports did not mention figure.
– Plus one – Hartlepool – news article list 2 under threat (out of 7) – previously listed as 1
– Plus eight – Newcastle Upon Tyne – these are to be turned into unstaffed quasi-libraries
– Ealing – some libraries now under threat (no exact figure so does not affect headline figure)
– Plus five – Hertfordshire – all five mobiles to go. Previous reports did not mention figure.
– Waltham Forest – some libraries now under threat
Summary
In Egypt, the National Library is being protected by a well-organised group of students co-ordinating with the military. In the UK, libraries are being protected by by authors, by celebrities and, most importantly and in their hundreds of thousands, by the public. The campaigning was widely positively reported by newspapers – Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Express and the Sun – and all over the BBC and worldwide. That is a very broad spectrum of political views and readerships. Further, research this week showed that library use can double the literacy rate of children. Also, research has pointed out that if one combines physical and virtual visits the library usage has gone up 10% in five years.
It looks like everyone is supporting libraries. Except two rather important ones: (1) councils – see the list below, with the most prominent example being the Doncaster mayor who, shortly before closing over half of his libraries, walked out of a meeting of library users after being “rude” and “inept” – and (2) the Government. The libraries minister Ed Vaizey further evaded any responsibility by seeming to suggest it was up to campaigners to come up with the solutions. This comes on top of his previous statements that he would not intervene unless (a) the councils confirm closures (over the past week, one-third of hours have now been confirmed as cut in Hertfordshire, 18 libraries are about to be confirmed to close in Doncaster) and (b) he cannot act until the MLA tells him he can. The MLA described Oxfordshire’s plans to close 20 as “politically courageous”.
The bright side is that Mr Vaizey has also gone on record that library users should campaign if they wanted to save their libraries. That they are doing… and in numbers that led one (albeit rather enthusiastic) reporter to compare it to the Poll Tax disaster. Unlike there, though, the decision cannot be overturned – once a library is gone, it is likely to be gone forever.
Local News – this is representative and not comprehensive – (S) shows items added on Sunday evening
Bolton – Protests in town square over closures – Bolton News
Brent – Lib Dem Minister Sarah Teather and Louis Theroux against closures – Harrow Observer
Buckinghamshire – Use Roald Dahl’s name to save Great Missenden – Bucks Free Press
Cambridgeshire – save our libraries – Huntingdon People
Cambridgeshire – fears that all libraries will be downgraded – Cambridge News
Camden – Doomsday questions for library users – Camden New Journal
Croydon – supporters pack town hall gallery – Croydon Today
Darlington – protest, no decisions on cuts made yet – Northern Echo
Brent – Lib Dem Minister Sarah Teather and Louis Theroux against closures – Harrow Observer
Buckinghamshire – Use Roald Dahl’s name to save Great Missenden – Bucks Free Press
Cambridgeshire – save our libraries – Huntingdon People
Cambridgeshire – fears that all libraries will be downgraded – Cambridge News
Camden – Doomsday questions for library users – Camden New Journal
Croydon – supporters pack town hall gallery – Croydon Today
Darlington – protest, no decisions on cuts made yet – Northern Echo
Doncaster – Council leader cuts over half libraries – BBC
Doncaster – Mayor apologies as council confirms closure of 14 (out of 26) – Doncaster Free Press
Doncaster – Mayor “rude” and “inept” at library user’s meeting, then walks out – BBC
Doncaster – Mayor apologies as council confirms closure of 14 (out of 26) – Doncaster Free Press
Doncaster – Mayor “rude” and “inept” at library user’s meeting, then walks out – BBC
Dorset – Dorset say they will consult over closing 20 (out of 34) libraries – Dorset Echo
Dorset – massive library closures not set in stone, campaign now – Bournemouth Echo
Dorset – cuts will be monitored – Dorset Echo
Dorset – Let them eat cake – “ebooks can plug the gap” of closed libraries – Bournemouth Echo
Dorset – massive library closures not set in stone, campaign now – Bournemouth Echo
Dorset – cuts will be monitored – Dorset Echo
Dorset – Let them eat cake – “ebooks can plug the gap” of closed libraries – Bournemouth Echo
Dundee – council plans to transfer libraries to a trust may be illegal – Courier
Ealing – Closures possible – Ealing Gazette
Edinburgh – The Gruffalo and other protesters force council u-turn – Scotsman (Guardian reported the protest the day before)
Essex – Opening hours cut, staff to be lost – Yellow Advertiser (and BBC)
Gloucestershire – Shadow Minister for Libraries Gloria Del Piero supports campaign “We in Gloucestershire are waiting to see whether Mr Vaizey left his convictions at the door when he stepped into office.”- FoGL
Gloucestershire – We will fight on – BBC
Gloucestershire – Letter to the Chief Executive – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Fabulous flying authors – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Chiefs approve massive cuts, heckled – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – final statement to council – FoGL
Hartlepool – librarians protest at the cuts – Hartlepool Mail
Hertfordshire – hours slashed, Hertsmere is biggest loser – Borehamwood Times
Hertfordshire – hours cut, all mobiles to go – Royston News
Hounslow – Anna Ford backs campaign – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Backlash forces u-turn – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Community interest in library proposals – Isle of Wight Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Hands off our libraries – Ventnor Blog
Leicestershire – none to close but £250k cut on opening hours and books – BBC
Lewisham – All Night Sit-In – BBC
Milton Keynes – Read-Ins in UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, NZ (and Stony Stratford) – About My Area
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Eight libraries to be unstaffed, entirely self-service – Milena Popova
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Where do we go from here? – Milena Popova (S)
North Yorkshire – readers in their hundreds protest to save Easingwold – York Press
North Yorkshire – protest over numerous closures – Gazette and Herald
North Yorkshire – Action Day – Northern Echo
North Yorkshire – we must not close the book on libraries – Yorkshire Post
North Yorkshire – volunteers are better than nothing for Leyburn – Darlington and Stockton Times
North Yorkshire – Campaign continues at Easingwold, decision on 28th – Darlngton and Stockton Times
Nottinghamshire – protests at Notts closures and Nott council starts charging for internet use – This is Notts
Nottinghamshire – some more money but still major cuts – Eastwood Advertiser
Oxfordshire – Ed Vaizey urges campaigner “to offer options” – Oxford Mail
Oxfordshire – the brillance that is Bampton – BookMaven
Phil Jupitus and others – video on “Save Our Libraries” – Youtube
Philip Pullman leads day of protest – Daily Telegraph
Sheffield – Shhhh In – BBC Radio Sheffield (1 minute in)
Sheffield – Shhhh In at Sheffield Central – Sheffield Indymedia (video of it here)
Sheffield – Shhhh In – Politics
Somerset – library cuts latest – Weekly News
Somerset – libraries campaign – BBC Radio Somerset (lead item on news)
Somerset – council backs cuts – This is Somerset
Somerset – users will be asked to make “voluntary contributions” – Weekly News
Somerset – rethink Highbridge plans – Burnham on Sea.com
Staffordshire – libraries will retain free internet access – Lichfield Blog
Stoke – closures still on the cards – BBC
Stoke – Final cuts to libraries (2 buildings and all mobiles to go) – This is Staffordshire
Suffolk – countywide protests – EADT
Suffolk – campaigners fight for libraries – EDP 24
Suffolk – urgent talks needed over Leiston – EADT
Surrey – Consultation but closures a “done deal” (11 to close) – BBC
Surrey – leave our libraries alone – Surrey Today
Surrey – library cuts will impact thousands – Surrey Herald
Waltham Forest – fears grow over future of libraries – Waltham Guardian
Warwickshire – libraries good for communities (16 to close) – BBC
Warwickshire – 16 libraries hit list – Coventry Telegraph
Warwickshire – Here’s the map – What’s in Kenilworth
Ealing – Closures possible – Ealing Gazette
Edinburgh – The Gruffalo and other protesters force council u-turn – Scotsman (Guardian reported the protest the day before)
Essex – Opening hours cut, staff to be lost – Yellow Advertiser (and BBC)
Gloucestershire – Shadow Minister for Libraries Gloria Del Piero supports campaign “We in Gloucestershire are waiting to see whether Mr Vaizey left his convictions at the door when he stepped into office.”- FoGL
Gloucestershire – We will fight on – BBC
Gloucestershire – Letter to the Chief Executive – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Fabulous flying authors – FoGL
Gloucestershire – Chiefs approve massive cuts, heckled – This is Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire – final statement to council – FoGL
Hartlepool – librarians protest at the cuts – Hartlepool Mail
Hertfordshire – hours slashed, Hertsmere is biggest loser – Borehamwood Times
Hertfordshire – hours cut, all mobiles to go – Royston News
Hounslow – Anna Ford backs campaign – Hounslow Chronicle
Hounslow – Backlash forces u-turn – Hounslow Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Community interest in library proposals – Isle of Wight Chronicle
Isle of Wight – Hands off our libraries – Ventnor Blog
Leicestershire – none to close but £250k cut on opening hours and books – BBC
Lewisham – All Night Sit-In – BBC
Milton Keynes – Read-Ins in UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, NZ (and Stony Stratford) – About My Area
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Eight libraries to be unstaffed, entirely self-service – Milena Popova
Newcastle Upon Tyne – Where do we go from here? – Milena Popova (S)
North Yorkshire – readers in their hundreds protest to save Easingwold – York Press
North Yorkshire – protest over numerous closures – Gazette and Herald
North Yorkshire – Action Day – Northern Echo
North Yorkshire – we must not close the book on libraries – Yorkshire Post
North Yorkshire – volunteers are better than nothing for Leyburn – Darlington and Stockton Times
North Yorkshire – Campaign continues at Easingwold, decision on 28th – Darlngton and Stockton Times
Nottinghamshire – protests at Notts closures and Nott council starts charging for internet use – This is Notts
Nottinghamshire – some more money but still major cuts – Eastwood Advertiser
Oxfordshire – Ed Vaizey urges campaigner “to offer options” – Oxford Mail
Oxfordshire – the brillance that is Bampton – BookMaven
Phil Jupitus and others – video on “Save Our Libraries” – Youtube
Philip Pullman leads day of protest – Daily Telegraph
Sheffield – Shhhh In – BBC Radio Sheffield (1 minute in)
Sheffield – Shhhh In at Sheffield Central – Sheffield Indymedia (video of it here)
Sheffield – Shhhh In – Politics
Somerset – library cuts latest – Weekly News
Somerset – libraries campaign – BBC Radio Somerset (lead item on news)
Somerset – council backs cuts – This is Somerset
Somerset – users will be asked to make “voluntary contributions” – Weekly News
Somerset – rethink Highbridge plans – Burnham on Sea.com
Staffordshire – libraries will retain free internet access – Lichfield Blog
Stoke – closures still on the cards – BBC
Stoke – Final cuts to libraries (2 buildings and all mobiles to go) – This is Staffordshire
Suffolk – countywide protests – EADT
Suffolk – campaigners fight for libraries – EDP 24
Suffolk – urgent talks needed over Leiston – EADT
Surrey – Consultation but closures a “done deal” (11 to close) – BBC
Surrey – leave our libraries alone – Surrey Today
Surrey – library cuts will impact thousands – Surrey Herald
Waltham Forest – fears grow over future of libraries – Waltham Guardian
Warwickshire – libraries good for communities (16 to close) – BBC
Warwickshire – 16 libraries hit list – Coventry Telegraph
Warwickshire – Here’s the map – What’s in Kenilworth
National News
Alan Bennett attacks library closures as “disastrous” in front of the Duchess of Cornwall – 24dash
Bad week for the big society – Spectator
Big Society is collapsing under its own absurdity – Guardian
Big Society is collapsing under its own absurdity – Guardian
Campaigners call for a Plan B – Guardian
Celebrities join battle for libraries across South London – Local Guardian (S)
Connecting everyone is four times more expensive than keeping libraries open – Voices For The Library
Day the bookworm turned – Independent on Sunday
Ed Vaizey is “floundering” – Independent
Follow the momey – why localism won’t happen – Spectator
House of Lords Debate on libraries and arts – Guardian
How libraries gave me my big career break – BBC
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (1)
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (2)
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (3)
Hundreds of thousands join library protests – BookSeller
Government is forcing the closure of library for short-term savings, knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing – Sunday Telegraph (Michael Attenborough)
Library where the books are free (animated song) – Youtube
Celebrities join battle for libraries across South London – Local Guardian (S)
Connecting everyone is four times more expensive than keeping libraries open – Voices For The Library
Day the bookworm turned – Independent on Sunday
Ed Vaizey is “floundering” – Independent
Follow the momey – why localism won’t happen – Spectator
House of Lords Debate on libraries and arts – Guardian
How libraries gave me my big career break – BBC
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (1)
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (2)
Tim Coates on how to save your library service (3)
Hundreds of thousands join library protests – BookSeller
Government is forcing the closure of library for short-term savings, knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing – Sunday Telegraph (Michael Attenborough)
Library where the books are free (animated song) – Youtube
Library cull will make the UK “more illiterate” – Sky
Library cuts hurt the young – Express
Libraries – arguments for and against – BBC
Library usage on the rise – virtual and physical reservations combined increases use from 10 million (2006/7) to 15 million (2009/10) virtual and physical visits increases 401 million to 441 million in same time period – Thoughts of a wannabe librarian
Libraries are a matter of national security says Karin Slaughter (USA) – Examiner
Library use link to better literacy – Press Association
Library users become better readers – BBC
Live coverage of Save Our Libraries day – Guardian
Loving libraries – Jane’s Jottings
My part in Save Our Libraries day – Dave Cousins (S)
Overnight protest at library – Independent on Sunday
Philip Pullman speaks on “barbarism and spite” – Vimeo (short video)
Pity those too busy to read – Independent
Protests across the UK expected – Guardian
Pullman and Bragg back library bid – Press Association
“reading is the fount of all knowledge – and a world without books is too hideous even to contemplate” Duchess of Cornwall (S)
Rotten day for big society, reminiscent of poll tax – Eric Pickles please save libraries – Guardian
Save our libraries – not DVDs – Guardian
Sheila Hancock “old people rely on libraries” – Andew Marr Show (from 16:30) BBC
Support for libraries as 400 students march through Taunton – ITV West
This could go too far – Scotsman
Top authors fight cuts – Sunday Express
Top writers join National Library Action Day – Daily Telegraph
Use your library – The Sun
Why our libraries must survive – BBC (large article mainly about Doncaster)
Library cuts hurt the young – Express
Libraries – arguments for and against – BBC
Library usage on the rise – virtual and physical reservations combined increases use from 10 million (2006/7) to 15 million (2009/10) virtual and physical visits increases 401 million to 441 million in same time period – Thoughts of a wannabe librarian
Libraries are a matter of national security says Karin Slaughter (USA) – Examiner
Library use link to better literacy – Press Association
Library users become better readers – BBC
Live coverage of Save Our Libraries day – Guardian
Loving libraries – Jane’s Jottings
My part in Save Our Libraries day – Dave Cousins (S)
Overnight protest at library – Independent on Sunday
Philip Pullman speaks on “barbarism and spite” – Vimeo (short video)
Pity those too busy to read – Independent
Protests across the UK expected – Guardian
Pullman and Bragg back library bid – Press Association
“reading is the fount of all knowledge – and a world without books is too hideous even to contemplate” Duchess of Cornwall (S)
Rotten day for big society, reminiscent of poll tax – Eric Pickles please save libraries – Guardian
Save our libraries – not DVDs – Guardian
Sheila Hancock “old people rely on libraries” – Andew Marr Show (from 16:30) BBC
Support for libraries as 400 students march through Taunton – ITV West
This could go too far – Scotsman
Top authors fight cuts – Sunday Express
Top writers join National Library Action Day – Daily Telegraph
Use your library – The Sun
Why our libraries must survive – BBC (large article mainly about Doncaster)
Wipe Out in Warwickshire
Feb 2nd
468 libraries (414 buildings and 54 mobiles) currently under threat or recently closed (List below “News”)
– plus one mobile – Essex
– plus 16 (out of 34) – Warwickshire
Summary
This is a rushed out blog (not as comprehensive as normal due to my other commitments) simply to update all about the dire state in Warwickshire where nearly half of the libraries are due to close by 2014, cutting the budget by £2 million. It’s Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset …. all over again.
For more complete news over the next few days, please see Alan Gibbon’s blog
News (full list of library closures starts below links
Bolton – mass rally to fight library closures – Bolton News
Cambridgeshire – people come first, not statistics – Cambridge News
Croydon – 1000s petition council – Sutton Guardian
Cumbria – it’s your job, Ed Vaizey, to save libraries – News & Star
Dorset – fight to keep Beaminster open – Bridport News
Dorset – centenarian against closures – Dorset Echo
Haringey – Graham Marks at read-in – Highgate People
Lewisham – 41% cut and closures are “against the law”, 20000 petition– South London Press
Milton Keynes – Library saving “Keep calm and carry on reading” merchandise at Stony Stratford – Milton Keynes Citizen
Rotherham – save our libraries on Saturday – Rotherham Advertiser
Somerset – don’t celebrate too soon – This is the West Country
Warwickshire – nearly half to close – Mercia
Warwickshire – nearly half to close – Mercia
Community library calls on Government support – Amersham and Little Chalfont
Save our libraries says Kate Mosse, “this is not a party political issue” – BBC – film here
Save Libraries – Digitalist
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