Editorial

Library trusts in England haven’t been around for long, with the oldest being just two or three years old. As such, their chiefs are the library managers who took them out of council control. So the first changing of the guard, caused by the retirement of the Suffolk boss Alison Wheeler, was an interesting one to watch, and not least because of the 17-page vacancy pack. No, it was one to watch to see who would get it and where they would come from. And now we know. It’s someone from a charity and with apparently no library experience. That gives a clear indicator as to the direction of travel Suffolk has already gone on: the skills needed are now those of an independent fundraiser and not of a public librarian. It’s a truism that the higher up an organisation one goes then the less specialist skills you need and that’s the case in libraries as well as elsewhere, and Suffolk is not the first library service to have a non-librarian running it by any means. But it gives a view into the future, and the present, that would perhaps have surprised those in the library sector ten years ago and shows the financial and political pressures that such services are expected to have to face.

Interestingly Hertfordshire have just announced that they’re thinking of going down to the libraries trust route because it is “supported by national government” and it’s certainly true the Taskforce is heavily pushing the model. As funding is reduced in authority after authority, on a cycle of every two to four years, the siren call of the Trust is going to get louder. But it means that library services will become more akin to charities than statutory council run services, with all that implies. The first library chugger may not be far away.

Changes

• Bath and North East Somerset – Bath Central to remain open but with One Stop Shop located within.
• Brighton and Hove – Holingbury Library reopens in community centre: staffed one morning but open seven days per week (self-service machine, otherwise card access).
• Glasgow  – Eight libraries (Baillieston, Cardonald, Castlemilk, the Mitchell, Partick, Riddrie, Whiteinch and Woodside) to be refurbished.
• Hertfordshire – Considering whether to become a library trust and to use swipe-card open technology.
• Inverclyde – £57k cut / South West Library to close. Consultation.
• Kent – Tunbridge Wells Library to close for two years while new £13.3m combined library/museum/art gallery/adult education centre.
• Lincolnshire – £160k volunteer library at Burgh Le Marsh.
• Warrington – Bewsey and Dallam Hub opening indefinitely delayed.
• West Dunbartonshire – Opening hours review. £421k proposed for improvements to children’s libraries, flexible shelving etc.

Ideas

• Libraries in laundromats – Wash and Learn.

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Editorial

“The future is here, it’s just not widely distributed yet” is a quote by William Gibson that I have had a chance to reflect on recently. I was asked to do a 15 minute lightning talk on the future of libraries by Oxford University Press, which got me thinking. How on earth do you know what the future holds? Well, taking Gibson at face value, you can just look around. One of the key things I noticed was that three of the library services around the table had been quite happily giving library membership for years without any ID requirements and with no ill effects. This came as a shock to the other library services who are still, presumably, turning away prospective members on an hourly basis due to the tradition of not trusting people. The future was there, around the table, and one only needed to look. I notice this repeatedly. What is done in one authority, sometimes neighbouring ones, is simply not known or not trusted in others. It’s a case of “not invented here” on a national scale and one which does not bode well for the sector.

Changes

• East Lothian – Mobile Library service (bought in from Midlothian) to be withdrawn due to Midlothian withdrawing theirs.
• North Yorkshire – Sight Support charity moves into Ryedale Library.
• West Dunbartonshire – £500k update to Clydebank Library.
• Wokingham – Central Library to be relocated into leisure centre/apartments.
• York – Consultation

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Editorial

Talking to colleagues in other services, finding out what works and what they do that you thought could not work or never thought of at all. That’s the thing. I’m not big on ideas but I know a good one when I see one and have never felt guilty about taking advantage of the skills and experience of others. After all, we’re in public libraries and are not in competition with each other, only with private companies (who would ruthlessly crush libraries if they could) and perhaps most of all with ourselves. So I was delighted to hear about the experience of Surrey yesterday (I was at the National Acquisitions Group conference in Leeds) who said they increased their children’s non-fiction issues by 30% over two years by the simple expedient of putting in zig-zag shelving (paid for by the book-fund in Year One) so the titles could be face on, and weeding the dross. They have found since that they can spend less on the stock but issue more simply by doing this. In other areas they’ve boosted issues by buying backlist, and not just new titles. Simple things and easy to copy.

This got me thinking about others things which I know are successful in different library authorities either in the UK or internationally but other library services are ignorant or dismissive of. They include:

• Not asking for any ID at all when joining.
• Not needing a library card (or, even, card and PIN) to return a book on self-service.
• Floating stock, where books stay in the library where they’re returned.

Chances are your service will do one or two of these but have either never considered the others or think it’s not possible. But it works elsewhere. Probably in another library service neighbouring yours in fact. Have a visit. Learn from your colleagues. And if you still say no then make sure you have a reason rather than gut feeling of “ah, but that won’t work here”. Because that’s not a good excuse by itself. Is it? It seems to me we have a whole world of people showing us what is possible out there and that’s a gift, a free valuable gift, that we ignore or dismiss at our peril.

Changes

• Argyll and Bute – Mobile library withdrawn in 2016, with books left inside it.
• Havering – Citizens Advice moves into Romford Library.
• Herefordshire – Soft market testing for contracting out museums, libraries and archives.

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Editorial

Libraries have always been Jacks of All Trades and open to all. A warm neutral and welcoming place. That is a great strength but in times of stress, it can also lead to uncomfortable collisions like probation services loudly using spaces next door to the children’s books. Co-locations and sharing with other services is seen as a great hope for libraries by many but the danger is that the library is damaged if the wrong alliances are made. On the other hand, though, in times of cuts, eight years long now for many councils, beggars can’t perhaps be choosers. But equally they should not be exploited and lose the qualities for which they are so valued.

In other news, it’s great to see Silverdale Library reopening. The newspaper reports “jubilant scenes”. That brought a smile when I read that. Here’s looking forward to more.

Changes

• Buckinghamshire – Mobile library service likely to be ended: consultation.
• Lancashire – Silverdale Library reopens.

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Editorial

Thank you to everyone who responded to me plea for examples of good promotions of non-bestseller author / book events in libraries. One of the key things coming out is the need to it in with something else. A “hook” if you will. Things like food, drink, music and tying in with a special day on the calendar (be it Halloween or the Great British Bake Off) appear to work. As ever, charging splits opinion, with some worried that charging will deter people and others swearing by it for showing the events is high-quality and for making sure people actually turn up when they see they will. But I’d love more examples.  I want this list to be something good. Ooh, and also I only have UK examples so far and I know a lot of you are not from around these part. So email me at ianlibrarian@live.co.uk.  Thanks again.

Changes

• Bristol – Central Library may move to cheaper building / universities may be asked to help fund.

Ideas

• Homeless can join – Charity vouches to library.

National news

• Connect Books put up for sale – BookSeller. “The group [Connect Books] aims to find a buyer and sell the business arm, which includes wholesaler Bertrams, Dawson Books academic library supply arm and e-commerce retailer Wordery, within 12 months”. Both the company’s UK and international library businesses suffered ..the firm blamed on “more challenging conditions impacted by the combination of Brexit, which has created inevitable uncertainty in the higher education sector, and volatile exchange rates, and ongoing austerity challenges especially in the public library sector”.
• Do we need a UK Library User’s Guide to RFID? – Changing Libraries / Mick Fortune. “This guide is different from everything else I have written about RFID over the past 10 years or so. It is much shorter, and is for the individual who wants to write their own app as well as the ordinary citizen who just wants to borrow a book.” … “If there are any additional concerns about public interaction with the library they should be troubling librarians rather than the public. The reason for my saying this concerns recent advances in a technology called NFC (short for Near Field Communication) that have resulted in many smartphones being able to read and write to library tags. As I indicated at the start of this post some members of the public are already using this capability to develop their own apps to interact with library stock. For the moment this appears to be for purely benign reasons.”

“The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not seek to duplicate the collection of data that is collected and published by others. The Libraries Taskforce collected and published basic data about the number and locations of each public library in England as at 1 July 2016 and has worked with the libraries sector to define the data proposed for inclusion in a future core dataset for public libraries in England.” John Glen MP  [In actuality, the DCMS have never listed library closures, Taskforce or no, as presumably this would not be politically beneficial to the minister of the time, Labour or Conservative – Ed.]

• Why I bother with libraries – A Medley Of Extemporanea / Dawn Finch. “want a society where people have intelligence and are informed and creative. That matters to me and that’s what libraries (and in particular school libraries) do…”

International news

• Australia – The Truth Worth Of Libraries Is Much Greater Than You Think – Huffington Post. “There are plenty of things that young generations feel aggrieved about being saddled with. Climate change and a long-running war in the Middle East are two that leap immediately to mind. But there are other things handed down by previous generations that seem to suggest extraordinary generosity and vision. One is libraries”. What seems like a socialist idea – lending books for free – in fact is a great investment.
• Global – Librarians Are Secretly the Funniest People Alive – Electric Literature. “did you know that librarians have always been lowkey the most fun people on the planet? Here are seven times that librarians have debunked the stereotype that they are uptight scolds ready to shush those who dare to have fun in their sacred institution.”
• Global – Open + Libraries: Sharing the Library Key – Medium / Jane Cowell. Cologne: “Budget limitations meant that Mondays could not be staffed and the library team saw the Open Plus model as a way to provide an ‘open library’ with minimum budget impact” … Arhus: ” For the main Central Library in Aarhus the Open Plus hours allow the library to be opened from 7am until 10pm with staff hours 8am until 8pm. A janitor walks the floors for evacuation purposes at night when staff are not in attendance.”

“There is certainly a view in the United Kingdom that Open Plus Libraries are being used to fully replace library staff and staff-less libraries are being implemented using this technology. And this was a concern expressed at one German Library service. However, their experience is that their Council understands and supports the wide variety of work the Library service undertakes with their staff and was excited to see the extensions for their citizens. So questions to ask yourselves are: Does your Council understand that the Library Service does more than check out books? If not then there is some advocacy work to undertake so that the library staff are valued for the impact their work has in the community.”

• Global – Public Libraries and Developing Countries – Medium / Technology and the New Library. “The Gates Foundation is seeking to make the world’s public libraries assets in communities as centres for information and technology. They advocate for the equality of opportunity, to access online information and skills to interpret the information, for all individuals, especially those in developing nations or poor communities. The Gates Foundation is trying to help public libraries reinvent themselves as online information centres, to help their communities in a drastic way. The foundation began by funding free Internet access in public libraries around the US. They have expanded globally and are supporting access to the Internet worldwide.” 
• USA – Important Emotional Labor of Librarians Most People Never Think About – Medium / EveryLibrary. “Being a librarian is not an easy job, and it’s not because we occasionally have to clean up vile messes. It’s not easy because, like Steven Assarian explained in his article, “As a Business Librarian, I Help People Find Their Passion,” people sometimes come to us at a crossroads. They’re afraid of making a mistake that may put their lives in turmoil. Heck, sometimes their lives are already in turmoil. Librarians take on that chaos; we have no choice but to face down the power, joy and suffering both, that people bring into our space. That’s the emotional labor of librarianship. It’s not something we often talk about to the public, or even that much to each other. But it’s real, it’s hard, and it’s important.”

Local news by authority

• Blackpool – New chapter for reading dads – Blackpool Gazette. “These proud dads were keen to show of their handiwork as the revamp of the children’s reading area at Central Library was completed. It follows a similar overhaul at Palatine that has seen a sharp upturn in youngsters coming through the doors. And with three more libraries set for a community-led makeover, it is hoped many more young people will soon benefit.”
• Bristol – Councillors want to move Bristol central library to The Galleries or Colston Hall” – Bristol Post. A group of councillors are asking Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees, to consider moving the city’s largest public library to either The Galleries or Colston Hall. The six Labour councillors say they are concerned that Bristol Central Library off College Green – which is also referred to as the Holden Building – is not included in the list of libraries which could see their funding cut. They suggest the council look in to whether the city’s two universities might be able to help pay the running costs of the facility, or instead consider moving the library to another lower cost site.”
• Bristol – Pressure grows on Bristol City Council to scale back library cuts – Bristol Post. “Several members of the council’s scrutiny board have drawn up a report which outlines how the authority can keep as many of Bristol’s libraries open as possible. The group want the council to allow community groups to take on the running of libraries while the authority retains ownership of the buildings.”
• Buckinghamshire – Volunteer groups get award from the Queen – Mix 96. Includes Chalfont St Giles Community Library.
• Cumbria – Public have a say on museum expansion – Westmorland Gazette. Fears over reduction in size of library due to museum encroachment. “Windermere Library was packed with uneasy locals as they met with members of the Lake District Paradise Project (LDPP) who house the ‘From Auschwitz to Ambleside’ exhibition on the building’s first floor. The LDPP aims to create a top attraction in the town, commemorating the links between the national park and the 300 child Holocaust survivors who settled at the Calgarth Estate, Troutbeck Bridge, in 1945.”
• Darlington – Court date set in battle to save Darlington’s historic Crown Street library – Darlington and Stockton Times. “At the end of November, a judge will consider Darlington Borough Council’s plans to cut and change library services across the town. The contentious proposals would see the grade-II listed Crown Street Library closed and the majority of its resources moved to the nearby Dolphin Centre, where a new library service would be created. In June 2016, campaigners hoping to save the library used legal aid to appoint Michael Imperato – one of the country’s leading judicial review lawyers – to challenge the council.”
• East Sussex – Demonstration to be held in fight to save Ore library – Hastings Observer. WI organises meeting and protest see also MP urges residents to write to county council to save Pevensey Bay Library – Eastbourne Herald. Huw Merriman MP (Conservative)  “So we want residents to write to the county council, say why it’s so important to keep it open, but if that doesn’t work we are all working as a community team to come up with another option.” and More than 100 residents meet to oppose closing Willingdon Library – Eastbourne Herald. “The Eastbourne and Willingdon MP [Lib Dem] +, Stephen Lloyd, also attended the meeting. He said, “Sometimes government knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” and Look Back With Little: From earliest days our libraries offer so much – Banbury Guardian. History of Banbury Library.
• Essex – Your chance to have a say on library services – Chelmsford and Mid Essex Times., “The seven-week consultation by Essex County Council closes on November 6, so people are encouraged to have their say. “
• Lambeth – Lambeth Council spends almost £200,000 on ‘security’ for the closed Carnegie and Minet libraries – Brixton Buzz. “A Freedom of Information request shows that the Labour Council has spent £192,559 to “protect the buildings and mitigate the risk of further occupation.”” … “The cost for security was highest for the Carnegie. In total £138,705 has been spent since April 2016. Lambeth has paid a security company £53,851 to ‘protect’ the Minet. This works out at £373 a day for the combined cost.”
• Lancashire – Library battle given timely online boost – Blackpool Gazette. “Louise Martin, of the Friends of Lytham Library and Institute, said: “The fact that so many people who grew up in this area, not just those who still live here, care about the fate of the institute and library was one of the most common pieces of feedback we received while collecting signatures outside the library.”
• Leeds – MP in Otley to support Libraries Week – Wharfedale Observer. Alex Sobel MP (Labour) “”We must all work to protect our libraries and Libraries week is a great way of showing our Government just how much our communities depend on them.” “
• Manchester – Manchester scheme to give homeless access to libraries – BBC. The project will allow people who are being helped by homeless charity Lifeshare to register for a library card without a permanent address. Manchester City Council said the service will give those involved access to all 22 of the city’s libraries.”
• Northamptonshire – ‘Disaster’: Group slams plan to close Middleton Cheney Library as consultation opens – Banbury Guardian. “It’s the one building in the village which can provide public access to the district and county council services, and if that goes there will be no place for people to be able to go to get information” see also Meeting in Desborough over library proposals – Northants Telegraph.
• Perth and Kinross – Local hero serves Highland Perthshire communities – Courier. “Scott Brown has beaten hundreds of mobile librarians across the UK to be named Mobile Library Champion of the Year 2017. Among those to nominate Crieff-based Scott were pupils from Glenlyon Primary School who said he is “always smiling” and has something for everyone on the shelves of the van.”
• Sheffield – The Star Looks at Sheffield’s Libraries: More than just books as Upperthorpe shows it has Zest – Star. “Twenty-five volunteers manage the library, which is open seven days a week. Its IT suite, with eight computers, is the most well-used in Sheffield apart from the Central Library’s, and the children’s library is one of the city’s most popular, too.”
• Somerset – The Big Read: Somerset author urges libraries to remain open and return of Jackanory as ‘reading gets squeezed out’ – Somerset Live. “Somerset author Tamsin Cooke has spoken out about how more needs to be done to help children engage with books and reading.” … “One initiative that was launched earlier in the year was The Big Read and Tamsin Cooke has spoken to Somerset Live about her involvement and how she hopes her book, Cat Burglar , will inspire many to read more.”
• South Tyneside – The Word celebrates its first birthday – Libraries Taskforce. “The first year has been a great success for South Tyneside Libraries; the building has had almost 400,000 visitors and here are just a few of the amazing library statistics … 176% increase in number of new members; almost double the number of children’s books have been issued; 44% increase in total number of books issued; People’s Network log-ins have more than doubled”
• West Lothian – Bestselling West Lothian author discusses her new work and love of libraries following reading – Daily Record. “Lisa Ballantyne, from Armadale, has had major success with her debut novel The Guilty One, which was shortlisted for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, and her second novel Redemption which was a USA Today Bestseller. Lisa said: “I am enthusiastic about visiting libraries and supporting public libraries in any capacity, and was therefore thrilled to be invited to Bathgate Partnership Centre as part of National Libraries Week.”