Editorial

Reaction to opening hour cuts in Northern Ireland has been notably negative, as has the continuing dismay over the gigantic cuts to Lancashire. A news item I’ve noticed is that Norwich Millennium Library, one of the most popular libraries in the UK, has gone down the Open+ remote access route for some hours and sections. It’s a sign that the system is going to be used in all sizes of library, from the smallest to the largest. and that the market for it will be something that expands while the library budgets generally contract.

Finally, stand by to get angry as David Cameron explains away library closures to a ten year old boy as due to “technological change”.  Reactions to this from my Twitter feed, disregarding the several tweets including swear words (I’m shocked, you hear, shocked), include:

• “So how about we shut the House of Commons library and replace it with computers? #sorryhouseofcommonslibrarians“
• “Not so – my local library was packed with people using computers AND books the other week”
• “those who say ‘libraries antiquated/underused’ almost always those w/ no direct need/experience of libraries themselves”
• “omg that man. Does he not realise libraries are more important than ever. @Number10gov shame on you.”
• “Because, you know, people who can’t afford tech or need place to study don’t count”
• “This will be where I point out we still have accountants despite the invention of calculators (for starters…..)”
• “How sad! Wake up and see how both are important and essential. It should not be one or the other…”
• “Doesn’t look as if Cameron realises that lots of poeple also need libraries to access technology #librariesmatter“
• “If our PM visited them more often perhaps he’d understand how incorrect that is.”
• “Libraries are about connecting with the community-Cameron can come to ours and assist those trying to get online.”
• “#headdesk“

and, my personal favourite:

• “”I have never lived in a small or disruptive household””

Changes

• Norfolk – Opening hours and access reduced at Norwich Millennium Library: Open+ introduced.

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Editorial

It’s always amusing tracking the statements of politicians and seeing how their phrasing carefully manages to give the best possible impression without actually lying. Major points to Baroness Nevile-Rolfe in this regard who has said in the House of Lords that only 110 libraries have closed since 2010 and the Government was doing loads of stuff to support them. Presumably she did this with a straight face and her fingers crossed behind her back. Her definitions carefully avoid all the cuts in the “changes” section below – the 4 libraries under threat are in Scotland (so aren’t mentioned in the England figures), the 2 mobiles are excluded twice (they’re in Scotland and they’re not “static”) and of course the cuts in opening hours in Warrington don’t count at all. Elsewhere, the major cuts to Lancashire (which, if all 40 turn volunteer, wouldn’t be included in the Baroness’s’s’s definitions) are getting the attention they deserve in the local press, if not in parliament.

Away from the good Baroness, there’s a few ideas I’ve not seen before, including the beautifully termed “tiebrary”, plus information on the fantastic national reading promotion for libraries which is the Summer Reading Challenge.

Changes

• North Lanarkshire – 4 libraries (Petersburn, Old Monkland, Craigneuk and Newarthill) to close and 2 mobiles: £1m cut to Leisure Trust plus £450k extra cost pressures.  Consultation.
• Warrington – Nine libraries to have reduced hours: LiveWire Trust blames reduction in usage. No reductions in contracted staffing but will need to work at any library in borough.

Ideas

• Reminiscence karaoke
• Silent Disco – Where people dance to their own music, on headphones.
• Tiebrary – Borrowable ties for job-hunters.

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Editorial

More information has come out about the cuts in Lancashire. It’s pretty bad. The press release from the council is an unfortunate example of the best possible gloss being put on a bad situation, with the real needs of users (and the feelings of library staff, not to say their jobs) seemingly pretty much ignored. Canada is not a place I normally associate with deep cuts but it looks like the politicians in Newfoundland are trying to change that.  It’s heartening to see the national reaction, not to say revulsion, that this is causing in that country, though. So things may end differently there. We can hope so. Meanwhile, there’s a nice refurb in Bradford and an extension of the embarrassing closure in Hereford and something very interesting going on in a Malaysian airport …

Changes

• Bradford – Shipley Library reopens after £640k refurbishment. Meeting rooms improved. Social services to share space.
• Herefordshire – Hereford Central Library unlikely to reopen until 2017: repairs will cost at least £500k.
• Lancashire – 29 libraries (was 40) confirmed as being under threat.

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Editorial

My thanks to a PLN reader who pointed out that the Atlantic article on the decline in usage of US libraries over recent years stated that the drop had a lot to do with budget cuts (or increases in areas which saw usage rise).  I neglected to mention this in my summary. It’s something which has resonance in the UK where the decline in library usage mirrors closely (or, much of the time, is less than) the cuts to their budget.  English library budgets have fallen far more than the 14.3% decline in usage that the BooKSeller reports or the larger figure that the DCMS figure itself suggests. Don’t get me wrong, budget cuts are not the only woe. I’m sure that some of the decline is due to general global trends like e-books – research I’m doing into the usage and budgetary trends of libraries in Europe and beyond show that it’s not just the UK that’s seeing drops, and also it’s not just those countries who have seen big cuts to budgets. That’s not a message that will be popular with everyone. However, the Atlantic article ends with a sentiment I think almost all of us can agree with: ” if the public wants to reverse the trend and make the local library more useful, it should do one thing that evidence supports: Fund it better. “

Changes

• Dumfries and Galloway – Sanquhar library, registration service and council customer service centre to be combined.
• Kensington and Chelsea – North Kensington Library to be leased to private school: library to move to a combined gym/youth centre.

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Editorial

North Somerset – quiet on these pages for a few years – has announced that libraries and children’s centres will co-locate (with all the benefits and problems that implies) for an overall cut of £500k. Meanwhile, nearby in Bristol, all libraries will be closed for day while staff strike over changes to working conditions which mean, they claim, that many are effectively being paid less for working more. Over in Staffordshire, it looks like quite a few branches have had to close temporarily due to staff shortages and, in addition, the county has received over 6,000 names on a petition over the move of Lichfield Library. People in Brighton and Hove are not looking delighted over the move of Hove Library either.

Changes

• North Somerset – Children’s centres and libraries to be co-located (£500k cut overall).

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