Editorial

The Library of Birmingham opened today, with stirring speeches and a queue to get in that lasted an hour after the doors opened.  The quote for today’s post is from that opening.  The importance of libraries, and not just big ones (perhaps especially not big ones) can be seen in, as a campaigner pointed out today, newspaper reports of petitions totalling 25,000 today … and today is a typical day.

Selling points for libraries noted today

• Mr Gove wants all pupils to leave school with at least a C in English.
• Children who are read to are less violent than those who are not.
• 25,000 people have cared enough about libraries to sign petitions just in reports noted today (Sheffield, Luton, Lincolnshire).
• Books defeat terrorism. “Pens and books are the weapons that defeat terrorism”

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Editorial

A bumper edition of news today due to having to catch up with two weeks of news.  This is because hackers (apparently of the East European persuasion) sufficiently hacked the site that it had to be locked down until we could be more sure of its security.  Getting it back on track means you may have received several posts from this address yesterday if you subscribe: don’t worry, they’re fine and it was all part of the process to get things sorted.  Let’s hope that the hackers move on to (now) easier targets: perhaps ,say, the consultancy firm behind the abysmal CILIP rebranding.

The big story over the last couple of weeks has clearly been the imminent opening of the Library of Birmingham.  It looks fantastic and the reviews have largely been highly positive.  For myself, I see its transformation (like the two other big libraries Manchester and Liverpool) as a postcard from the past about what the future might have been.  As Will Hutton points out, no such civic building could be contemplated today.  The Big Library opulence also strongly contrasts with what is happening at branch level.  It’s a sad thing that local libraries in all three big cities are being cut, with Birmingham having had a 28% reduction.  So, if one can’t easily get to the big central hub, it’s not so good.  But that is to rain on the parade. The opening of the Library of Birmingham is to be welcomed and enjoyed.  I really look forward to seeing it myself and I envy the city’s inhabitants its proximity.

Changes

• Cardiff – “Hub” co-located libraries at Llanrumney, St Mellons and Butetown with other councils services/advisors.  New Ely and Caerau Hub may include library services. 
• Isle of Man – Mobile library has had 15% more new members and 7% more issues since charity took over in 2012.
• Leicestershire – £2m cut in library budget – options include volunteers, colocations and loss of at least 44 library staff.  
• Wakefield – Knottingley Library reopens in sports centre with longer opening hours.  
• West Sussex – Free wifi in all libraries installed.

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Editorial

The post title today comes from a wonderful summary of thoughts about libraries that have been put on Twitter.  There’s some great stuff there and I recommend a look. I have put some of the stand out quotes below as well.  Another thing that stood out for me today is an inspiring article summarising the changes that have taken place at Chattanooga’s library system.  I have put what are some of the key points below.  It shows the power of leadership and of fresh thinking that is possible in US libraries.  It may also be possible in UK libraries as well, of course, but I have not seen anything like it after reporting on the subject here for a few years.

This may be because of the different cultures of the two countries – we don’t shout about much and, far more importantly, councils appear to have libraries far more under their thumb in the UK than they appear to do in the USA.  Most importantly, though, I suspect is the incredible difference in funding.  UK libraries may have the buildings and we may have the staff but, in the current climate, they just plain don’t have the money.  At least I hope that is the reason, because otherwise we’re just plain second rate … and no librarian should accept that.  Nor, of course, should this country accept second-rate libraries but that is precisely what cuts of the current magnitude will provide.  If we’re lucky.

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Editorial

The stand-outs for me today is the short video interview with Cory Doctorow and the rather great piece on “playful” libraries with lots of great pictures of libraries that understand the need for fun and utility to be combined.  This last article can be read in conjunction with a thoughtful piece on “how to fill the library with people” that will help those who can redesign their libraries or, even better, make new ones.

Changes

• Harrow – 10 full or part-time roles “at risk” when libraries transferred to Laing ownership.
• North Somerset – Weston Super Mare Library moved into Town Hall: wifi, self-service.
• Rotherham – Kimberworth Library reopened after £36k refurbishment inc. new shelves and IT.
• Tower Hamlets – Idea Store Watney Market opened (£4.5m jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund) inc One Stop Shop and community rooms.

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Editorial

The pilots into different models of e-lending in English libraries have moved a step closer but the results are not expected until 2015.  This seems a very leisured approach in what is a very fast moving marketplace. On the one hand, it’s great that the money has been found to work out the best way forward.  On the other, a lot can happen in the two or more likely three years until something is actually implemented.  The last substantial physical bookseller in the UK, Waterstones, may no longer be round, for one thing.  This could lead to a monopoly (or duopoly) of online e-retailers with unprecedented power and only the public library service presenting a real alternative. So, what may seem a respectable and safe time scale to some may actually be a gamble. The results from the pilots had better be the correct ones because there may be no time for seconds before public libraries or real e-lending choice disappear for good.

Moving away from the urgent/essential into arguably more optional realms, we also have the rebranding of CILIP taking its next step with the announcement of the preferred new name for that organisation.  The reception I have seen to that name so far (on lis-pub-libs, Twitter, emails and blogs) has ranged from the grimly determined (“we cannot go against change”) to the frankly incredulous.  A summary of the facts, arguments and key statements so far is below.

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