A digest of today’s news items, reproduced here, with kind permission from Shirley Burnham who collated it. For up to date libraries news follow @ShirleyBurnham on Twitter.
BBC News : 4th April
The tiny library payment office authors fought to save
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has finally announced the British Library will take over the service but keep the Stockton office. The next problem, Mr Parker says, is public library closures and the move towards community-run libraries. The legislation requires data to be collected from councils and voluntary groups do not qualify. Having already started fighting for libraries to remain open, authors might now find who runs them is just as significant a struggle if they want their money
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Information Daily : 3rd April
Voluntary workers disillusioned by the Big Society
One 82-year-old volunteer wrote: “The council has to make cuts. So the Chief Executive talks in terms of closing the libraries, removing school crossing patrols etc. No amount of voluntary effort will address such issues. It is a form of political blackmail.”
http://www.
BBC News : 4th April
Wales | Funding boost of £2m for museums and public libraries
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
THE BOOKSELLER : 4th April
Welsh libraries to receive £1m boost
http://www.thebookseller.com/
Southport Visitor : 4th April
Sefton | Library opens to the approval of members
http://www.southportvisiter.
The Echo : 4th April
Southend | Two-pronged campaign launched to save Leigh library
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/
The Star : 4th April
Heated debate on future of Sheffield libraries
Ten thousand people who signed a petition against Sheffield library closures were told yesterday: “It’s the Government’s fault.” Labour councillors ‘noted’ the swell of concerns but said they had no alternative but to save £1.6 million from the £6.8m library budget as part of £50m cuts in the coming year. Fourteen of 27 community libraries are at risk of closure unless third parties run them instead.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/
The Star : 4th April
Opinion: What future for libraries?
Today, our reading habits have been transformed by the availability of cheap books. We simply don’t need libraries like we used to.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/
Ham & High : 4th April
Community libraries in Primrose Hill, Belsize Park and Hampstead hail success of first year
“This is not a model that can be replicated anywhere else and it’s not something for people to say others should follow. It’s quite unique to be able to raise so much from crowd funding, and it’s not something you could do in less affluent areas.”
http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/
West Sussex County Times : 4th April
Libraries set to provide free wi-fi
Readers using West Sussex libraries are getting free internet access on their own laptops, tablets and smartphones after plans to install wi-fi were given the go ahead. The state-of-the-art system is being fitted in every branch during the next few months.
http://www.wscountytimes.co.
