The decline of the library?

With all the depressing news about the closures and cut within public libraries, it good to see some positive news for a change. Norwich's Millennium Library, in which the BBC reports:-

Figures in April 2010 saw the library's popularity increase by nearly 20,000 people compared to the previous year.

I wonder what they are doing right then?

10 libraries to close in Belfast

As mentioned previously the 15 Libraries that were proposed to be cut, has been reduced to 10 (story here). Maybe one day I'll bring some good news on this blog.

Job cuts in Hampshire

The axe is being wielded in hampshire public libraries it seems. The BBC reports Sixty Hampshire library service jobs to be cut.
The article says:-

The authority needs to save more than £1m but has promised not to reduce opening hours or close any libraries.

The plans could see more self-service facilities at branches while a further review will also look into the mobile library service.

Affected staff, which include managers and workers in support roles, have been told of the plans.

£40 book token or your library?

With the economic downturn and likelihood of the 25,000 job losses due to council tax reductions. Seems Radio 5 discussed what councils should be saved and let go.

Here's the best idea though:-

Northamptonshire County Council, for instance, says that so few people use its libraries (17%), that it would be cheaper to give everyone a £40 book voucher.

Oh, can I have them as Amazon tokens please?

Union protest at Belfast library closures part 2

Having written previously about planned/proposed closures of Libraries in Belfast, I was informed that people in the area have created a facebook page against it. Radio Ulster also interviewed people who went to a meeting against the closures (but I have no link to it at the moment).
I was also asked about the good library blog this can be found here.
To Carly, any further help, please just ask my email is here

Union protest at Belfast library closures

Unions In Belfast have protested at a plan to close up to 15 libraries in the Northern Ireland capital. The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) said on there website:-

NIPSA intends to oppose the radical and wholesale dissemination of the public library provision in the Greater Belfast Area. It is appalling that only 9 months after the creation of the new NI Regional Library Authority that they are planning to remove 45% of the public library provision mostly in areas of high social deprivation. NIPSA is encouraging all library users, political representatives and other interested groups and parties to actively support the NIPSA campaign to oppose these radical cuts to library provision in the Greater Belfast Area.

Lets hope it get overturned like it did in the Wirral.

Who needs a library when Tesco's is just as good?

I read with interest Pete Smith's blogs discussing how one councillor in Doncaster, the Director of Customer Services (sic), Stuart Hall, has had this to say about cutbacks that will materially damage the library service[whoops, Pete pointed out it was an officer not councillor]:-

“What is the point in buying new books? Tescos sell them cheaply and everything you need to know is on the Internet.”


Ummmmm. Now i'm not sure if I'd really like to see Stuart Hall's book collection, but is this guy for real? So, whats he saying? That libraries are dead? That a dumb terminal will give us the answers? That Jackie Collins new novel will show us the meaning of life?