More Than Books

By Ros Asquith in the Guardian Education, Tuesday 4 January 2011.

Spotted on the Guardian blog covering the Library Day of Action.

I read thoroughly The Brent Magazine (issue 111, February 2011) I received this morning. I was looking for further borough-wide communications on the library services ‘transformation’ consultation.

Alas, there was nothing to be found.

Brent Library Service have, however, announced a virtual book club.

Virtual indeed; the closure of half the libraries in Brent will not make it easy for the ‘book lovers’ of Brent to meet.

As only 9% of the library service budget is spent on books, and with no increase on the horizon, perhaps virtual also applies to the books.

This Saturday, 5 February, libraries around the country will be playing host to read-ins, author appearances and story-telling events to protest at the threatened closure of 400 branches. To find your nearest participating library, take a look at this map on the Guardian website.

We know that Kensal Rise is holding a read-in, and that the Preston group are holding a public meeting in the library that afternoon. I’ll try and find out if FoCL are planning anything.

Even if your library is NOT under threat, perhaps you should go and make use of it on Saturday. Take a BOOK out, talk to your librarian, use the internet, or just walk through the door to have your foot fall counted.

A day of action on the 5th February – CILIP is supporting Save Our Libraries Day, a day of action to bring greater attention to the cuts and closures facing many public libraries.

We want everyone who cares about reading, literacy and libraries to use their public library on the 5th February and tell as many people as they can to do the same.

I’ll try and gather all Save Our Libraries Day action in Brent here.

The CILIP is The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

Earlier this month, Library-users emptied Stoney Stratford library of books in protest against plans to close it down. “Emily Malleson of Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) added that she calculated that books had been checked out at a rate of around 378 per hour.

According to this story in the Guardian, Sarah Teather recommended similar actions to the Friends of Kensal Green library.

I’m looking for the story on the Guardian website………. I’ve found this article, Library campaigners plan court action over closures, but no mention of Teather or Kensal.

Updated 29/01 : total of about 120 people attended the Willesden ACF. Here are two recordings : WillesdenACF19Jan2010-AgendaItems & WillesdenACF19Jan2010-Libraries

Part One is has the Soapboxes, including an update on The Stables from Martin Redston, and also Cllr Ann John on Brent’s Budget ‘the impact of central government cuts’.

Part Two covers the libraries ‘transformation’ strategy and consultation.

Novelist Maggie Gee has told BBC Breakfast libraries provide a ‘free education’ to people who cannot afford ‘latte land’. Maggie Gee is a Friend of Kensal Library.

According to Public Libraries News, more than 350 libraries across the country are under threat of closure as cash-strapped councils make cuts. Public Library News has a map showing library closures across the UK.

Updated the calendar with Barham, Preston and Kensal dates. Also added contact details for the groups for those libraries, including the new blog for the Preston group.

Just click this link [iCS] to access this calendar from other applications/devices. You can copy and paste this into any calendar product that supports the ical format.

[updated with Preston blog]

Sarah Teather was on the panel for BBC Radio 4′s Any Questions show on the 14th Jan. I’ve uploaded an edited copy of the show, and you can listen again to the whole show via the BBC Radio 4 website.

Jonathan Dimbleby chaired the debate from Sexey’s School in Bruton, Somerset with questions for the panel including Education minister Sarah Teather, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation Harriet Lamb, editor of the Tory website ConservativeHome.com Tim Montgomerie and Emily Thornbury, a Shadow health spokesman.

She says that the closure of libraries is an “enormous cause for regret”, however she is in principle in favour of the direction that Brent Council are taking Library Services in the borough when she says that councils should look for solutions, such as ‘co-location’, whereby a number of departments provide services from a location.

Busy Area Consultation Forum last night at the Queen’s Park Community School. No blood spilt, but plenty of frustration aired.

I recorded the ACF (although I missed the first 15 minutes – sorry!) and you can get the files here : ACF KandK 12 Jan2011-Pt1 and ACF KandK 12 Jan2011 Pt2.

In part 1 you can hear Council Leader Cllr Ann John discussing the context for the wide ranging transformation / decommissioning / cuts agenda that all public sector organisations have had thrust upon them. In part two Cllr James Powney ducks brickbats and takes questions from residents.

As you can see, the meeting was reasonably well attended, with around 100 residents from the Brondesbury Park, Kilburn, Mapesbury and Queens Park wards present. Although this was not as many residents as attended meetings to Stop the Tower block being built in Queen’s Park [which was a successful campaign, let's not forget!]

Brent residents at K&K ACF

Brent residents at K&K ACF

I’ll be listening back to part two later, and posting comments on the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead for Library campaign groups.