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.

Don’t Privatise Libraries : 30th April
Sold to the highest bidder; a trip to the Public Sector Show! 
a simply brilliant piece of writing
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/sold-to-highest-bidder-trip-to-public.html

THE BOOKSELLER : 30th April
Ashley appointed ACE library director 
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/ashley-appointed-ace-library-director.html

THE GUARDIAN : 29th April
Teething troubles on day one of universal credit pilot scheme
many comments feature *libraries*
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/apr/29/universal-credit-pilot-scheme?INTCMP=SRCH

Don’t Privatise Libraries : 29th April
An update on the proposals to privatise the Library of Birmingham 
If this can be taken at face value then it’s good news but why was the procurement process started in the first place? If it was due to doubts about being able to manage the operational costs then what has changed?
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/an-update-on-proposals-to-privatise.html

THE GUARDIAN : 29th April
£188m Birmingham library project ready for finishing touch – 2.3m books
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/29/birmingham-library-ready-books

Ubergizmo : 30th April
Rural Libraries In China Abused And Turned Into Internet Cafes
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/04/rural-libraries-in-china-abused-and-turned-into-internet-cafes/

postcard-colour-front-i-love-my-librarian

Libraries News Round-up: 23rd August 2013

The Next Web (TNW) : 22nd August The future of libraries http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/08/22/the-future-of-libraries/ Sunderland Echo : 23rd August 'No interest' from community in running Sunderland libraries or other services http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/no-interest-from-community-in-running-sunderland-libraries-or-other-services-1-5978018 Spalding…