Northamptonshire Telegraph: 11 June
Under threat libraries in Northants valued at more than £3m
‘The authority owns 12 of the 21 libraries it proposes to close and could bank the millions if campaign groups currently fighting to buy and save the libraries cannot find the funds.’
Northern Echo: 12 June
Letters: Library closure will give people even more reason not to visit Darlington
Burnham-on-Sea.com: 9 June
Somerset | Last chance to have your say: Highbridge Library consultation to end
Grantham Journal: 10 June
Lincolnshire | Former Allington village surgery transformed into library
East Anglian Daily Times: 10 June
New figures reveal rapid rise in digital borrowing in Suffolk’s libraries
Redditch Standard: 10 June
Worcestershire | Labour leader slams county over planned closure of school library service
Brixton Buzz: 8 June
Lambeth Council wants to spend an extra £1M+ on the Carnegie book-ish gym at Herne Hill
Barnet Times: 8 June
Barnet’s youth assembly wants better libraries
Brent & Kilburn Times: 8 June
Brent | Malorees School and Kensal Rise Library fundraisers join forces for Blenheim Palace Triathlon
“…The Kensal Rise crew raising nearly £2,000 as they seek to complete the fitting of the renovated library on Bathurst Gardens.”
Bolton News: 8 June
Wigan | Uncertain future for Atherton library building
Spalding Today: 8 June
Lincolnshire | More flexibility with library expansion
Derbyshire Telegraph: 8 June
End of an era as Derby’s first public library closes after 139 years
Somerset County Gazette: 8 June
Consultation over Somerset libraries ends next week…
Redditch Standard: 10 June
Worcestershire | Labour leader slams county over planned closure of school library service
Leicestershire Live: 7 June
Rushey Mead library closure put on hold at 11th hour
The Mirror: 7 June
Tory austerity strips more than 3,000 computers with internet from libraries
Shadow Libraries Minister Kevin Brennan said: “Tory austerity is decimating digital services in libraries up and down the country. This is in direct contravention of the Government’s own library targets and is particularly harmful at a time when the Government is increasingly demanding that vulnerable people apply for state support online.”
The Argus: 7 June
Decision made over Hove Library nursery plans
GOV.UK: 7 June
Government extends Public Lending Right scheme to ebook authors
Brighton & Hove News: 6 June
Hove Library layout changes on the cards as Conservatives claim victory with key concessions
The Argus: 6 June
Decision Day for Hove Library nursery plan
The Argus: 6 June
Brighton & Hove | Nursery will be created at historic library
Northern Echo: 6 June
Letter | Gloves about to come off in fight to keep Darlington library in its rightful home
Scotland Herald: 6 June
Scottish Borders Council slammed for using pupils as library staff says it will teach them leadership
Border Telegraph: 6 June
Pressure grows on education officials over school library plans
My Welshpool: 6 June
Powys | Could this save our libraries?
Keighley News: 6 June
Bradford | Concerns for Keighley Library raised at public meeting in the town
Bude & Stratton Post: 6 June
Cornwall | Devolution of library service ‘must be in best interest of the town’
LocalGov: 6 June
Parish councils and the devolution of services
Some parish authorities doubling or trebling precepts to fund services once provided by higher tier councils
Midsomer Norton Journal: 6 June
Bath & NE Somerset | New library space
‘Midsomer Norton Library’s new space in the Hollies’ One Stop Shop has been officially opened this week.’
The Star: 6 June
Barnsley libraries face cuts as council grapples with austerity
Worcester News: 5 June
Council could axe schools’ library service as interest dwindles
Worcester News: 6 June
Headteachers ‘disappointment’ at Worcestershire County Council’s proposal to axe schools’ library service
South Gloucestershire Labour councillors blog: 6 June
Library scheme “in danger of hitting the rocks”
“The council’s official performance report tells us that, as of April, 3,655 library users had signed up for ‘Open Access’, which equates to around 13% of all eligible library users.”
The Bookseller: 6 June
‘Ethical guidelines’ created following Home Office deal with libraries
The Bookseller: 5 June
Eighty librarians condemn deal between Home Office and SCL
Northern Echo: 5 June
Letters: Concerns remain over planned relocation of Darlington library
Barnet Times: 5 June
Barnet presses on with library business plans
Hastings Observer: 4 June
East Sussex | Plans for a community library move forwards
Somerset Live: 4 June
Everything you need to know about the new libraries coming to North East Somerset
TES News: 4 June
Anger over plan for pupils to replace librarians
Proposals could be ‘first step in getting rid of school libraries altogether’
Southern Reporter: 4 June
Borders council chiefs defend school library plans
Barnet Times: 4 June
Barnet library lease plans dropped
The Bookseller: 4 June
How digital content is helping secure the future of libraries
Derby Telegraph: 3 June
Second city library to be turned over to Derby charity
Spondon Library will become run by Direct Help and Advice (DHA) from Monday, June 25.
Spondon Library is one of ten libraries the council will transfer to DHA as part of plans to maintain a library service for Derby.
BBC News: 2 June
Philip Pullman slams library closures at Hay Festival
“It seems an act of destructive folly, almost unparalleled, to allow the library service – which was so good in my lifetime – to fall into such decay so soon, so rapidly and so carelessly as if it didn’t matter.”
Herald Scotland: 2 June
Scottish Borders Council lambasted over cost-cutting “folly” of replacing school library staff with pupils
Wellington Weekly News: 2 June
Somerset | It’s a ‘good, busy library’ but future is uncertain
Daily Record: 1 June
South Lanarkshire | End of an era as Strathaven hall closes its doors for final time
Library moves to Avondale Community Hall
Midsomer Norton, Radstock and District Journal: 1 June
Bath & NE Somerset | Plans for up to five new voluntary libraries
East Lothian Courier: 1 June
Public meeting to discuss Port Seton Library cuts
Southern Reporter: 1 June
Borders schoolchildren being asked to take over axed library staff’s jobs
Sussex Express: 31 May
East Sussex | LETTER: Look on this as a challenge
Bristol Live: 31 May
Labour councillor defends comments calling for Wesbury and Henleaze library closures
East London & West Sussex Guardian: 31 May
Redbridge | Libraries to receive £65,000 funding boost
North Somerset Times: 31 May
Bid launched to save library
‘Clevedon Library could be saved from the threat of closure after plans to include it in an ambitious cultural quarter project were revealed’
A Curzon cinema-led bid for Coastal Communities Fund cash could be successful. If the funding bid is approved, the council will sell the library, with the Coastal Communities Fund money being used to buy and adapt the building. Once complete the facilities will include theatre space, a local history archive and training provision, as well as retaining the library service.’
The Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal: 30 May
Midsomer Norton library and information service official opening
Officially opened on Monday 4th June
Eastbourne Herald: 30 May
Five of seven closed libraries could reopen as community projects
The Northern Echo: 30 May
Praise for North Yorkshire volunteers who came to the rescue
In the past two years 20 libraries have been turned into community ventures run by volunteers.
The council saved around £1.5m by handing over responsibility for many of the county’s smaller libraries to community groups.
Somerset County Gazette: 30 May
Cllr John Thorne’s concerns with Somerset County Council spending
“The council wants to save £500,000 from the libraries budget over three years, there are 34 libraries, so per year, it’s around £5,000 for each library.”
Border Telegraph: 30 May
Anger as Scottish Borders pupils replace school librarians
Radical Librarians Collective: 29 May
Statement condemning SCL/ UKVI deal
The News: 29 May
Hampshire | Work due to start on Gosport Discovery Centre revamp
Includes library
Eastbourne Herald: 29 May
East Sussex | Council makes decision on future of Langney library
News Shopper: 29 May
Greenwich | New temporary library set for go ahead on Plumstead car park
Wellington Weekly News: 29 May
Somerset | Library Meeting
Weston Mercury: 29 May
Somerset | Last chance to comment on proposed library closures
East Lothian Courier: 25 May
Petition launched over cuts to library hours
Chronicle Live: 25 May
Gym and cafe plan for Newcastle library to stave off closure threat
Chronicle Live: 25 May
New plans revealed to save Fenham Library for a second time
Council bosses are hoping that the introduction of therapy rooms, a cafe and a gym could provide a lifeline that will enable the library to stay open.
Barnet Times: 25 May
Anger over new Barnet mayor’s record
including libraries
Bucks Free Press: 25 May
Bucks mobile library service to be scrapped next week
Northamptonshire Telegraph: 25 May
Kettering Council urged to buy Desborough and Rothwell libraries
Ledbury Reporter: 24 May
Herefordshire | Library and museum privatisation plan causes concern
York Press: 24 May
This is how much it will cost to repair York’s libraries
Derby Telegraph: 24 May
Former libraries chief feels council is ‘making wrong decision’ over cuts
Jaci Brumwell, the former Derbyshire County Council boss has hit out at the authority over its plans to hand 20 libraries over to volunteers. Libraries should be kept under local authority control and be properly staffed.
Warrington Guardian: 23 May
Fresh hope for Bewsey and Dallam Hub – despite £1m shortfall to deliver it
‘The hub – proposed to include a fitness suite, library, pool and healthcare services – was originally given a planned opening date of summer 2017.’
It will now be managed by Warrington & Co, rather than LiveWire as previously agreed.
Northamptonshire Telegraph: 23 May
Groups given more time in battle to save Northamptonshire libraries
Daily Echo: 22 May
Hampshire | Facelift is new chapter in future of town library
Bath Echo: 22 May
Bath & NE Somerset | Post Office set to reopen in Saltford later this year with new community library
Place North East: 22 May
Trafford | Timperley Library proposals return to planners
Eastbourne Herald: 22 May
East Sussex | Community’s hope for the future of Langney library
The Mail: 22 May
Cumbria | Millom Library to remain ‘categorically’ open despite closure fears
The Times: 21 May
Library offers playbook for communities taking control
‘The experience of volunteers in Kensal Rise has been repeated nationwide’
‘Around the UK, communities are stepping in to shore up services. Their success depends upon their ability to turn the services into viable businesses, even though many have existed only thanks to public subsidy since they were introduced. That means community-minded locals suddenly taking on many of the challenges and uncertainties that come with running a small business.’
York Press: 21 May
North Yorkshire | Selby library reopens after £140k make-over
SCL: May 2018
New assisted digital contract for libraries
‘SCL ( Society of Chief Librarians) has been awarded a sub contract for the delivery of digital biometric visa support services led by Sopra Steria on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)’
‘SCL has recruited 56 regional library services from across England and in Scotland and Wales to provide access to this biometric service.’
Stop the Privatisation of Public Libraries: 18 May 2018
The Society of Chief Librarians, Sopra Steria and visa/immigration services in libraries!
