Author: Andrew Coburn

Public Libraries News (PLN) is coming back! The Library Campaign has stepped up to revive this unique online resource for the public library world.

PLN was set up by Cheshire librarian Ian Anstice in 2010. Every Sunday, he listed all the available news stories about public libraries nationwide, and many from outside the UK. Over time, it built into a substantial database, searchable under many topics.

The Library Campaign was among those who found PLN invaluable. Laura Swaffield, its Chair, says: “Up-to-date information on public libraries is shamefully scarce. With PLN, we could keep up with local plans, and see what had led up to them over the years. We could trace public campaigns and legal developments. PLN also publicised the good things libraries are doing, alongside the not so good news. And we often referred press queries to PLN to get extra detail.”

PLN built up over 3,000 subscribers. Library staff and users began to contact Ian Anstice direct with inside news. His editorial comments became a must-read. He spoke at conferences and was invited to lunch with Private Eye. Awards, including the British Empire Medal, piled up.

In September 2025, Ian announced he was quitting: “In 2010, the word ‘austerity’ was being used for the first time. Writing PLN was at first a professional development activity, as I simply did not know what else was going on in other library services. Then, in short order, it became a campaigning one as the first mass library closures were being announced. 

After that, it became more part of my identity and, to be honest, a source of personal pride. Now, though, with the hope of the new Labour government being smashed as they continue cuts, it’s all a bit samey… In short, doing PLN is no longer fun… It’s time to move on.” 

There was widespread dismay among the whole public library community. But no action.

The Library Campaign and PLN have now agreed a partnership that will see the website revamped and improved, and will enable Ian to resume work.

Ian Anstice says: “Ever since I stopped writing PLN, I meet people from the sector that say how much they used and miss it. These range from new graduates to the most senior in the profession. My thanks to The Library Campaign for the chance to revive the website, and I hope it maintains its position for many years to come.” 

Looking ahead, TLC and PLN will continue to report on and advocate for libraries, Friends groups, and library users. While PLN will maintain full editorial independence, the partnership wants to plan new links with sponsors, LIS departments at universities, the press, and campaign groups working on literacy and related causes. The partnership also recognises the need for new research into library policy and data.

The new website will launch in early October.

Much is being demanded of the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. We’re not expecting the planned national strategy for libraries to come top of his list all that soon. 

But he does have one claim to library glory. As we all know, the 1964 Public Libraries & Museums Act gives the Secretary of State quite draconian powers to intervene if libraries are in danger.

Andy is the only SoS ever to exercise these powers, in 52 years! He held that post in 2009, when the Wirral was planning mass closures. There was a full, days-long public inquiry with QCs and a host of witnesses.

Inquiry chair Sue Charteris was thought to do an excellent job. Her report was similarly acclaimed. The Wirral cuts would indeed breach the law, she said. But she said much more about how to develop a proper library strategy, or make changes. It’s actually enshrined as advice on the DCMS website.

Unfortunately the libraries minister (one Margaret Hodge) missed the chance to formalise this massive piece of work to update the 1964 Act for the 21st century. The Wirral caved in, and the minister didn’t think to take things further.

That’s politics… the shadow libraries minister we met and liked, Lillian Greenwood, has been transported to transport. Now, after a nail-bitingly long wait, just as this newsletter was finalised, we have our new minister – Sir Chris Bryant (Rhondda MP). 

He will be busy. His remit is: “arts and libraries, creative industries, museums and cultural property, cultural diplomacy and soft power, tourism and heritage”. He was shadow secretary of state for culture in 2015. Otherwise his political career has been in foreign policy committees and as long-standing Leader (or deputy or shadow Leader) of the Commons. 

We are seeking an early meeting.

Lisa Nandy (Wigan MP) is Secretary of State (the 13th in 14 years). So, what about Lisa Nandy? She hasn’t had a culture brief before. She has consistently spoken against starving local councils, with culture especially in mind.

In her first speech to DCMS staff she said: “For too long, for too many people, the story we tell ourselves, about ourselves as a nation, has not reflected them, their communities or their lives… Changing that is the mission of this department. The era of culture wars is over… 

“That is how I intend us to serve our country – celebrating and championing the diversity and rich inheritance of our communities and the people in them.”

There are parallel plans in education to get arts back into the schools curriculum.

Libraries should fit nicely into all this. But is their role as backbone “culture” provision fully understood? We don’t know. 

The other minister is Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley South), who has sport, media, civil society, youth and “ceremonials”. And Baroness Twycross is just Minister for Gambling!

We have covered in the past the appalling damage being done to Ukraine’s libraries. It appears to be a deliberate ploy to destroy not just human lives, but the country’s very identity. 

More than 600 public libraries and 2,000 school libraries have been damaged or destroyed by Russian troops. 

Ukraine librarians have asked Libraries Connected (our library chiefs’ organisation) to help them fund a mobile library to reach communities that have nothing.

LC hopes to raise £10,000 to buy a used vehicle and drive it to Ukraine. Money very well spent, we think. But not yet fully raised!

The appeals runs for eight weeks until 5 June 2024

Donations can be made at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mobile-library-to-ukraine

We were alerted to the fact that The Library Campaign reached the ripe old age of 40 on Sunday 4 February. The conference which led to the founding of the campaign was held in Sheffield on Saturday 4 February 1984 and Terry Hanstock, one of the organisers of that conference, wrote to Public Libraries News to highlight the anniversary. Those of us who were around then and are still active in the Campaign thought the conference was on 4 March but would trust the people who actually did the work.

Terry mentions in his email to PLN that Paul Foot made a donation to the organisers, which helped start the Campaign. Our recollection is that what he said on the day was along the lines of ‘I don’t think we should all turn up to a conference and go away thinking it was very interesting and a good day out – something should come from it so I am donating my Public Lending Right payment to help with that.’ It was the first year that authors received PLR payments.

Photo by Robert Anderson on Unsplash

The Library Campaign is seldom super-excited by government reviews of libraries. More money would solve a lot of their problems. However, it’s better that they appear somewhere on the national agenda than not.
Here’s step 1: the new report on libraries (England only though), written by Conservative peer Baroness (Liz) Sanderson. The Library Campaign was closely involved, alongside other national bodies. She accepted many things we said, but alas rejected others, including the need for a national advertising campaign. The report has already been endorsed by government and will form the basis of a national “strategy” this year.
In this political climate, Liz knew better than to ask for proper funding. But her report certainly pinpoints plenty of underlying issues worth getting on with. It’s not too painfully long – 49 pages.
She concludes, to nobody’s surprise, that the core problem is not enough awareness of what libraries do – among central government, local councils, the public and even the library sector itself.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The establishment of a national data hub to better evidence the role libraries play in our society
2. A national branding campaign to raise awareness of our libraries
3. The closer involvement of the British Library
4. An expanded library membership
5. A stronger volunteer network
6. The creation of a Libraries Minister and a more joined- up approach within government
7. The establishment of a Libraries Laureate
8. A change to the timing of Libraries Week to better involve politicians nationally and locally

Link to report & government response here and what The Library Campaign said to Sanderson here.

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