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.
Harrow Observer : 9th May
Library outsourcing decision delayed due to Labour split
A decision whether to outsource the running of Harrow’s libraries to a not-for-profit trust has been delayed due to the collapse of the cabinet committee. …….. the cabinet committee meeting was cancelled after the announcement yesterday that nine Labour councillors, including the leader of the council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, were splitting to form their own Independent Labour group. Consequently, the other portfolio holders comprising the cabinet , all now rival Labour group members, were dismissed.
http://www.harrowobserver.co.
BBC News : 9th May
Council services face further cuts, warn local leaders
LGA says libraries are “non-statutory”
This, it argues, would mean reducing spending on a “broad combination of non-statutory services which might include children’s centres, museums, libraries and sports centres ……
“almost all of councils’ money would have to be spent on explicit statutory responsibilities like social services, waste collection and concessionary travel, meaning that the money available for all other services, such as libraries, road maintenance and leisure facilities would have been cut by 90%”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
THE BOOKSELLER : 9th May
Manchester library closures to go ahead
http://www.thebookseller.com/
Public Libraries News: 8th May
Bad news in Herefordshire, good news elsewhere. Questions in Manchester and Isle of Wight
http://www.
BBC News : 8th May
Dorchester’s Charles Street development library to open
A new library and adult learning centre will open in two months as part of a £60m regeneration project in Dorset.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Oxford Times : 8th May
Angst over listed status led to four-year delay over Headington library access
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/
Bolton News: 7th May
Saved Golborne Library ‘thriving’
http://www.theboltonnews.co.
THE ECONOMIST : 8th May
Hotel libraries: Shelf life
At a time when many councils in Britain are cutting their library budgets, it is heartening to learn of hotels still investing in books, and using them as a way to attract and entertain their guests.
http://www.economist.com/
