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.
Bolton News : 12th January
Children’s author slams axing of town’s libraries
Award-winning children’s author and libraries campaigner Alan Gibbons has condemned Bolton Council’s decision to axe libraries — calling it a “huge mistake”.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/districtnews/districtatog/10158406.Children___s_author_slams_axing_of_town___s_libraries/

THE GUARDIAN : 11th January
Council spending cuts: the north loses out to the south
Newcastle v. Wokingham discussed.  Article features a Spreadsheet (cuts listed by council) and an interactive map
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/patrick-butler-cuts-blog/2013/jan/11/council-cuts-north-loses-out-to-the-south-newcastle?INTCMP=SRCH

Mix 96 Radio : 12th January
Stokenchurch Take Over Their Library
The library, one of 14 around Buckinghamshire that the County Council is encouraging local communities to run, now has 30 trained volunteers ready to serve library users.
http://www.mix96.co.uk/news/local/866444/stokenchurch-take-over-their-library/