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.
Camden Public Libraries User Group
Community Libraries – The Arts Council Report
It appears that the researchers have simply reproduced the local government version of the truth (unsurprising, as the Local Government Association was one of the sponsors of the research). In the Camden case, it needed only a little delving into what was available in the public domain (websites of local newspapers & library campaigners) to establish that what was claimed by Camden Council was suspect, at the very least. Of course, it is too much to expect that these Arts Council documents would criticise any council, but it is not too much to expect that very obvious bias would be avoided.  Specific information is provided
http://www.cplug.btck.co.uk/#ACE

Skegness Standard : 26th January
Alford Library in appeal for volunteers to extend opening hours 
http://www.skegnessstandard.co.uk/lifestyle/arts-leisure/alford-library-in-appeal-for-volunteers-to-extend-opening-hours-1-4716794

The Scotsman : 26th January
Lothians art funding slashed by councils 
East Lothian library staff face a cull, with planned reductions to branch posts and a major reduction to the mobile library service.
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/lothians-art-funding-slashed-by-councils-1-2761045

Libraries News Round-up: 11 January 2016

Shropshire Live : 11th January Judicial Review on Church Stretton Library to be heard in April http://www.shropshirelive.com/2016/01/11/judicial-review-on-church-stretton-library-to-be-heard-in-april/ Walsall Advertiser : 11th January Hundreds protest against planned closures of Walsall libraries…