libraries

The cuts have left local councils in the impossible position of trying to maintain essential services and library staff, like so many other public servants, are facing the strong possibility they won't have a job in the not to distant future.

Our local council planned that the library in our village/suburb should be closed on the basis that we're seen as a fairly affluent area, so we could all afford to do the 3 mile journey into town to use the main library. The demographic here is of an ageing population living alongside young families with children. That is, people most likely to make use of a library. Ours was saved on this round of cuts, thankfully. The pressure group continues and it's hoped to expand the library to involve more community groups. We currently have groups who meet to do knitting, reading, creative writing, archeology and other areas of interest. The building is too small for a cafe, but if it amalgamated with the health centre that would be great.

I find that my kindle comes in handy these days, there are so many books on offer.

Soontobe I wasn`t told and didn`t see any notice to say library was closing for so long. Have been told that an edict came from Central Library to all libraries telling them they could decide themselves how long to close over the holidays! I said I hoped the staff who took time off were not being paid and apparently they had to take annual leave. But that doesn`t make it any better for the borrower it says to me that there is no sense of loyalty to their library or the people who use it. It is a library with computers and various activities eg book club, children`s story time, classes etc.

Roll on Monday

School libraries as well? That is awful.

......sorry got a bee in my proverbial now.
What about the buildings that houses these closed libraries? Were they not bequeathed to the nation for the benefit of all by notable anthropologists?

.....not to mention the books! Those lovely Everyman classics that were gifted to all schools/ Where are they now?

School libraries are being closed too. The school where I worked last year was in a wealthy part of Kent. It was taken over by a large academy chain last year.
Half a dozen Academy Directors etc turned up on the first day in their BMWs and Mercs and announced that they wanted to 'transform' the learning experience of our students. The librarian was made redundant immediately and during the half term holiday the library had disappeared to make way for a 'conference centre'. This means a few tables and chairs and a row of old computers. Oh and a 'Costa' coffee machine. I have left now but I rarely saw anyone use the 'Conference Centre', except to put their hard earned cash in the machine.

Back in the 70s we used to send books that had been in a house with infectious diseases to be treated (autoclaved?) it was then pronounced that books did not carry infection so the practice was discontinued.
Interestingly, in my next career as a teacher, we were not allowed to use toilet roll middles for junk modelling as they might carry infection and had to be microwaved if used. Wonder which theory was correct?

That is sad.
Old good recipes disappear in that way too.

I agree that stocks have been decimated. My library used to have a fantastic reference section which has been 'removed'. Actually most of the books were thrown into a skip, some of them irreplaceable/out of print.
There is a lot of contemporary fiction and very little non fiction.
It is a myth that you can find all info online. I teach A level English and if I didn't have an extensive library of my own at home then my students would not have access to any original or unusual information to enhance their research.
Try finding some of the old literary critics that may be out of fashion but made invaluable comments on classic works. They simply disappear from my student's consciousness unless they are on wikipedia

How long do viruses or bugs or whatever take to die?
I must admit, I had never thought to wipe books or charity shop items.
Most of the books I take out have not been taken out by anyone else in months usually.

I never wipe them for me, but twice I have pointed out that a book I have had, actually STUNK of cigarettes, horrible. (They took them out of circulation.)
I do however clean things from charity shops....is this discrimination??

I remember standing at a bus stop with a lady I often chatted to who, when I said in was off to the library, said "urgh no, I never use libraries - think how many people have handled those books! They must be filthy!" I must admit, I had never given it a passing thought, but as soon as I started getting books out to read to my grandson, I would wipe them over with a dettol wipe (even some of the pages if they looked particularly grubby!). Please feel free to make derisory noises in my direction!

There is a petition to stop the library at the Imperial War Museum from closing. It is having a £4m. cut in its annual funding, which would mean 80 job losses as well as the library closing.

I, too, have always loved and used libraries wherever I have lived. If you are in Birmingham you should take a look at the fabulous new library in the centre. It is a fantastic building and contains books as well as computers, I was delighted to see!

It's not just libraries. According to the latest WDYTYA magazine, a senior member of staff at the National Archives said that in some parts of the country there will be no money for archive services by 2020. Budget cuts mean that even brand new buildings will no longer be staffed or fulfil the purpose for which they were built.
If you want to keep them open and working, it is suggested that you join your local Friends group now, and organise.

We had a new library built in Durham and there was more mention of the computers than books. I order books on line and find that for a fee I get the books I want in good condition and don't have the clutter in the house storing them. I love owning books but I'm limited for space. I also buy for my kindle and from amazon. I collect lists of books . I copied many of Mumsnets reading lists from last year. They were very helpful in letting me know what's popular . Libraries are a sign that we are civilised.

Our libraries here suffered hugely from cutbacks last year. There was a public consultation and (despite protests in many areas) the upshot was that many libraries closed while some areas maintained a library only if volunteers could be found in sufficient numbers to staff it and they have limited funding, so it's debatable as to how long they will stay viable. Our local library suffered staffing cuts and a reduction in opening hours, but was reprieved because it serves a very large conurbation. We visit the library regularly and would sorely miss it if it weren't there. Referring back to goldengirl's post, it incorporates many of the things you say you would like to see - computer facilities and tuition, children's clubs, discussion groups, local history group, etc.

I've always used libraries and take my grandaughter to her busy local library every week for stories and nursery rhymes. I was shocked to be told that 8 out of 12 in the borough are to be closed down this year. This one is fabulous, well used, but there's a newer one a mile away - also well used. One of them is bound to go and as it's in an affluent residential area you can bet it'll be sold to private housing developers.

The libraries are like much of our public infrastructure that was built from scratch by the Victorians, now we're told there isn't the money to maintain them even though we must have ten times the GDP. We're one of the richest countries on the planet, it's not about a lack of money, just about the priorities where we spend it.

I have always used libraries a lot and still do. It is dreadfully sad and appallingly shortsighted to reduce their opening times and – worse – close them down. I am glad to say that my local library is thriving and always busy. My youngest grandson – three in March – looks forward to our weekly visit on Friday mornings and remembers a lot about the books we have taken out together in the past year. It's an invaluable asset to any family, even those like ours with more books than shelves in their houses.

As a huge library fan myself, I understand how you feel. But it is a fact, - locally here anyway, - that they have been closing right over the Christmas - New Year period for several years now. It isn't new, not to my knowlege.
I too am longing to get some new books as I have read the 5 that I took out before Christmas. Thank goodness for my Kindle.
The library in Newton Abbot was recently closed for months and months for refurbishment, and I feared the worst. But, it re-opened with all sorts of great facilities and a better system etc... So not all libraries are being cut back, thank goodness.
Is this a record? - I've been a member of the Devon Library Service for 71 years, joining when I was 6 and I am now 77. The pleasure and value I have obtained from libraries is incredible. I am a huge fan and hope they continue forever.

Our library still looks and functions the same as normal. It is very good.
I am not sure why it has not had cuts yet. Though there may be less staff?

It's a pity that libraries can't be expanded to be more than libraries eg community centres which could include computer courses, lunch clubs, book groups, children's reading / writing clubs. Having a property only loaning books, mags and DVDs is now becoming a luxury sadly. Though we are contributing through our council tax of course

I think it is the children,with parents who are not interested in books, who have the most to lose.
Adults will still be able to access cheap books if they want to.

It is a difficult equation, and we could go down the route of making cuts in anything which nurtures the intellect or the heart, and concentrating on the physical - carers, nurses, houses, roads etc.

What a shame that would be - what a terrible backward step for civilisation.