The demise of libraries

I was taken to the library by either parent frequently when I was 5 or 6 years old. My love of reading has stayed with me throughout my life.

I retired as a librarian last year ahead of the latest round of local cuts. My job share partner and two other long standing colleagues have recently lost their jobs. There are no specialist posts now ( children's and reference librarian) just 3 librarians to do everything. Library assistants have had to reapply for their jobs too. Those reappointed are on lower grades and fewer hours, and experienced and long serving staff have reluctantly taken voluntary redundancy. Opening hours are greatly reduced to fit the smaller staff structure.
Our library service is a pale shadow of its former self, and those staff remaining are having to choose which tasks and services can be left undone.

Treebee what a truly sad state of affairs.

This dire situation radiates out further. My DS is a children's author who often appears in libraries and schools around the country, so he sees first hand the results of the cut backs. He worries that his future too will be affected as he makes half his salary from the touring.

I have to declare an interest here as I am on the Management Committee of our Community Managed Library.

Our village library was faced with closure until the Parish Council committed to paying for the services of a volunteer co-ordinator and asked for volunteers to run the library and to try to develop it as a community hub. We can get help and advice from the local 'hub' library.

I volunteered to do anything but cleaning (!!) and have found myself on the Operations Team. I also do a session behind the counter at least once a week.

The Ops team are responsible for making the most use possible of the small space we have and, so far, we have installed a coffee machine, run Rhyme Time, Saturday Stories, Family History classes, New to Computing Sessions, a lego club, second hand book sales, art exhibitions and sales, craft exhibitions and sales. We have our own independent book lending service running along side the 'proper' library and we are letting out the space when the library is closed for U3A sessions, adult literacy sessions and we are looking at doing things specifically for dementia sufferers and their families.

We have classes from the village school coming in on a regular basis and also children from all the nurseries come for specific story telling sessions. The Brownies and Cubs have come during closed periods and learnt more about the way a library works.

On our list of 50 volunteers we have retired librarians, teachers (current and retired) doctors, students, children doing their DofE and lots of people like me who want to get involved in their community.

The library is open at more convenient times for people and for slightly more hours.

It helps that our 2 part time librarians were found jobs at other libraries.

Everyone says that the volunteers have made the library much more lively and welcoming.

Did anyone hear Jeremy Vine talking about libraries yesterday? His comments at the end of the bit on libraries were really ageist and stupid.

Our county council is currently holding consultations about the future of their libraries. All our family have constantly used our local library. As well as book lending they have computers available, book clubs, story time for little ones, knitting and jigsaw puzzle groups to name but a few. We are hoping that our local library will remain open, it is quite a trek into the main branch in town. It is such a shame that in the race to save money libraries are deemed dispensable. I know we really need trained librarians but if it comes to it I would volunteer to work in a community library.

If I lived in your village Kitty I would definitely volunteer to join your library. All the activities sound great. Any tasting groups ?

So sad to hear of library closures and staff redundancies. I'm currently on a round of talks at various libraries about my book. The staff I've met so far have really tried to make the evenings go with a swing. There is usually tea and biscuits provided but coming up are events with home baking (I was allowed to choose what sort of cake!), and even one with a fish and chip supper all round before I start! We usually have a great time. Libraries were so serious when I was young. They are unrecognisable now -apart from the books of course!

My area doesn't seem to have been affected by cuts to libraries. More paid staff are now employed than five years ago and there are no volunteers required. When I go into my local library, it actually seems busier than it did ten years ago. There is a small corner which I guess you might call a community area, with papers, local information and a coffee machine. There are computers, which always seem to be in use, and plenty of activity in the children's section. There often seem to be older school children working in there as well. It all makes it a pleasant place to visit.

I live in Scotland so I wonder if the difference is because the Scottish govt has made different decisions from others elsewhere.

Kate, in the pipeline!!!

Every civilised society should have libraries- we need to fight the cuts.

It comes down to money. Libraries generate very little income, they aren't in the money making business.
They have great impact on society but the results are long term, hidden and difficult to quantify. Councils don't understand this.
And people in general don't value anything that comes free, or appears to be free because you pay through your taxes.
Good to hear about the thriving Scottish library.
I bumped into an ex colleague today who is so disgusted by our local situation that she's resigned her library membership in protest. I couldn't cope without my library books!

We are very lucky, a new library is to be built ,the one we use now was built in the sixties. Computers, access to genealogy sites and old news papers. We can borrow books to download. There is a children's area for books and through school holidays there is story time , painting and a local puppeteer entertains them.

Our town councillors hold their surgeries there in the evenings, the , local family history group meet there and there is even a knit and morning twice a week. A newspaper area with comfy seating too , no volunteers and there are two staff members available st all,opening times for anyone interested in local history. Some small villages have had their libraries closed, they only opened a couple of days a week so the library van will visit . They also hold art and craft exhibitions , so a very busy building

Our libraries are used by local councils as extensions to their offices -they administer bus pass forms, receive returned walking sticks and crutches and even dispense hearing aid batteries. A librarian was telling me that she had to learn about the various types of hearing aid. All this and an all singing all dancing programme of events. Not sure what will happen to them though. They are funded by Local Councils which are not allowed by the Scottish govt to raise council tax. Its a fraught time.

Absolutely tragic. Communities need centres other than shopping malls and the library meets that need on so many levels

For once I can compliment our council/library management. I live in RBWM (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) and we have lost NO libraries; in fact it's not long ago that we gained another local branch library in Maidenhead, as opposed to the main library in the Town Centre.
There are about 15 libraries altogether in the area, plus a mobile library and a home library service.
I think some of the factors that have helped them survive is embracing all the technological trends; you can borrow ebooks, for example. The branch I use has lots of things happening - young children's story/rhyme/activity times; Scrabble group; book groups and lending facilities for book groups operating elsewhere; a 'Skype' computer; even a small cafe, and lots more.

In Worcestershire, no libraries have closed and several have been upgraded to new buildings. The number of staff has gone down and been replaced by a massively increased number of volunteers. Most libraries operate in the way Kittylester describes. The best bit is that the number of library members has gone up and the numbers of book borrowings is very much higher. I think it's because people feel the library belongs to them and not to 'the officials'. In my experience, the people who use the libraries think it is an improvement, and the complaints tend to come from people who live the idea of libraries but haven't been in one for years.

Helmacd I live just over in the next county to you and things are not so healthy here sadly.

Does anyone else have trouble finding the book they want these days? The dewey system has gone- no subject index on the counter any more. It's all Health and Beauty, Travel, Craft etc Fiction is just as bad- instead of authors in alphabetical order, it's Romance, Westerns, Mysteries.
I can't stand it any more, it is an insult to the intelligence. Sorry!

Mrsmopp, the Delay system is alive and well in our volunteer run library and all our fiction books are shelved together apart from westerns and crime. This was as a result of our listening to the customers.

Our membership is rising although book issues are not rising at the same rate.

Our library still uses the Dewey system for non fiction. Fiction are filed alphabetically with separate sections for crime and sci fi. They used to shelve paperbacks separately which was fine for me as I prefer them, easier to carry around. You can request a book for 50p and I have only ever waited a few days to collect one. I do hope they keep our library open, we visit at least once a week. (We heard yesterday that they are closing our bank branch. Fine for those of us who can use on line banking but not everyone wants to do that. A sign of the times but not necessarily progress).

Pesky phone delay Dewey! And we have shelf edge subject indexes!

The closure of libraries and/or the reduction in hours is really awful. Libraries are the centre of many communities and a place of refuge for many people who are maybe lonely and find comfort sitting in a warm place looking through the papers, books and using the internet.

Also children can see a wide range of books and enjoy choosing which ones to take out. Volunteers are all well and good but we need the specialist knowledge of librarians and the security of knowing the library will remain open.