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Libraries at Risk

superdad3

superdad3

master brummie
I know Birmingham [BCC] is in financial meltdown but have just read the proposals for community libraries.

The council plans to turn 11 of the existing 36 venues [ie community libraries] into joint 'library and neighbourhood advice service hubs' - putting the other 25 under threat. That leaves libraries in 25 neighbourhoods at risk, according to the document. The proposals have just been unveiled to staff. Just one council-run combined library and neighbourhood advice service is likely to operate in each of the city's ten parliamentary constituencies, along with the flagship Library of Birmingham. They will be rebranded as 'Community Living Rooms'.It is likely that those libraries will only be retained if local groups and volunteers step in and the service can be moved into other neighbourhood venues. A sale of some buildings is expected to follow. The proposals are subject to public consultation and further discussions will take place with staff and residents before decisions are made about which libraries will be retained by the council and which will go, [Thanks to BHam Live for info]

This has all the making of a disaster. I don't trust any so called consultation by BCC - all too often ignored.
 
Thanks to superdad3 for posting this dire news story by Jane Haynes.
I see 'Some 47 jobs out of the existing 221 among librarians and support staff are set to go.'

With the best will in the world a volunteer cannot run a library effectively. And people who volunteer are working for free and displacing paid librarians and assistants.

We need to keep an eye on this story as it develops. £189 m was spent just over 10 years ago on the then New Library for Birmingham, as the architect said 'We don't know what the future of the library will be.' But we know now that it looks decidedly fragile. Libraries are not just buildings, but people and knowledge.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/aug/29/birmingham-new-library-architecture
 
They tried this for a time at Erdington Library, sweeping away the lovely old entrance desk, bringing in the neighbourhood office and then deciding that it wasn't a success and reverting back to library only.

Sutton Library is falling apart and access to records is minimal. The staff are as helpful as they can be but not trained for historical record retrieval. The loo has been out of action since before Christmas and I'm sure this library isn't the only one being neglected. I feel that some libraries are being allowed to deteriorate until they are beyond saving. I do hope not.
 
i think for some years now some of us have been concernced for our libraries its nothing new really and a lot us expected this sad outcome...i must try and get into spring hill library to take some photos...thats if it still open...

lyn
 
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