Redbridge Council will be temporarily offering a fines amnesty before passing over debt collection to an US company called Unique Management Services. It’s the third council to pass on its debt list to them this year. The scale of the problem of the non-collection of late fees and lost books is examined below, taken from this website’s page on saving money without closing libraries.
All library authorities have, theoretically, thousands of pounds owing to them from users due to late fees, lost items or even stolen books. The scale of these losses vary. Reading has 2,400 long overdue books and Northamptonshire 12,300. In terms of money owed, it is normally over a hundred thousand pounds: Cumbria £170k, Surrey £700k, York £50k, Leicestershire £238k, Kent £100k, Bracknell £105k, Northern Ireland £160k,Redbridge £167,692, Bradford £174k, and Brighton and Hove £175k. Essex retrieved £648k in late fees. Please note, though, that the wide variety of thse figures indicates differing size of councils and different practice. Some councils wipe (effectively waiving) records of lost items after x number of years, others use y number of years while others just don’t delete fines, ever.
So, what are the pros and cons of pursuing debt recovery in these financially stringent times?
Pro – (a) Getting all this money back would make a significant impact. This is taken very seriously in the USA. An American library service uses a collection service that generates $9k per month.
Also, (b) it encourages others to return items on times and thus improve available stock. It even (c) encourages people to come back to use the library as the fees charges are rarely as high as people fear (although, often, those with non-returned books worry so much about late items they keep them for years, or bin them, rather than owning up to the feared scary librarian who, in reality, would be just happy to see the item back). Finally, (d) breaking the law by stealing books is an offence and offenders should be punished.
Con – (i) It could cost a fortune to fully recover fines/items because (ii) amounts owed to libraries tend to be quite small but very numerous. The cost of recovering these debts can be similar to, or exceeding that, of the value of items returned. Taking legal action against a member of the public for return of items is (iii) rife with danger as it could be seen as a waste of resources being the cost of legal action would almost certainly be more than the value of the items concerned (see this article about Bromley sending a letter asking for some books back from an eight-year old – this article was then taken up by the Telegraph the next day). Being (iv) too stringent on chasing late items would also deter genuine users from the library service. Generally, (v) British library services see owed fines as a standard part of the service, impossible to eradicate, that they will likely largely recover over the fullness of time. Finally, (vi) one could fall foul of the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act if one uses fines as a way to make money for the service rather simply as an incentive for returning material on time. However, considering the recent poor enforcement of this Act, this is likely to be seen as only a minor problem by authorities.
“Assistant mayor Councillor Sarah Russell, who is responsible for libraries in the city, said: “A lot of time people are worried if a book has been damaged, or if they find it under a teenager’s bed when they move out of home – they decide to keep it rather than face the fines. “That’s why we hold amnesties every now and then, because it helps us as well as the library users. “It means we don’t have to spend money replacing missing items and we don’t have to spend energy chasing people up.” Leicestershire.
“You don’t want to penalize people for reading. Sometimes you’re really into a novel and it takes you a little longer to get through it. As it happens, you return a book two or three days late. It’s not a big deal. We can get over that,” Maghnieh said. “It’s a way of really rewarding our patrons for using the library.” Windsor Public Library, USA.
Seven library services you might not know about – Matador life (USA). Includes job hunting, finding a date, live music, storytelling, author feedback, legal advice, home energy audits.
Cambridgeshire – 13 smallest libraries to be reduced to one paid member of staff, with volunteers and self-service for the other work. I have included these as still at threat for the time being, although I am aware this is a grey area. Previously these thirteen branches were to be totally volunteer-run with a “central” librarian directing them.
Croydon – Closure of New Addington Library building not far off, says Sara Bashford – This is Croydon Today. “Croydon councillor Sara Bashford said it would not be long before the current building on Central Parade is closed and moved into the Calat building. But the councillor, who acts as the council’s cabinet member for customer services, stated she could not guarantee the same number of available books would be transferred over despite promising the new home would “offer the same level of service”.
Yes, indeed, Kent will charge schools for the privilege of getting their kids to join the library.
It’s not illegal. They’re entitled to do it. They may feel under such gigantic pressure that they have to do it. This is a council that last year considered closing an awful lot of of their branches. It’s, after all, a great service to visit the school and get it all done. It’s also, of course, the start of a slippery slide into unequal services and the end of a free public library service. Expect more of these money-making ideas from councils around the country. Unless the Secretary of State starts making difficult decisions himself, rather than doing nothing at all.
400 libraries (310 buildings and 90 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below. Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries). The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend or annul the Libraries Act 1964; if so, when; and if he will make a statement.
This Department has no plans at present to amend or annul the Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
Hansard via They Work For You.
Saving our Libraries – Big Issue. Lauren Smith writes in the “Our Issues” column on the threats facing libraries and why campaigning is so important.
Kent – Edukent Packaged Services – Kent Council. Charges for school staff to use public libraries after the recent withdrawal of the school library service there.
The Last Ten Years. Good and bad in libraryland.
It’s often difficult to find simple and straightforward figures for national library usage, especially those over any length of time. The following will, I hope, therefore be of use for those interested in the subject.
They show good news and bad news. For the doomsayers, we can see that overall visits and adult borrowing has indeed declined, although perhaps not at the catastrophic pace that some seem to believe. This decline is mirrored in the reduction of the number of libraries and mobiles available and in the number of books available for lending.
For good news, we can see that child usage has stayed the same and has indeed slightly increased recently. A strange trend for a supposedly outmoded service.
Tim Coates, who kindly provided these charts, argued in a final slide that the points to be made were (a) “The library service has been well resourced with both capital and revenue”, (b) “Book collections have been neglected and as a result the use of books have fallen and (c) the rise of council overheads have stifled improvement”. A video presentation by him analysing Somerset’s expenditure is also available. However, one should say that Tim’s views are not one uniformly shared, especially by librarians. For my part, I don’t know enough to make a firm stand either way, although I would agree with Tim that an easy correlation can be made between bookfund and the resultant book borrowing.
There is something, though, that most would agree on. We should expect the revenue and capital to fall off a cliff in 2011/12 and into 2012/13. Whether there will be a corresponding decrease in usage will be the key to the survival of public libraries, at least at the local branch level. A steep decline would set off a vicious circle where the decline in revenue leads to a decline in usage leading to a further decline in revenue. This is what many fear. It’s up to us all to make sure that it does not happen.
I have amended this commentary due to feedback kindly received. And added paragraph (29/2/12) is in italics.
to 2007 (c/ 59m) then levelled of to some extent.
decline in libraries budget more noticeable.
Child usage has levelled/slightly risen.
Visits increased to 2004/5 but have declined since.
Engineers crashing our gates – Nicolas Morin (USA). Librarian written blog article: “We’re the nice guys, the not-for-profits, we’re working for the common good, we’re small, we’re poor… but we nevertheless are members of the incumbent class. It’s uncomfortable, since we mostly think of incumbents as people of power who want to preserve the status quo in their favor, but that’s the way it is: we’re incumbents with little power.”. Not the easiest read or especially relevant to library cuts now but it does point to possible future paths.
Gateshead – £305k cut, some staffing cuts, possibility of volunteers replacing staff in some branches.
Kent – Sturry Library temporarily closed due to arson attack.
Doncaster – We need your help: Legal Aid to match – Save Doncaster Libraries. “Efforts to match the Legal Aid funding awarded to our brave resident heading our fight for justice through the Courts, have begun. A hardy group of campaigners stood outside Doncasters’ fantastic Markets to inform and enable people to drop cash in buckets. We are also commencing targeted requesting, and facebook/twitter campaigning. We need to raise a significant amount in a very short time, £15,000 (+VAT).” [Plus VAT? Not only are the Government forcing people to fight their battles for them but they’re also taxing them for the privilege of doing so – Ed.].
The list of “withdrawn” libraries since April 1st last year has now gone over 100. Of these, 38 buildings and 46 mobiles have just plain closed, while most of the balance have become volunteer-run. It is expected from media sources that there will be many more volunteer-run branches over the next two months. Three times more than these one hundred have been announced in the media as under threat, with doubtless more having plans drawn against them by councils up and down the country.
People in the Isle of Wight were apparently watching open-mouthed while the Leader of their Council talked to the Select Committee on library closures. It seems that here is not much that he said that is not disputed in some way or another. He came under some very direct questioning, some would say grilling, by MPs at the Committee over apparent differences between his statements and the perceptions of those on the ground. Indeed, it was an object lesson on how people can have completely opposite views on the facts. Cllr David Pugh thinks he volunteers a lot in his local library; some local people think he doesn’t. He thinks people are enthusiastic about volunteering; library campaigners say they were blackmailed into it. Cllr Pugh thinks library staff were happy to train volunteers; while others think they were about as enthusiastic about it as turkeys are about Christmas. It must be very strange in the Isle of Wight with such basic arguments about the facts. What they need of course are properly funded libraries with professionally trained staff who are expert and neutral in their provision and give such answers. It’s a shame that this is exactly appears to be disappearing there.
Doncaster – Appeal for funds for legal case against the closure of twelve libraries. Anyone who wants to donate can contact SDL treasurer John Sheppard. Email johnshep50@talktalk.net or call 07951 382 703.
Isle of Wight – Friends write to Committee over inquiry into library closures – Ventnor Blog. Complaint regarding statements by David Pugh, leader of the Council that (a) volunteers reluctantly did so as a last resource rather than enthusiastically like Mr Pugh said, (b) that Mr Pugh has done very little volunteering unlike the impression given by him, (c) library staff were very unhappy to train volunteers, not happy like Mr Pugh said. From this article, one wonders if there is anything that Mr Pugh said to the Committee that is not disputed. Double taxation also caused by local councils having to support libraries that Wight no longer has decided to. Volunteer-run libraries have a questionable future, dubious finances and poor to non-existent long-term planning. Loss of Act, suggested by Mr Pugh, would mean some areas having a very poor service and the likelihood of the closure of all but two Wight libraries.
Playwright Alan Bennett on libraries, cycling and “celebrity” neighbours – Camden New Journal. “Mr Bennett said families in Primrose Hill and beyond should be able to take their local library “for granted” – and not be in fear that it could close down. The 77-year-old said on Tuesday: “I think that at this stage it doesn’t matter what children read or where they read it, whether it is in a book or on the computer, what matters are words.”. Save Primrose Hill Library, in association with Primrose Hill Books, are inviting residents to an evening with Alan Bennett at Cecil Sharp House next Thursday (March 1) at 7pm for 7.30pm.
“People do say children don’t need libraries because they have got a computer – that’s rubbish,” he said. And it’s rubbish because they just don’t all have computers, poor children don’t have computers, and a lot of children who go to Chalk Farm Library will be poor. You are not supposed to say that these days, it is supposed to be bad taste to say that, but it is the case. The library is for every section of the community but it is the children who are the most vital it seems to me.”” Alan Bennett.
“Schools minister Nick Gibb met Tesco in February and March last year……The government did say the meetings were held to discuss literacy, reading and how to get children to read more. But no more information, such as who came from Tesco, was released. The Eye pursued the matter under freedom of information laws, but the department refused to say anything about the meetings, simply pointing out that ministers needed to discuss sensitive and high profile issues without distracting, disruptive or otherwise detrimental effect of disclosure. The Eye appealed, and while the minutes of the meeting remain secret, some sketchy e-mails were passed on. They show that Gibb met Tesco boss Lucy Neville-Rolfe, who was accompanied by Tesco’s senior buying manager for children’s books and government affairs director. Another e-mail says that between the two meetings civil servants set up a meeting with Tesco marketing team based on the direction the minister wishes us to go in.” The Tesco Problem, Private Eye, 10/2 to 23/2/2012.
Vennesla Library and Culture House – Paranoias. One of the most beautiful small library designs I have seen for a while, this one being in Norway. Star Trek Meets Star Wars (doesn’t that look like the Jawa’s transporter from some angles?) meets Gutenberg.
Devon – Volunteers extend opening hours each Tuesday morning at Colyton: first of its kind in Devon. £35k work at Colyton includes self-service.
Edinburgh – Cuts to opening hours reversed after 10,000 responses to consultation.
Waltham Forest – South Chingford and Harrow Green Libraries closed in December 2011. A new volunteer-run South Chingford Library will open in April 2012.
Doncaster campaigners have confirmed that they will be taking legal action against their Council. Surrey campaigners have already started along this road following in the footsteps of Somerset, Gloucestershire, Brent and the Isle of Wight.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many libraries were (a) closed and (b) opened in each local authority area in each of the last five years.
Data about the library sector are published annually by the Chartered institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and are available for the last five years. The Department supplements them by monitoring proposals about changes to library services across England through information gathered via correspondence, media coverage and from relevant bodies such as Arts Council England. It is difficult to get an accurate picture, as many local authorities are still developing and consulting on proposals and consequently the overall picture is always changing. While a definitive number is open to interpretation, we understand, from information we have gathered to date, that fewer than 50 static libraries ceased to be funded by their local authority between April and September 2011. Of these, responsibility for around a dozen libraries has been transferred away from the local authority and they remain open. Initial assessments also suggest around 40 libraries are being refurbished or are being opened—for example, large scale library building and improvement is happening in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Blackpool, and significant new builds have opened, for example in Southwark and Hertford.” (Hansard – via They Work For You 20/2/12).
North Somerset – Backwell Library to close from April.
Barnet – No reprieve for library while freeze on council tax planned – Barnet Today. Poor writing in libraries report attacked. “Mr Rawlings said proposals by the Save Friern Barnet Library group to take over the running of the library in Friern Barnet Road were never properly considered.”. Council says they did. “Negotiations are ongoing with the Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents’ Association, which is hoping to take over the running of the library in Market Place, while the council continues to pay the lease.”.
Campaigners share their disappointment over Friern Barnet library closure – Times series.
Read the letter from DCMS legal advisers about library closures in the London Borough of Brent – DCMS. Letter from department explaining why they are “minded” to intervene.
Durham – Public meeting on cuts to library – Teesdale Mercury. “The Friends of Barnard Castle Library organisation is rallying residents to voice their opinions on Durham County Council’s controversial proposals. The council’s cabinet last week agreed to seek feedback on plans to reduce opening hours at Barnard Castle Library to 36 hours a week.”. Mobile libraries also to be cut.
Gloucestershire – Mr Hunt, action is overdue – FoGL. Library book budget is amongst lowest in country and will be cut even further to less than 79p per resident. The Secretary of State should take his duties seriously and intervene.
Site wanted for Marylebone Library – BBC.
Council defends bid to privatise libraries – Get Wokingham. “The council agreed to investigate privatising its libraries in May 2010, with the expectation of appointing a partner in March this year, however the project has been delayed and is now expected to be operational by October.” … “Although the council is putting conditions in place, such as engagement with library users when making decisions, there is no specific condition to keep all libraries open.”. All the comments after the article are negative.
One in five public librarians have gone, this year.
The headline comes from Annie Mauger, chief of CILIP, who said that 700 out of the 3500 people working as public librarians in the UK may have lost their jobs this year. It was made in giving evidence to the DCMS Select Committee on Public Libraries this morning. A summary of the other main points raised in the hearing will appear as a special posting shortly.
The DCMS have made it clear that they are not going to intervene over the closures in Brent. This will surprise no-one who has followed the department’s, and the relevant ministers, approaches to the cuts in libraries over the last year. Let’s make this clear. In bold and in italics. Anyone who is following libary cuts at least privately believes that there is no way the DCMS will intervene in any case on any terms. It would go directly against the perceived localism agenda and the need to force through the biggest cuts in local government in peacetime history. There are aspects of the response to cuts, notably the use of volunteers and non-profit organisations in the running of libraries, that ties in so beautifully with the Big Society that it almost seems designed for it. The only way that the Government will intervene is if they are legally forced to by a judge deciding that the Secretary of State is in breach of his statutory duties. Even then, it is likely that the Government will simply change the law, as they are doing with the recent case of a court deciding that saying prayers in council meetings is illegal. It is up to the campaigners and the organisations involved to see if the effort to force the DCMS to intervenese is therefore worth it.
Ministers don’t understand libraries – Huffington Post UK. Annie Mauger, CILIP chief, said at the Inquiry that politicians often don’t understand what libraries do. She also singled out Jeremy Hunt for failing to intervene to stop closures. Arts Council England chief complained of the lack of breathing space libraries had to cope with the cuts and other changes.
“It seems they accept Brent’s reasoning at face value. It seems to me a very dismissive response. They gloss over what is a lot of chaos on the ground. They seem to have accepted whatever it is Brent has said to them about the library service being comprehensive and sufficient.” Brent campaigner.
Minister refuses to investigate library closures – Harrow Observer. “Brent SOS (Save our Six) has announced today that Jeremy Hunt has refused to look into the council’s closure of six treasured libraries, despite receiving more than 10,000 submissions from the public.” Brent campaigner shave 14 days to reply.
Ealing – New Ealing libraries strategy “is rehashed muddle” – Save Ealing Libraries Campaign. “We’d been told [at the Ealing Council Cabinet meeting] on January 24 that a new libraries strategy would be launched in February. As there was no evidence of this on the council’s website I phoned Committee Services and learned it’s not a new document at all, but a tidying up of last July’s Draft Ealing Library Strategy 2011-2014”. The good practice of Hillingdon nextdoor is highlighted by the article.
Wiltshire – Have your say on mobile library routes in Wiltshire – This is Wiltshire.
Brent Visitor Figures since the six libraries closed.
Part of the reasons that the DCMS is using in order to avoid intervening in the Brent Council’s closing of half of its libraries is that the Council had confirmed that “the figures they hold for library visit numbers for December 2011 and January 2012 show substantial increases in visits to the six remaining libraries – as compared with figures for the same months for the previous year.”. While this may be true of each individual branch, it is clear that there has been a major detrimental effect to the service as a whole. Probably, this has something to do with overall opening hours have decreased from 544 hours per week to 349 hours a week.
“The Secretary of State is relying on flawed evidence to justify his reluctance to get involved. Brent Council appears to be trying to pull the wool over his eyes by claiming that library usage in Brent has increased. Tragically the facts show otherwise. Since Labour closed half of our local libraries far fewer local residents are visiting, studying and enjoying their local library service.” Cllr Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat Leader, Brent.
More details on this can be found in this letter to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State.
Staying in Brent, the Council, in a very novel – some would say counterintuitive – approach to improve culture, has decided to terminate the contract for Willesden Bookshop in order to make way for a new “Willesden Green Cultural Centre”. The bookshop somewhat ironically specialises in children’s and multicultural books. One thousand people have already protested about the decision. There’s going to be a meeting partially about the closure in the Library tomorrow. This points to another problem with the lans as the building work will also involve closing Willesden Green Library for 18 months and its “Cultural Centre” replacement does not appear to have meeting rooms. The council have refused to allow one of its local recently closed libraries to be a substitute during that time.
This could be of course a very cunning Labour plan. Brent may have been cutting its libraries despite massive popular pressure and demand in order to show that the Conservatives will not intervene in any circumstances and thus cause a national decrease in popularity for them. When this approach initially failed to embarrass the Secretary of State into action, Brent ramped up the pressure by awarding a prize to the team that closed the libraries. When even this failed to cause any intervention, the cunning Brent strategists may have thought it a wheeze if it were to effectively close another one while as an added bonus destroying a book shop as collateral damage in the process. How could the Coalition stand by now? Surely, such cunning strategy will cost the Cameron the next election?
Well, I know it’s far-fetched it’s the only possibility for the Council’s actions I can think of that makes any kind of sense.
Evidence sessions for Parliamentary Inquiry into library closures – Voices for the Library. Summary of the points made during first inquiry session.
Iain Banks campaigns against “barbaric” cuts to libraries – Scotsman. “Best-selling author Iain Banks is launching a campaign to stop Scotland’s libraries from cutting their opening hours. Banks, who is spearheading the protest alongside fellow sci-fi authors Ken MacLeod and Charles Stross, has described the moves to slash opening times by up to 20 per cent as a barbaric act.” … “The libraries campaign will be launched next month in Edinburgh, where the council has cut staff and plans to restrict access to save money.”.
“The reason so many in the book world reacted lukewarmly to Nick Gibb’s words about reading is the record of the Government (“Top marks to our Schools minister”, 12 February). The coalition turned down our request to make school libraries statutory, a status prison libraries have. It cut the very successful book-gifting schemes run by Booktrust, and would have cut them even more had we not howled with outrage. It is, as D J Taylor notes, inflicting shocking damage to our libraries. Secretary of State Michael Gove praised a New York reading scheme while failing to mention our own highly successful Summer Reading Challenge co-ordinated by the Reading Agency. We authors love words, but without action to nurture the reading environments in which they nestle, germinate and grow, their power to educate, inform and inspire is reduced.” Alan Gibbons in letter to Independent.
Isle of Man – 2 to close: Family and Mobile Libraries. School Library Service as well. Facebook Group. Petition.
Wiltshire – Review of mobile library service (but no cuts to total numbers, staff or hours).
Wolverhampton – £900k renovation of Central Library enters final stage.
Worcestershire – Upton Library under threat.
Barnet – Library closure plans go before Cabinet tonight – Times series. “Barnet Council Cabinet members will discuss proposals to close Friern Barnet and North Finchley libraries tonight.”. Friern Barnet has 3000 supporters, Hampstead Garden Suburb Library also to be discussed.
Prospect Union on library closures – Manx TV. 4 minutes interview showing how important libraries are and what an impact the closures will make.
Surrey – Stephen Fry invited to discuss Surrey library plans – BBC. Council says “”Perhaps when we’ve had a conversation, at the end of it, I would hope that Stephen would realise why we are doing this and what our objectives are. Perhaps he would like to come and meet some of the volunteers who are going to do this and then perhaps he might be in a position where he can then make a judgement from a constructive point of view.”. Mr Fry tweeted his support for those against the cuts a couple of days ago.
Stephen Fry tweets support for Surrey library action group – BBC.
396 libraries (307 buildings and 89 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK, complete list below. Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries). The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
This post brings Public Libraries News back up to date with all of the known media mentions of public libraries this week. It includes some news from both before and after yesterdays posting “Bit by Bit“. All of the other pages have now also up to date. There were no postings from Monday to Thursday due to myself and the family going on holiday. Ian A.
Surrey: Any donations to the legal action against cuts in Surrey will be gratefully received.
Arts Council and Local Government Association announce successful Libraries Development Initiative projects – ACE. Lists organisations which have gained funding.
Brave New World? – BookSeller. “So the coalition government has given the green light to local councils—which are struggling to balance their books in the face of the biggest public sector cuts in peacetime history—to hive off their public library services into the voluntary and community sectors. Many have already dipped their toes into these choppy waters. Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire were early adopters of this governance model, but others have followed in their footsteps—including Lewisham and Swindon, where usage and book loans have gone down dramatically since libraries were staffed by volunteers.”. John Pateman criticises the increasing moves to replace skilled library staff with enthusiastic but often unsustainable and untrained volunteers.
Gloucestershire – Library users not silent – This is Gloucestershire. 400 have so far responded to consultation.
Campaigners make complaint against Vaizey – Alan Gibbons. Full text of letter of complaint from Glos campaigners to Jeremy Hunt, David Cameron (and sent also to MPs concerned with library matters) about Ed Vaizey’s failure to respond to a letter sent two months ago with 456 signatures, including celebrities and experts.
Middlesbrough – Libraries and community centres face demolition – Gazette. “Grove Hill Library and the Grove Hill Youth and Community Centre will be demolished and the sites linked into the Grove Hill regeneration project.” … “Thorntree Library and Thorntree Youth Centre will be demolished with the sites being brought forward for development.”.
Suffolk – Eight join board set up to run county libraries – Bury Free Press. Backgrounds of members are of the new board are libraries (2), charities/volunteering (2), IT (1) and, surprisingly, finance (3).