The Library Campaign is a registered charity (E&W No. 1102634) supporting friends and users of libraries.
12 January has been announced as the deadline for submissions of evidence for the
More details here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/library-closures-call-for-evidence/
Gloucestershire and Somerset campaigners won a victory in the courts today: Guardian report. Those who attended the Library Campaign conference last month will remember the talk by Jo and Demelza of Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries. Their tenacity has paid off, and library campaigners everywhere are in their debt.
This is a real shot in the arm as we prepare for Saturday's planning meeting for a national demonstration to #savelibraries. 11am at Birkbeck. All welcome. Details: http://andrewtlc.blogspot.com/2011/11/planning-meeting-for-national.html
The planning meeting for the national demonstration to save libraries will be at 11 am on Saturday 19 November, in Room G16, Birkbeck College. Use the entrance in Torrington Square: Birkbeck College's interactive map
The meeting will end at 1 pm, to allow time for a lunch break before the meeting of the Library Campaign Executive Committee at 2pm. EC meetings are open, so do stay if you can.
Until the official transcript of this morning's Culture Media and Sport Select Committee session with the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt, appears, here's a version in note form put together by reviewing the live television stream. Note that we were incorrect to tweet during the session that Hunt had said that the Isle of Wight and Somerset court cases were due to report before the end of the month; he said that it was Gloucestershire and Somerset. Nevertheless, Brent campaigners will be surprised to hear this, as they believe their Court of Appeal case will come first.
Hunt was asked three questions by the committee, all by the chair.
Q: How does he understand the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act requirement for a comprehensive and efficient service?
A: Original definition of comprehensive and efficient in Roberts Report of 1959. Comprehensive = good selection of books, when books more expensive, efficient = reducing no of authorities. He takes responsibilities seriously, modernisation yes, vandalism no. Has had extensive discussions and engagement with Brent, Lewisham, Somerset, Gloucestershire and IoW about their programmes, not appropriate to comment in detail on individual cases as judicial reviews in progress, Somerset and Glos this month, Brent from Court of Appeal next. 151 library authorities, 140 are modernising, dealing with cuts without large library closure programmes. What we are here to protect under 64 Act is services not buildings, not to stand in way of sensible modernisation, make sure local authorities doing everything they can through library plans to maintain good library services
We're picking up a lot of blog posts from delegates. The prize for comprehensiveness must go to Ian Anstice on his Public Libraries News site, who has shared twelve pages of verbatim notes, as well as a summary post. It's also well worth reading Lauren Smith, who blogs at Walk You Home, Voices for the Library's post, Information Overload, whose subtitle, From Local to National, sums up the spirit of the conference very well and the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries blog
If you know of other blog or media coverage of the conference, please let us know by e-mail, Twitter or in the comments.
One of the chief actions to come out of last Saturday's conference was that we should organise, in February, a national demonstration for public libraries in London, route to include Downing Street and/or the DCMS. One suggestion is that at DCMS, or in Trafalgar Square, we might have a read-in. This is not in opposition to 4 February, 2012, which is National Libraries Day. It could take place later in the month, so that the local activities on 4 February are an opportunity to build for the march.
This will take a lot of organisation, so the next Executive Committee of the Library Campaign will be a planning meeting, open to all who want to play a part. It's at 2pm on Saturday 19 November, at a central London venue: place to be announced as soon as we have it.
Note (31 October): we may have to move the time forward too; more news when we have it
The most comprehensive account of Saturday's conference was on Public Libraries News: http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2011/10/library-campaign-conference-latest.html
Other press accounts:
Guardian: Philip Pullman declares war against 'stupidity' of library closures
Bookseller: Pullman calls library fight "war against stupidity"
We can now announce details of workshop leaders for the workshops on Saturday.
Registration is still open at http://andrewtlc.blogspot.com/2011/09/online-registration-form.html or by email
Today Mr Justice Ouseley ruled in favour of Brent council. This is a blow, but the thousands of people involved in campaigning for libraries will not give up just because the law is an ass. But how? The place to debate these issues is at the first national forum for library campaigners since the coalition seized power, the conference on 22nd October. Details here: http://andrewtlc.blogspot.com/2011/09/online-registration-form.html
As we prepare for the conference, now less than a month away, we'll be using social media extensively. If you use Twitter, follow us: Follow @LibraryCampaign. On Facebook we can be found at http://www.facebook.com/LibraryCampaign
The hashtag for the conference is #libcampconf.
If you're interested in using social media as a campaigning tool, make sure you go to the workshop at the conference led by Gary Green of Voices for the Library.
We plan workshops on 22 October on the following themes:
Not all may run, depending on level of interest.
The conference hashtag will be #libcampconf
The Library Campaign Conference 22 October 2011, University of London Union Malet St
10:00 Registration (Tea/coffee)
10:30 Introduction to the day
10:35: First plenary: presentations from the Brent, Doncaster and Gloucester campaigns
11:20: Second plenary: Pete Challis, Unison: Local Government Finance - National To Local
12:00: Workshops
13:00: Lunch (included in registration fee)
14:00: Workshops
15:00: Tea/ coffee
15:15: Plenary report back
16:00: Philip Pullman
16:30: Close
To register e-mail librarycam@aol.com or write to The Library Campaign, 13 Shrublands Close, Chelmsford, CM2 6LR
Registration fee - £15 Cheques payable to The Library Campaign. Can be paid on the day but you must tell us in advance that you are coming and we would prefer the money up front. The registration does include lunch - please tell us about any dietary requirements.
The Library Campaign will assist representatives of local user/ friends groups with reasonable travel costs. Receipts must be provided.
The University of London Union is a short walk from Euston station. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
On 22 October 2011 the Library Campaign in association with Voices for the Library will be hosting a conference for library user groups. It will be a chance for users to compare notes, find out more about the issues confronting them and produce some proposals for future action both locally and nationally.
Philip Pullman has agreed to speak and there will also be contributions from some of the campaigns that are making news.
There will be also be lots of opportunities to network and to discuss the issues in small groups.
Some of the proposed discussion topic include
The conference will be on Saturday 22 October at the University of London Union on Malet Street, London , WC1. Travel details here
There will be a registration fee of £15 which will cover the whole day including lunch. The Library Campaign will pay reasonable travel expense for representatives of local groups who need assistance with fares.
