RESIDENTS REFUSE TO HAVE THEIR LIBRARIES SHELVED

Gloucestershire Council in the Dock

Residents of Gloucestershire have given Library Campaigners across the country a boost by obtaining a High Court injunction against the closure of their libraries. This also reminds local authorities that they have a statutory duty to provide a full and comprehensive library service under The Museum and Libraries Act 1964. This action represents the first time the Act has been tested in court and round one has clearly gone to the residents. As Public Interest Lawyers solicitor Daniel Carey, acting on behalf of Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries notes; “the High Court has today ensured that these cuts will receive the full scrutiny of the law. The council has very clear statutory duties to provide libraries and these plans breach them.”

Read further reports here:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/high-court-halts-gloucestershire-library-closures.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-13817172

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/106068

Meanwhile in Barnet

Local residents in Barnet have been no less vociferous in campaigning to keep their libraries open.

Friern Barnet residents have mounted well supported read-ins at their threatened library and are investigating the possibility of obtaining village green status for the green space next to it. More than 2,000 people signed the petition which has now been presented to the council.

Future planned protests are a ‘Walk to the Library’ week for local children from Monday 11th – Friday 15th July. The campaigners would like as many local schools to participate as possible so if your children or their school want to join-in contact them at savefriernbarnetlibrary@gmail.com . The ‘Walk to the Library’ week will reach a stunning finale with a party for the library on  Saturday 16th July from 2-4pm. Check out https://sites.google.com/site/savefriernbarnetlibrary/updates for up-to-date information.

Hampstead Garden Suburb residents have been doing their homework and reckon the council have got their figures wrong in their justification to close the local library. Campaigners say, “While it is claimed that our Suburb library is the second costliest to run, one of the reasons cited being that the premises are the only ones in the borough which are leased from a private landlord, our investigations have shown that the rent for 2010/11 is only £ 10,532 p.a., just 7.6% of its total costs. What however is very disturbing is the fact that over £ 57,000 or 41% of the total overheads is being charged to us by way of ” central ” Barnet library charges. To determine what savings are indeed possible , without prejudicing the quality of the service, surely any cost projections must be calculated on a ” like with like ” basis ? The full article can be viewed at http://www.hgs.org.uk/newspages/20110506savehgslibrary.html and in the local press here http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9059899.Library_cost_figures_queried_by_campaigners/

North Finchley residents are also concerned about the future of their library and have managed to obtain 790 signatures on a petition which, as reported by Mrs Angry, Barnet Councillors managed to ignore by use of the new format for Residents Forums. See http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.com/2011/06/telling-it-like-it-is-residents-forum.html for all the shameful details.

Library campaigners of Barnet – Don’t hide your light under a bushel. If you are organising a protest, a petition, a Read-in, a Love-in or anything designed to support your library we want to help spread the word. Send the details to Barnet UNISON on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or Barnet Alliance for Public Services on barnetalliance4publicservices@gmail.com