Facts and Figures

• Somerset’s residents have collected an amazing 24,926 signatures
• In just 61 days of campaigning
  24,055 signatures were collected on paper, with Somerset’s residents sending in 1,189 sheets. 871 were collected online.
• All 34 Somerset Libraries and 6 Mobile Libraries took part
• Campaigners stood outside Somerset’s Libraries in snow, cold, rain and sun to collect signatures
• Read-ins increased awareness and campaign groups were formed
• Door to door petition collections were made all across Somerset
• Authors from Somerset and beyond joined the campaign
• A four year old boy from Frome collected in the cold with his Mum outside Sainsbury’s for 1 ½ hours and provided us with an amazing 156 signatures. His eight year old brother wrote a letter for his school newsletter and collected even more!
• Pupils, teachers and parents from Somerset schools rallied to the cause
• Somerset’s hospitals became petition collection points
• Somerset’s dentists and doctors surgeries signed up
• Somerset’s post offices sent in huge numbers of signatures
• Somerset’s charity shops and community offices signed up
• Butchers and bakers across Somerset invited their customers to sign
• Somerset’s clubs and societies including the Women’s Institute, Taunton Caledonian society and a tap class collected signatures
• Hairdressers and health food shops throughout Somerset took part
• Coffee shops and cafes asked their customers to sign the petition
• Somerset’s community centres and nurseries took part
• Newsagents and pharmacies joined in the Somerset petition
• Somerset’s opticians collected signatures
• Hardware store customers and book groups were supporters
• Supermarkets were a popular collection point with branches of Asda, Co-op, Costcutter, Morrison, Sainsbury, Spar and Tesco welcoming campaigners to collect signatures across Somerset
• Somerset’s churches and faith groups collected signatures
• Library staff in Somerset collected signatures during their lunch hours and days off
• At Somerset County Council library consultation meetings signatures were collected
• Somerset’s town councils joined the campaign and Watchet town council wardens went door to door to collect signatures
• Trade unions in Somerset showed solidarity and support

‘We, the 24,926, petition the council to hold an urgent, open and transparent review of the plans and justification of the proposed 25% cut to the library budget. We object to the disproportionate loss of 60% of Somerset’s Library Service’

Save Somerset’s Libraries

would like to thank all the residents of

Somerset who pulled together to campaign

We salute and thank you

Library campaigners plan court action over closures
28/01/2011 Campaign groups are drawing up plans to take the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and his minister Ed Vaizey to court over the closure of more than 400 public libraries. Steve Ross, a former solicitor from Somerset, said campaigners would be applying for a judicial review. “The action will be taken in the name of children from around the country,” Ross said. For full article visit www.guardian.co.uk.

Village library saved from closure
28/01/2011 Campaigners are celebrating following Somerset County Council’s announcement this week that the Cheddar service is among nine libraries that may no longer face the axe. More from www.thewestonmercury.co.uk.

ILMINSTER: Ray of hope for Ilminster Library
28/01/2011 AS ILMINSTER was poised to do serious battle to save its library from closure, it seemed there may have been a reprieve, although the petition is still running and the signs are staying up for now. Somerset County Council announced on Tuesday that they have a new proposal to put before their committee next month, which means that nine libraries previously marked for closure could now be saved, including Ilminster and Martock. More from www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/

Mass Book-out staged in Wiveliscombe
28/01/2011 Protesters say they’ll continue to put pressure on Somerset County Council to keep all its libraries open. This week the authority unveiled new proposals. See our blog post and also ITV Westcountry Tonight.

Losing libraries in Somerset & Gloucestershire
26/01/2011 What is it about libraries? I don’t just mean why are they taking such a hammering as councils slash their spending. But how come they stir up much more protest than other, bigger cuts? Dozens are threatened with closure across the West. Somerset County Council went furthest, at first announcing 20 would lose their funding. Read more on Paul Barltrop’s (BBC Westcountry’s political editor) blog.

Library closure threats spark campaigns across England
26/01/2011 Joseph Reynolds and his 13-year-old daughter Eve love to read.
The marine engineer pops over the road to his library in the small town of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, about three times a week. More from BBC England

List of Somerset libraries saved from closure
25/01/2011 SOMERSET County Council has unveiled a list of libraries which could be spared the axe as part of is sweeping spending cuts. More details from www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/

Somerset County Council U-turn will save libraries
25/01/2011 Somerset County Council has made a major U-turn in the face of huge public opposition to proposals to close libraries.
Nearly half of the 20 libraries threatened with closure in Somerset could now be saved, a new report to councilors published today reveals.
And a year’s grace has been given to a further five threatened libraries to help communities gear up to take them over. More from www.thisissomerset.co.uk

Libraries Latest – press release from Somerset County Council
25/01/2011 Nearly half of the 20 libraries threatened with closure in Somerset could now be saved, it can be revealed. And a year’s grace has been proposed for a further five threatened libraries to help communities gear up to take them over.
Of Somerset County Council’s 34 libraries, that means just six could be at risk of closure in the current year – as opposed to the 20 that was first feared. More from Somerset County Council

Ilminster Town Council backed calls to save library
25/01/2011 ILMINSTER Town Council backed calls from a number of members of the community to save their library before last night’s announcement. The town council unanimously agreed to support the community in the effort to keep Ilminster Library open. More from /www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/.

New plans ‘could save Somerset libraries’ from closure
24/01/2011 Campaigners against the closure of a Somerset library are celebrating after the county council told them it was looking at new plans to keep it.
Residents in Wiveliscombe had been due to stage a protest on Saturday against their library closing, but instead they were celebrating. More from BBC Somerset.

Library protesters declare day of action
24/01/2011 A ‘carnival of resistance’ to threatened closures planned at more than 40 libraries on 5 February 2011, with over forty library “read-ins” scheduled in a coordinated protest over the threatened closures. More from www.guardian.co.uk.

Library fightback is under way
21/01/2011 THE fight is on to save Wiveliscombe library – one of 20 across Somerset set for closure. On Monday the Friends of Wiveliscombe Library set up communications and campaigning sub-groups to increase the pressure on the county council.
A spokesman for the group said: “We are writing to councillors and officers asking them to put back any decisions about the future of our libraries until proper discussions have taken place and solutions found. More from www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/

A selection of local and national news and articles about saving libraries.

Protest film being made over cuts to library services
19/01/2011 Celebrities including Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis are making a campaign film against the closure of libraries. More from BBC Somerset

Call to save Dulverton from service cuts
19/01/2011 PEOPLE in Dulverton are rallying together against spending cuts.
The town’s library, recycling centre and youth club are all under threat from Somerset County Council cuts. More from www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk

Watch news coverage of today’s book out and an update about Save Somerset Libraries campaign, including possible legal action, watch tonight’s ITV’s Westcountry Tonight .

We welcome the news that Somerset County Council is listening to its electorate and that the cuts will be more equally distributed.

However 14 out of 34 libraries could still be closed , 41%. Save Somerset Libraries do not believe this is necessary. Friends of Glastonbury Library submitted a costed proposal to Somerset County Council on January 13th and based on Somerset County Councils figures. It enabled all Somerset Libraries to stay open with a reduction in services preserving the library infrastructure so that the library service service can be built up gain when the economy recovers.

Julian Mellor from Friends of Wiveliscombe Library, who works as a community enterprise consultant, has concerns about the revised proposals:

“Of the libraries being offered to the communities it is not clear if these are to be run in on the community supported or the community run model.

“The Community Supported Model means the community is responsible for staff wages, rent, rates, utilities, and other running costs, volunteer training costs, the library management system, SCC internet connection, IT support and maintenance, new stock purchasing and processing costs,delivery and license charges. Volunteers play a substantial role.”

“In short: Community must pay SCC for any library services – and volunteer training too. But under the Community run model libraries are entirely outside SCC’s Libraries Network. All functions and costs must be carried by the local community and there is no access to County book stock.”

Julian considers neither of the unfunded scenarios to be viable or desirable. “The proposal documents we have seen to date have mentioned no research into the impact upon community wellbeing or whether any community could be able to source funding for services currently paid for via council taxes. Less affluent communities will be less able to retain their libraries, thereby further limiting the opportunities of local residents.”

Kay Hoskins Friends of Wiveliscombe Library is concerned there is no mention of the six mobile libraries vital to the people of Exmoor and is concerned that funding is withdrawn by September 2011 – too early for precept funding or community fund-raising unless they can get a Bill Gates type benefactor. SCC have no mandate to do this, they were only elected for 4 years, libraries have existed for decades and are held in trust for future generations as the heart of their communities to retain literacy, access to Internet for jobs,education and housing.


Commenting on the revised proposals national libraries campaigner Desmond Clarke said “While I welcome Somerset County Council’s revised proposals, I have no doubt that more can and should be done to provide a sustainable library service without closing any libraries. The clear message sent to the council is that we want you to find better ways to utilise our library funds to protect front line services. It can and must be done”.

Notes:
FOGL have invited a national expert on the Public Library Service to speak to County Councillors on 28th January. Tim Coates is an internationally recognised expert on the Public Library Service who for the last twelve years has concerned himself with finding ways of improving the Public Library Service. He has worked with local councils including Hampshire, Cumbria, Westminster, Tower Hamlets, Richmond, Oxfordshire, and his most well known work is with the London borough of Hillingdon.His work has included submissions to Government Departments and The House Of Commons Culture Select Committee and his evidence to that sub committee is widely quoted and was the basis for many of the recommendations made by that all party group.

Friends of Glastonbury Library are confident that his visit will further enable County Councillors to find the best solution possible for the library service in Somerset that safeguards the library infrastructure for future generations.

——————————-

http://www.FriendsOfWiveliscombeLibrary.co.uk

• Children’s story time and create a picture, poem etc about what the library means to you
• Find out what the library has to offer
• Bring a favourite poem or book to read from or just browse and see what you like the look of
• Chat to other library users and share what’s important to you about it, ideas and how you can help in the campaign to save our libraries

  Why not bring in a take away coffee and enjoy the morning?

  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/saturday-22nd-january-read-ins-across-somerset/feed/ 0 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/news-roundup-18th-january-2011/ http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/news-roundup-18th-january-2011/#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:31:41 +0000 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/?p=348 Continue reading →]]> Mass book-outs staged in Somerset
  18/01/2011 The mass book-out idea, staged in Buckinghamshire recently has sparked plans for mass book-outs here in Somerset. In both Shepton and Wiveliscombe. Shepton are aiming to achieve this by the 22nd January and by the 28th in Wiveliscombe. If you’re near either of these libraries, please help by borrowing your full entitlement of books. There is a Facebook event for the Wiveliscombe book-out here. If anyone has more details regarding Shepton please leave a message.

  Michael Eavis speaks out for library campaign
  17/01/2011 Glastonbury festival organiser Michael Eavis is set to star in a Save Our Libraries campaign film, shot by the ever-active library supporters of Somerset. More from www.guardian.co.uk

  Library emptied in bid to fight closure
  15/01/2011 A town has emptied its library in a bid to fight plans to close it down.
  People in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, have spent the week withdrawing their maximum allowance of books in protest against council plans to close it as part of budget cuts. More from www.independent.co.uk/.

  Library emptied in closure fight
  15/01/2011 A town has emptied its library in a bid to fight plans to close it down. People in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, have spent the week withdrawing their maximum allowance of books in protest against council plans to close it as part of budget cuts. And they said the plan had been a success, with all 16,000 books withdrawn from the library. More from aol news.

  Councillors hoping for public support to save library
  14/01/2011 Highbridge councillors have sent out an SOS to town residents, urging them to show their support for their under-threat library, or see it disappear. Hundreds of people have signed a petition urging Somerset County Council to keep the library open, after the announcement that it was one of 20 which are due to lose all funding as Somerset County Council looks to cut £75million. More from The Weston, Worle and Somerset Mercury

  Protest over library closure plans
  14/01/2011 Angry Cheddar residents have been protesting over county council plans to close the village library. They met outside the Union Street facility on Saturday to campaign against proposals to withdraw the funding from 20 libraries as Somerset County Council attempts to slash 25 per cent off its library service budget. More from The Weston, Worle and Somerset Mercury

  Libraries face cuts – ITV West Country Tonight
  14/01/2011 The library service in Somerset is facing some serious cut backs, with a large number having their funding withdrawn. Public meetings are being held across the county as people fight to keep theirs open – there’s one this evening in Shepton Mallet. In all, twenty libraries are under threat and the County Council says if the smaller ones aren’t taken over and run by the community, they will close. To watch this please visit http://www.itv.com/westcountry-west/libraries-face-cuts01409/

  Trade backs call for library inquiry
  14/01/2011 With widespread protests up and down the country over the scale of threatened library closures, campaigners in Somerset are calling for a national public inquiry into the service—and receiving support from the trade.
  Individual library campaign groups, including those in Gloucestershire, Lewisham and Dorset, are considering legal measures to oppose cuts in their areas, with the option to call for intervention from the Secretary of State—who has a duty to superintend the service under the 1964 Public Libraries Act—if proposed closures are confirmed. More from TheBookseller.Com.

  Library campaigners demand public inquiry into closures
  13/01/2011 Somerset library campaigners are leading a call for a national public inquiry into the threatened closures of hundreds of libraries across the country. And, if the government won’t order one urgently, they say they are ready to set it up themselves. Campaigner Steve Ross said he was asking prime minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg to offer leadership over the severe threats the public library service is facing. “I’m calling on them to consider urgently the likely detrimental impact that the conduct of flawed and rushed local processes will have on our communities and culture and to establish an independent inquiry, with proposed library closures suspended pending the outcome,” he said. More from www.guardian.co.uk

  Campaigners urge government to stand up for libraries
  13/01/2011 Somerset library campaigner Steve Ross and children’s writer Michael Morpurgo called on the government to “stand up” for libraries on Radio 4′s “You and Yours” as part of the show’s debate into library closures. But culture minister Ed Vaizey, who in opposition was vocal in his support for libraries, did not appear on the show despite being asked. A spokeswoman for the Department of Media, Culture and Sport confirmed that Vaizey had been approached, but said he “wasn’t available”. More from TheBookseller.Com.

  Fight for West Somerset libraries
  13/01/2011 Fierce opposition has been mounted by people in West Somerset against the proposed cut backs to library services in the area. The consultation period for people to give their views is tomorrow (Friday). Councillors in Williton are against the proposed move of the village’s library from its purpose built home in Killick Way. More from www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk

  Families may mount legal challenge over library cuts
  12/01/2011 Parents and children are considering mounting a legal challenge over plans to hand 20 Somerset libraries to volunteers or close them down. The families believe the county council may be failing in its statutory duty to provide a comprehensive library service and plan to notify the authority of their possible legal challenge this week. More from www.thisissomerset.co.uk.

  Call for national inquiry into library service
  11/01/2011 A Somerset library campaigner is proposing a national public inquiry in response to the widespread closures threatening the library service. Steve Ross said it seemed “sensible and cost effective” to focus nationally on the issue, as well as on specific local situations. Many local campaign groups, including Gloucestershire, Lewisham and Dorset, and Somerset itself are considering legal measures to oppose the cuts. More from TheBookseller.Com.

  Council considers £15,000 plan to save Highbridge library
  11/01/2011 Town councillors have this week considered a proposal to spend £15,000 on securing the future of Highbridge Library.”The library is an important service for Highbridge and the town council should consider allocating this money, providing there is support from the community to run it,” he said. However, the proposal was not supported from fellow councillors despite widespread concern about the future of the Market Street building. More from Burnham-On-Sea.com

  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/news-roundup-18th-january-2011/feed/ 0 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/mass-book-outs-staged-in-somerset/ http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/mass-book-outs-staged-in-somerset/#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:08:57 +0000 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/?p=344 Continue reading →]]> The mass book-out idea, staged in Buckinghamshire recently has sparked plans for mass book-outs here in Somerset. In both Shepton and Wiveliscombe. Shepton are aiming to achieve this by the 22nd January and by the 28th in Wiveliscombe. If you’re near either of these libraries, please help by borrowing your full entitlement of books. There is a Facebook event for the Wiveliscombe book-out here. If anyone has more details regarding Shepton please leave a message.
  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/mass-book-outs-staged-in-somerset/feed/ 0 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/somerets-libraries-on-radio-4s-you-and-yours/ http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/somerets-libraries-on-radio-4s-you-and-yours/#comments Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:18:26 +0000 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/?p=334 Continue reading →]]> Radio 4, You and Yours, 13th January 2011

  Leading children’s author MICHAEL MORPURGO and Somerset campaigner STEVE ROSS made a very forceful case for the retention of our libraries. Michael Morpurgo compares the short-sighted vandalism of the Beeching cuts to British railways in the 1960s (where we are still suffering with the legacy of a failing transport infrastructure today) to the Draconian cuts to our library system today.

  Watch the programme with BBC iPlayer – Radio 4, You and Yours, 13th January 2011

  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/somerets-libraries-on-radio-4s-you-and-yours/feed/ 0 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/somersets-libraries-feature-on-itvs-the-west-county-tonight/ http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/somersets-libraries-feature-on-itvs-the-west-county-tonight/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:34:54 +0000 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/?p=318 Continue reading →]]> If you didn’t see ITV’s West Country Tonight programme, or want to replay it, you can watch it at http://www.itv.com/westcountry-west/libraries-face-cuts01409/

  The feature is introduced by Bob Cruwys – The library service in Somerset is facing some serious cut backs, with a large number having their funding withdrawn. Public meetings are being held across the county as people fight to keep theirs open – there’s one this evening in Shepton Mallet. In all, twenty libraries are under threat and the County Council says if the smaller ones aren’t taken over and run by the community, they will close.

  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/somersets-libraries-feature-on-itvs-the-west-county-tonight/feed/ 0 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/letter-from-concerned-library-staff-to-the-press/ http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/letter-from-concerned-library-staff-to-the-press/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:22:22 +0000 thedodz http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/?p=311 Continue reading →]]> Dear Editor

  I am sure many of your readers must be aware by now of Somerset County Council’s proposals announced just before Christmas to implement a 25% budget cut to the Library service resulting in funding being withdrawn for 20 libraries, 4 mobile libraries, reduced opening hours and significant reductions in management, support and professional staffing costs.
  Voices for The Library (http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/wordpress/) is a website that has been developed by a range of professional public library staff and this website helps to explain very clearly what the issues are. Their stated aim is to promote the need for and value of trained librarians within a free and open-to-all UK public library service.
  There are currently 4,500 public libraries across the UK and it is estimated that over 1,000 of these will be closed within the next 12 months. However, some authorities are managing to avoid closures (Devon, Poole, Bristol for example).
  The challenge we all face is, understanding the range of issues involved, whilst balancing political and financial priorities. These include the concept of a professionally delivered library service, the use of volunteers and ensuring equal and fair access to a library.

  Whatever the outcome, we would just like to record our gratitude and appreciation to all those people voicing their concerns about the changes and proposed ‘new look’ service. Public Libraries have always been there and we often take them for granted assuming they always will be. If we really do value their contribution to our local communities, now is the time to make sure we make the right choices for the future.

  As Melvyn Bragg once said – ‘who today would be brave enough to invent a public library?’

  Concerned Libraries staff.

  
  ]]> http://savesomersetslibraries.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/letter-from-concerned-library-staff-to-the-press/feed/ 0 thedodz