THE FUTURE LIBRARIES PROGRAMME

[leenewham]

Simon mentioned this in the the thread SAVE SYDENHAM LIBRARY

I thought I'd post the text of this here, make of it as you will.

http://www.southlondonpost.com/2010/08/ ... /#comments

17. AUG, 2010 1 COMMENT

Brockley Central points out an interesting-looking announcement from the Museum Libraries and Archives Service.

First ten areas to join Future Libraries programme announced:

Fifty one submissions, representing over 100 local authorities, have come forward with proposals for innovative collaborations and initiatives – ten of these projects will be taken forward and offered practical support and advice in this first phase.

The programme will initially undertake intensive, proactive work on ten projects representing around three dozen local authorities. Bids to take part were assessed on their individual strengths, but also to ensure a balance of the type of project, geographical spread, and rural and urban mix to help ensure the programme shares learning nationally.


One of the 10 phase one areas is South London – or rather, it is described as “Lewisham with Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth and Southwark.” We’re not sure if that means Lewisham is somehow leading the programme.

It’s by no means clear what this work will actually deliver. The South London project is described as follows:

Closer working in South East London (Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark)

The Future Libraries Programme is an exciting opportunity to deliver a step change across library services in South East London. Through it, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark, will look at options and opportunities for improving quality and reducing costs by working more closely together.

These library authorities – members of the South East Libraries Performance Improvement Group (SELPIG) – will build on individual strengths and distinctive features, to retain and improve best practice models and introduce new solutions.

So, is this in fact another in a series of “joint working” efforts which are aiming at saving money? Lambeth and Southwark are already looking at purchasing legal services together, and there continues to be low-level chatter about how far London boroughs can go in merging.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey said:

“A strong library service, based around the needs of local people, can play a key role in our ambitions to build the Big Society by providing safe and inclusive spaces for people to read, learn and access a range of community services. The enthusiasm from library authorities across the country for this opportunity for expert support, from the LGA Group and the MLA, has been overwhelming. The response demonstrates just how vital library services are to people and communities and that leaders in local authorities are keen to develop their full potential in new and forward-thinking ways. I hope that through this programme we can help support the leadership of services so that they can continue to provide a high quality library service which, in today’s challenging economic times, people need more than ever.”

So, while we’re all still puzzling out what the Big Society really is, it’s going to remain a bit unclear. Also unclear is to what extent this will improve the survival chances of the Lewisham libraries that have been earmarked for closure as part of the budget cuts.

[Robin Orton]

I've just got round to digging out an article about this I remember reading in The Independent. See http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 57131.html. As one of the on-line comments points out, Terence Blacker's reference to Lewisham is misleading.

[Weeble]

Also unclear is to what extent this will improve the survival chances of the Lewisham libraries that have been earmarked for closure as part of the budget cuts

I'm not sure the programme is aimed at ensuring the survival of existing libraries, more about finding new ways of delivering library services for lower cost. Ed Vaizey was on the radio this morning talking about "libraries" in pubs and supermarkets. The had an example of a "library" in a pub which seemed to consist of a single shelf of books. I'm somewhat sceptical.

[Likelife]

Lewisham was on BBC Breakfast this morning about the library's. Saying that we are one of a few national boroughs identified were people might have to take the library service into our own hands. One place even has a library and a pub combined.