Headington Library Questions

Here are some suggested questions to ask the decision makers behind the proposals to cut library services.

I. Fiscal Questions
The Headington Library financial considerations up to the year 2015.
1) Have you considered library use beyond 2015?
2) Are you making permanent strategic proposals about the library service based on no more than four years' forward planning?
3) What would be the fiscal saving to the County Council of closing Headington Library?
4) The proposal does not include any schemes about reducing library expenditure other than closing libraries. What was the logic for not suggesting other measures to reduce library expenditure (such as, for instance, reducing opening hours)?
5) The Oxford Mail reports that the proposals are intended to save £2million over the four years 2011 to 2015. Is this correct?
6) Are there plans to restore library services once the economy has recovered?

II. Public Service Questions
The proposals suggest extended electronic library services.
1) How will this benefit people who do not have access to the internet at home, including those who currently rely on Headington Library for internet access?
2) How will these new services affect those who are sight impaired and or mobility impaired who rely on audio books, given that only a small proportion of books are available in eBook format, also many eBooks do not have the text to speech option enabled?
3) What usage figures have been used in formulating the proposals?
4) What are the usage figures for Headington Library?
5) How can these usage figures be made available to users of Headington Library?
6) What was the rationale behind the welcome proposal to keep open Cowley Library, in contrast to the other suburban Oxford city libraries?

III. Economic Development Questions
Public transport link were a factor in formulating the proposals.
I. What public transport figures have been used?
II. Is this based on current provision of public transport, or does it include potential public transport provision in the future?
III. What negative impact will closure of urban libraries such as Headington Library have on the local economy in terms of property values, economic activity, environment, social mobility, traffic and congestion?

IV. Legal Questions
How does the County Council library service proposal differ from statutory duties described in the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964?
A. What opportunities of appeal are open to library users and residents?
B. When does the period of consultation begin and when does it end?

Happy Christmas and New Year!

Save Headington Library Group wishes all its members and supporters a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!

Peter Skinner MEP writes in support of Headington Library

I write to express my support for the campaign to prevent the closure of
Oxford's Headington library.

Information and the written word is such a vital resource for people's
leisure time, careers and knowledge of current affairs. Access to these
resources is key, and what better way than through our public libraries.
Not everybody has access to the internet, and the fastest and best way of
accessing the information people need is still through the local library.

Good luck with your campaign!

Peter Skinner, Member of the European Parliament for the South-East
99 Kent Road
Dartford
Kent DA1 2AJ

Tel/fax: 01322 270345
Email: southeast@peterskinnermep.eu
Website: http://www.peterskinnermep.eu/

Save Headington Library Group Public Meeting -Date For Your Diary

A public meeting is to be held at:
St.Andrews School, London Road, Headington

Time: 8pm
Date: Tuesday 11 January 2011

To discusss the future of Headington Library, Bury Knowle Park, Headington.

Local politicans including city and county councillors will be invited, together with representatives of local interested groups.

For further information contact Editor At

www.oxfordprospect.co.uk

member of the Save Headington Library Group

Letter from the County Librarian

Letter from the County Librarian Caroline Taylor (.pdf format, 52Kb)
You can comment on the proposals in a number of ways. You can:

email us at futurelibraries@oxfordshire.gov.uk
write to the County Librarian at Oxfordshire Libraries, Community Services, Holton, Oxford OX33 1QQ
contact us in any other way that suits you.

Ways of Funding the Library

We must be prepared to consider altenative ways of funding the library that do not depend on a miracle.

One possiblity is advertising.
At the moment libraries do not permit private advertisements on their premises. Yet they already permit leaflets for theatre, music and opera, all of which run on a commercial basis, so what is the ideological objection?

What about letting local people who run ballet classes, drama classes, music classes, language classes, riding schools etc put up adverts for a charge of perhaps £50 per year, which would provide some income? Of course all advertising would have to be vetted to make sure it was acceptable to the majority of library users. But I don't see why things like restaurants should not advertise. The advertisers would have the satisfaction of knowing that their money was going to help keep the library open.

At the J.R. they have a notice-board where you can advertise rooms to rent etc for 50p per week. The board is glazed over and if you pay you know the card will remain there for seven days. I don't know how much money the hospital gains from that, but it's worth asking.

Secondly, there are already public libraries in the UK which get Lottery Funding. My friend STephanie Jenkins tells me that to qualify for this, libraries have to show that they are making an effort to really extend their usefulness right into the whole community. Details here:
http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_community_libraries
Of course in the present blood-bath of cuts, a lot of applications will be going in. I suggest that we form a committee to prepare a proper application and make a list of people who are willing to volunteer to commit to doing something towards making the bid plausible.

Has anyone in this campaign got any experience making applications for Lottery funding? Come forward, please!

It is very heartening to see that 211 people have already signed the online petition to save Headington Library and I am confident that the one thing we won't lack is public support.
Julia Gasper.

Andrew Smith MP writes in support of Headington Library!

“I would like to voice my strong support for the campaign to keep Headington, and other libraries, open.

Our libraries are literally centres of learning for the local community. They mean so much to local culture and the local quality of life. It concerns me that older people and children would be particularly hard hit by closure.

Shortly after I heard about the proposal I went to the library to have an informal word with the staff on duty. It must be such a worrying time for them.

I am heartened by the large number of letters and emails I have received opposing the library’s closure.

I am taking up all representations with the County Council. With my colleagues on the Council, I will do my level best to persuade its leadership to think again. I am proud of the way the community is rallying round the library, and will do all I can to try to save it.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - with Headington Library intact and serving the community.”

Andrew Smith MP
http://www.andrewsmithmp.org.uk/