Camden Council proposes library cuts and Councillors set up a campaign and a petition.

Have your say on £800,000 cuts putting Camden libraries in the firing line

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/have_your_say_on_800_000_cuts_putting_camden_libraries_in_the_firing_line_1_4148598  

"Libraries could close, see opening hours slashed, be privatised, or become self-service under cost-saving options to be presented to residents in a consultation next week.

The council could also save about £200,000 by outsourcing the running of libraries to a private company, an option thought to be unpopular with residents.

Its biggest savings of about £500,000 could come by cutting jobs and making libraries self-service only."

Is West Hampstead library at risk?

http://westhampsteadlife.com/2015/07/12/is-west-hampstead-library-at-risk/16975

Petition
https://www.change.org/p/london-borough-of-camden-save-west-hampstead-library-ad8f5532-1a26-4ee0-b514-d51caf9a8a39

@SaveWHamLibrary
#SaveWHampLibrary 

Extreme Income Generation, the new reality?

I recently ventured over to Kilburn Library Centre, one of Camden's finest, and was rather taken aback by a public notice pinned to the wall which basically said that if a user forgets their membership card number and asks a member of staff for it they will be charged £1 with "no exceptions"!

I can only imagine the management discussion around this;

"You know how we've cut the staff"
"Yeah"
"and the staff we do have are so busy dealing with problems with the self serve machines and everything a team of 6 used to do but now with only 2 and the public have to hunt around or wait longer to speak to one of them"
"Yeah Yeah"
"why don't we piss the public off even more and charge them if they forget their membership numbers"
"oh that's brilliant"

And guess what it's not listed on their web pages as a library charge, funny that!

How many other authorities are penalising their users like this?

Red Quadrant

Red Quadrant are a consultancy firm specialising in the Public Sector and have over the years been heavily involved in Public Library transformation projects, in fact here are some of the projects they've been involved with;

The London Library Change Programme (LLCP) in my opinion was run along the lines of a masonic lodge, secret and only for the privileged few namely members of the ALCL, CLOA, the now defunct MLA and the consultants of course! No one outside this circle was privy to the reports and findings and no one outside of the group really knows what impact the programme has had, except that their 'workforce benchmarking' study with it's proposals to cut the London Library workforce by 10% might have already hit its target?
The Future Libraries Programme - see my previous post for details http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/no-future-libraries-programme.html

The MLA Community Libraries Programme
An £80m lottery funded project for 58 authorities to refurbish 77 libraries, at it's core was 'community involvement' which included volunteering and the concept of community 'hubs'.

Camden Libraries consultation
Seen by many to be deeply flawed and loaded towards the council's agenda to divest or close libraries, see http://news.fitzrovia.org.uk/2011/03/28/camden-libraries-consultation/ and  http://belsizelibdems.mycouncillor.org.uk/2011/02/18/69/ and http://www.camdennewjournal.com/letters/2011/jan/library-consultation-must-be-genuine-and-not-sham

Brent Libraries Core Offer - is there really any need to say more on this?

"The same consultancy firm, Red Quandrant, is advising Camden and Brent on how to make cuts."
http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/novelist_rallies_camden_s_library_troops_1_866748?ot=archant.PrintFriendlyPageLayout.ot

They are also very keen on introducing retail strategies and techniques into Public Library management:

"We undertook an overview of good practice and shared marketing expertise in Central Bedfordshire Council, and also undertook of innovation seminars that explored retail techniques and evaluation to improve a more strategic approach to ‘selling’ the service offer."

they offer something called 'Library Safaris' which help staff view libraries from a retail perspective. and they recently posted this on Lis Pub Libs.

Oh and did i also mention that they sponsor Library Camp?

LSSI and John Laing express interest in running Camden Libraries

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2011/apr/private-firms-eye-libraries-libraries-beyond-price-warn-campaigners-formal-approach-ma

LSSI have made a formal submission and John Laing are still considering their position. A full 'extraordinary' council meeting will be held on Monday 18/4/11 to discuss the issues.

"Jim Lynch, vice president of LSSI, confirmed that he had been looking at making a bid to manage the libraries on behalf of the Town Hall. 

He said: “We visited Camden libraries and  are doing some number crunching. We would be  interested in a management contract. We are confident that we can keep all branches open and sustain current opening hours whilst making significant financial savings."  

"Unison officer Philip Lewis said: “These private companies are like buzzards in the desert picking on the bones of public services. We oppose this. They must be publicly accountable.”

He added he feared that it would lead to hidden charges for users.

“These are private companies who have to turn a profit. It is not a philanthropic venture,” he said."