Commissioner pushing to privatize Orange County library system - www.wftv.com

http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/commissioner-pushing-to-privatize-orange-county/vGk4Y/

An Orange County Commissioner is looking to save money by privatising the library service, LSSI is mentioned!

Isle of Man Libraries to be funded by online gambling firm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-17585066

"An Isle of Man-based e-gaming firm has come forward with funding to secure the future of the Manx library service.

Pokerstars, which has headquarters in Onchan, will fund the family and mobile service for the next three years.
The announcement comes after a controversial government decision to close the facilities down.
The funds, which will be donated through the Manx Education Foundation (MEF), will maintain the current level of service and safeguard all jobs."
see also:
http://www.energyfm.net/cms/news_story_203044.html

A new spin on the private funding concept! What does Pokerstars want in return i hear you ask? Well we don't know yet but it definitely raises concerns surrounding suitability and sustainability!

Croydon Council spends £40,000 on library consultant - Croydon Today - 02/04/12

http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Croydon-Council-spends-40-000-library-consultant/story-15693695-detail/story.html

"CAMPAIGNERS have criticised Croydon Council's hiring of a £40,000-a-year consultant to oversee the cost-saving outsourcing of the borough's 14 libraries.
The authority told the Advertiser it had employed the "highly specialised" worker since the end of January to ensure "quality control throughout the life-cycle of the project".
But library preservation campaigner Sally-Ann Voak, from Old Coulsdon, said: "I am appalled; £40,000 would have paid for about six months' worth of Bradmore Green Library's costs, staffing and maintenance.
"How can they possibly justify creating another job when the department already has staff to do this?"
Fellow campaigner Elizabeth Ash, from Sanderstead, deemed the hiring "outrageous".
She added: "If the council is incapable of running its own library services, how can it be in a position to decide who can accurately oversee the process?
"It is doing it on a wing and a prayer. It should be going back and doing a proper consultation about the libraries' futures – with all library users."

Croydon update!

http://soslibrary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/save-money-by-chucking-about-42k-at-it.html - Croydon have spent £40k on a 'Project Manager' to oversee the privatisation of their library service, the strange thing is they forgot to make it public!

http://insidecroydon.com/2012/03/21/no-favourites-on-croydons-short-list-for-library-sell-off-oh-no/
- an excellent article listing the shortlisted companies for the library contract in Croydon and councils less than scrupulous dealings with them!

Are Privatized Public Libraries So Bad? - The Atlantic Cities - 28/03/12

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/03/are-privatized-public-libraries-so-bad/1583/

"I'll admit, to me, the idea of a privatized public library has a certain dystopian ring to it, the ultimate public space corrupted for a profit. That image was not much aided by my first (and second and third) call to Library System and Services Inc., the only library privatization company in the United States. LSSI now runs at least 15 library systems in California, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. This means it is, effectively, the fifth largest library system in the country."

see comments on this article, a very interesting debate going on!

The chair of ACE told to step down, a political decision?

There was quite a lot of criticism from library folk about the decision to hand the public libraries portfolio to ACE, it was seen by many as a deliberate attempt to sideline libraries. Very recently there has been another twist in the story, Jeremy Hunt has now told Liz Forgan, the current chair of ACE, to step down after only spending one term in the post!
This is seen by many to be a political decision as Forgan is perceived to be left of centre, was appointed by Labour and is the chair of the Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian and the Observer! Hunt wants to appoint someone with experience of private funding as he sees this as a future priority for ACE. A worrying sign of things to come?

Pomona rejects outsourcing of library management - Contra Costa Times - 20/3/12

http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_20214741/pomona-rejects-outsourcing-library-management

"POMONA -- After listening to residents speak in support of the Pomona Public Library and its employees Monday evening, City Council members rejected a proposal to pursue the outsourcing of library management services. "

http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_20194128/pomona-council-consider-outsourcing-pomona-public-librarys-management

"Maryland-based Library Systems & Services conducted an initial analysis of the Pomona Public Library's operations and determined it could operate the library for about $1.43 million, saving the city $160,000 compared to the current fiscal year's costs, according to a city staff report."