Your voice for your library.

This blog is for you to add your voice. Comment, join, send an email. But most of all become a friend of the library.

Thursday 22 December 2011

FoGL and GCC in conversation at last


Friends of Gloucesteshire LIbraries (John, Johanna, and Demelza) met with Jo Grills and Duncan Jordan who are the civil servants overseeing the new 'meeting the challenge' (if it's still called that) of reshaping library service. 

Demelza writes that "they seemed to take many of our comments on board and took copious notes". I have to say that Antonia Noble also took copious notes last time around so the proof, as ever, will be in the pudding. 

John Holland pointed out that, like last time, the GCC representatives "were at pains to point out" the financial challenges that the GCC face at the moment. These constraints have been imposed by the way the ConDem alliance have responded to the crisis in the capitalist system. 

It is worth knowing that Jo Grills and Duncan Jordan are the people to contact with your concerns for the future of Matson Library. 

It is also worth knowing that on Saturday Richard Graham MP approached one of the board members of Together in Matson (TIM) to ask if the board were 'disappointed' in not having the community-run library in the Redwell Centre. He would like to be able to tell people that but no statement has come from the board of TIM

Jo Grills confirmed that the council will be in ongoing discussions with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission before the new strategy is announced on January 20th, and that a new needs analysis for the service is being undertaken at present. 

A consultation process will follow the January 20th announcement.

Demelza reportst that they "left the meeting feeling that Jo [Grills] is committed to getting things right this time, although of course, she is not the only person involved so vigilance in all of our local communities is still needed, and we believe local community groups should continue to ... get in touch with GCC now to ensure they are aware of the needs within your community, rather than waiting for the post-strategy consultation."
 
It's encouraging to know that this meeting has happened. FoGL have done all this as volunteers for the campaign that we are all a part of. And it is a good reminder that we all need to keep on telling them what we need. They aren't quick learners it seems. 

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Talis and Community-run libraries

The council Talis System is the system whereby library member information is held centrally but used locally. For date protection reasons volunteers cannot legally access this info.

So whatever library service we get in Matson in future we need to make sure that it has the Talis System or we will be cut off from the county library services.

I've just heard from someone, who I think is part of the Somerset campaign, that there is a way that this can be done with a Community-run library but it's still not clear how.

Any readers know the answer to this? 

Monday 19 December 2011

Yes We Can

How did Judge McKenna describe the councils process of deciding to shut down Matson library? Try "draconian", "unlawful", and "bad government". The judge used stronger language than many of us would dare to use.

It is worth celebrating that the judge made an important note of the "contributions of local residents". The decision to law was supported by Matson library users. It was also bolstered by the visible show of support we gave through public meetings we organised ourselves, the signing of petitions and letter-writing, and the vigil we organised.

We have helped make this happen and we can help ourselves to continue to speak truth to power even when the powers-that-be don't want to listen.

Our MP claimed to have saved Matson Library, and perhaps he genuinely thought he had. But the judge has ruled that, in legal terms, a community library has no validity and so amounts to a closed library. So he was technically wrong as well as confused over the geography of the estate.

It was a can't-do attitude that didn't believe we could win our case, an attitude we all fall into because we're used to not being heard. But we can and we might. We could save our library.

Email Mark Hawthorne.

Encourage neighbours to join the library.

Visit Matson library.

Let me know your stories of why Matson library is important to you.

We have until the 20th January, before the so-called consultation starts. We need to be putting regular pressure on the decision-makers. Remind them who they work for. Remind them whose community this is.

Important developments expected on Wednesday. Watch this space for the latest on Matson Library on Wednesday 21 December. Will the winter solstice welcome in the new light of spring? Only if we keep a fire burning. 

Thursday 15 December 2011

Become a Library member online: it's easy!

 If you follow this link you can join on line. It is free and easy. Your personal library card will be sent to you in the post. Joining and using the library - and encouraging others to do the same is key to keeping our library open.

Did you know?...
You can even search for books on line and order or reserve them. You'll get an email to tell you when they are ready to collect. You don't need to go looking on the bookshelf if you know what book you need.

You can join the library by filling in a form over the counter. Your card is posted to you and you can start using it straight away. 

Public Meeting Sheds Light for Matson

There's a good summary from The Citizen of some of the things talked about at the County-wide public meeting on Wednesday. I've pasted them below. I, or someone else, can then fill in the detail on each as it matters to Matson over the coming days.


Other things that were talked about: 

The Good commissioning Guide 
This is something the County Council has signed up  and it commits Mark Hawthorne to involve us in the decisions about Matson Library from a much earlier stage. 

Antonia Noble
Noble is not really involved now. If we, in Matson, are going to talk to a cabinet member it may be better to speak with Mark Hawthorne. 

Data Protection
It is not clear how the County Library network could have been used by volunteers. It is illegal for volunteers to access personal databases. If we want the benefits of the county library IT system in Matson then we need at least one county librarian

Irregular opening
If you go to Matson library when it should be open and it's closed: phone Jo Hand (425040/425042) straight away and ask what she's doing to make sure it's open. Then phone Dan Charles at the Citizen (420621) to say that the council is not keeping to the judges ruling on returning our library to its previous level of service. 

Transformation Account
The County Council has around £15m set-aside for redundancies. It is this money that is being used to cover the cost of keeping Matson Library open. Matson Library costs around £50,000 a year to run. Not much in the big picture. 






St Katharine's sign up in open letter to MP

Letter Gets Backing of local Church
St Katharine's Church council (PCC) gave their back to an open letter to MP Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, yesterday, joining hundreds of local groups, individuals, and celebrities calling on the MP to do more to defend local libraries against unlawful cuts to services.


"In a discussion they voted nem con to sign it and want to see their local Matson library flourish for the good of the whole community" said, Joy Paterson, the PCC secretary with Rector Revd Canon Dr Jeni Parsons adding, "This matters to me and to this very vulnerable community of Matson"


The letter to Ed Vaizey criticise his inaction and calls on the senior politician to act. "Please act Mr Vaizey," it reads, "and show library users across the country that you remain a passionate advocate for our public library service, and have not left your convictions at the door on entering office."


It is not too late to add your signature and comments to the letter. The closing date is Monday 19th December. Read the letter here then send an email here to add your name or the name of your group/club/place of worship. 


County-wide public consultation snubbed by County Council Cabinet
While the PCC met and discussed this their curate was at the public meeting that councillors Noble and Hawthorne declined to attend. Of the many people in the meeting, hosted by GAVCA and Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries, three were from Matson: County Councillor Steve McHale and residents Kay Powell and Keith Hebden all of whom have been actively involved in the campaign to save Matson Library. 


Kay Powell's comments at the meeting showed solidarity with other user groups. Keith Hebden gave a vote of thanks for the work of Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries and called for a united day of action in the new year. Encouraged by the meeting Steve McHale has suggested a new round of public meetings for Matson residents to discuss the future of the library service in our community. 


To follow: some helpful advice that came out of the Library meeting and what this might mean for Matson, Robinswood, and Abbeydale. Demelza, from the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries encouraged local groups to seek their own solutions and work for justice. "we have never wanted to tell people how to run their campaigns," she said, "but we want to support them and work with their support." 


Meanwhile Ed Vaizey has yet to respond to what is said to have been a huge embarrassment for the minister and his department.