Advertisement
New look for libraries facing 25% funding cut
Reporter: JANICE BARKER
Date online: 26 October 2010
OLDHAM’S libraries will have a quarter sliced off their budgets over the next five years.
The service manages 11 libraries — employing 82 full-time equivalent staff — and costs almost £5 million a year to run.
The budget includes £1.3 million to pay for the Oldham library and Lifelong Learning Centre building and maintenance, leaving £3.7 million — including £2 million for salaries — controlled by the council from which cuts can be made.
But like libraries across Greater Manchester and the North-West, Oldham is looking at new ways of working, including using more volunteers and putting libraries and other public services under one roof.
Failsworth Library will be moved to the town hall, currently being refurbished as a community building, and Fitton Hill could change from part time to full time with volunteers from the local community.
The report, to be considered by Oldham Council’s Cabinet tomorrow, says new ways of working have to deliver 25 per cent savings on costs by 2015.
It added: “A very clear starting point for the discussions is that the service is much more than books and buildings — these are simply tools of the trade, but consideration of their role and purpose is often limited to these two elements.”
The aim is to provide access to learning, support for learning, community space and books and reading. All main libraries should also have six public access computers.
Regional libraries are already collaborating on an interlibrary lending service, a purchasing consortium, and there is a North-West project to develop a business model for a single shared library service for the whole region.
The aim is to shave 25 per cent to 40 per cent off operating costs over four years.
The 10 councils in the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities are also considering the same approach for the Manchester city region, including Oldham.
Comments
Wazzarsa:
The libraries have excellent books which teach you to spell, and free use of computers to help with your typing skills!USE THEM!
(unemployed can use these facilities to help get them back to work)Don't make me laugh the majority don't even know where the libraries are. Uni's and colleges should have there own reference libraries,I'm sure they will be able to manage to save and cut costs like everyone has to..
New look ? in a word - dereliction !
Libraries are a 'non essential' service &, therefore, they need to get clever to stay alive in this climate. If people don't use 'em - they'll lose 'em. Many moan about shutting local resources but, when push comes to shove, they never even use the darn things!!
Have YOU even been to YOUR local library this week? I have....
Meldroo: Is that all you can say! What about the actually use of the libraries? Others: I use my Libraries, Broadway - when it was still standing - and Chadderton! Yet we have people who ARE HAPPY TO SEE THE LIBRARIES GET LEVELED! Libraries are just there for books. They perform a vital function in the community, bringing people together, encouraging the youth, enabling people to better themselves. Yet we have some who are happy to see people rot away to nothing.
From my observations, the Oldham Central library is used by many as a free cheche. I have watched and listened to unaccompanied children running about and screeching unchecked by any adults - parents or staff. So much for a place to study. When the announcement that the library was about to close, very few appeared to have books to take away with them. I object to my taxes being misused in this way. My comments do not apply to the branch libraries.
Have Your Say
This is a time when Linraries are the most important help that can be available. The unemployed can use these facilites to help get them back to work, help students (school and Uni) to do thee research and better themselves to THEY CAN GET jobs.
Now the council, under the guise of "Budget Cuts" want to take the last pillar ot of the communities and drive them further into the benefit trap! When is this lot actually going to learn - Sorry no Libraries so the cannot learn!
By wazzarsa @ 26/10/2010 16:00:10