Libraries begin a new chapter

Last year Oldham people made almost 1.4 million visits to the borough’s libraries.

They go not only for a good book, but for a chance to use computers, hire a DVD, see a panto, join a reading group, enjoy a coffee while browsing titles, get small business advice and enjoy an under-fives story time.

Libraries are changing — once they were quiet, almost hallowed halls of reading and learning to be given almost reverential respect.

Now the local library is just as likely to welcome noisy youngsters, host an Eid party, stage a Christmas pantomime and offer health advice.

The changes have brought more people through the doors — up to September, 2008, there were 11,900 new borrowers, a 21 per cent increase, using the 13 libraries, mobile library and talking book service.

Swelled

They swelled the active borrowers’ numbers to 42,125, or 19 per cent of the Oldham population.

This is the National Year of Reading and Oldham’s participation has so far resulted in one of the highest rates of new membership in the country.

And almost all Oldham’s one to three-year-olds have been introduced to the service via their parents and the national Bookstart scheme.

Sheena MacFarlane, head of heritage, libraries and arts for Oldham Council, said: “Libraries encourage you to linger.

“They are a neutral place with an open door. It is the first stopping point for any knowledge and information.

“Change does not have to be bad. We only have a certain amount of resources and libraries are much more then books.”

Older ones, like Chadderton’s Carnegie building, provided by the great American philanthropist, and Lees’s 1960s library, are already changing.

Chadderton is moving to the new health and well-being centre, and Lees is in temporary premises while a new community facility is added.

The £13 million Oldham Lifelong Learning Centre is another success, she added: “Since we opened this building it has had an overwhelmingly positive response from users.

“We have a quiet space, a teenage room, a school study space, we cater for people with young children, and those who need three hours intensive study.”

Online services include hundreds of books available via the libraries’ website, accessed using the library card number and PIN number.

Oldham is 15th out of 145 English authorities for schools using online resources. And 600 children at Kaskenmoor have just become the latest pupils to understand how to sift through the myriad of information on the web and refine their studies.

Other initiatives include: “Ask about Business” for online services, marketing materials and staff training; work with the Primary Health Trust and links with University Centre Oldham.

The home library service takes books to 160 housebound people, although 2,000 qualify to use it.

But many people are worried about the future of their library. A council review has suggested Stoneleigh and Broadway could close and the mobile library taken off the road.

Cabinet member Councillor John McCann is responsible for libraries and said: “The mobile library is very expensive. Instead we can take books to people’s homes and they can make selections using hand held terminals.

“Stoneleigh is also down steep path lined with bushes, in a building which is two-thirds empty. We hope to open another one in the Derker HMR area.

“Broadway is well used but another very expensive building. Replacement plans are a bit up in the air.”