Communities speak out over threat to libraries

Posted by The Journal on Jan 21, 10 12:45 PM in News

A backlash has begun against potential library closures after it was revealed closing six libraries would only save ÃÂ£27,800.

Six community libraries in Northumberland are now asking why they were earmarked to be closed to save money when they cost the county so little to run.

Scott Dickinson of Hadston House Libary

Scott Dickinson of Hadston House Libary

The decision to close Ashington Hirst, Lynemouth, Kielder, Bedlington Station, Blyth South Beach and Hadston libraries has been temporarily shelved after the savings were found elsewhere, and will be revisited in six to 12 months time. But the people who house and run the libraries are speaking out, asking why they were even chosen in the first place when the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Scott Dickinson from Hadston House, the community centre which houses the village's library for free, said: "It's nothing. It's absolutely ludicrous to close six libraries to save ÃÂ£27,800, to put all the clients who use them through this for not even ÃÂ£30,000. I find it so hard to believe - I don't know what they're playing at.

"We're having all this work done which includes promotion of the library, making it a better facility for the public to use. And now they were trying to remove that to save peanuts."

Hadston House is currently having building work done including a car park to help the disabled and a new perimeter wall, as well as better signage.

Steve Webb runs the only shop in Kielder village as well as being a governor at Kielder First School which houses the village library. He said their library is well-used by the children who bring home new books each week, as well as the elderly, some of whom only get access to listening books through the library.

He said: "The school wrote to the county council asking for a rethink on behalf of the children. They lease the space off the school so it's from one department to another.

"Divide that by six to get an approximate figure. It doesn't seem to be a lot of money at all. I can't see how that justifies it really - I'm not convinced by their arguments. How can you put a price on the children and the elderly?

"Once it's gone you tell me how much it would cost to set one up again. It doesn't seem to make sense where you're not going to save money and reduce the service, which is still going to cost."

The council announced last week that the six libraries would not be closed immediately, but their futures are far from secure and some have said the wording of Northumberland County Council's decision is vague.

Northumberland County Council has promised community consultations over the matter, and people running the libraries along with those who use them hope this will give them an opportunity to prove the tiny savings that would be made by closing them would be far outweighed by the loss to the communities involved.

Carole Fife has been campaigning to keep the Bedlington Station site open, saying children will miss out on education if families have to get the bus to their nearest library.

She said: "That's been our argument - that for so little in the overall picture, it's a very small amount for the effect that it would have on the community. The effect is going to be much greater than what they save."

Northumberland County Council declined to comment.

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