Latest news with #libraryservices
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Napier City Council backtracks on proposed library closure
Napier Library will remain open for at least five days a week. Photo: Tom Kitchin After facing public backlash over a proposal to close Napier Library, the council has decided to keep it open. In a bid to save ratepayers, the council proposed shutting Napier Library for two years until the new library was built. However, after widespread push back from residents , the council has backtracked and will keep the library open at least five days a week. "The submissions were clear that people think the library is an important community asset, and they were willing to pay slightly more rates as a result. Reducing its days of opening will still help keep the rates increase low," Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said. Local independent bookstore owner Gareth Wardini is one of many who wanted to see the library stay open, and told RNZ he was thrilled with the outcome. "I'm delighted it is going to stay open because I think it's a core resource and a place for many people to teach themselves to read, teach kids to read and enjoy books," he said. Gareth and Louise Wardini. Photo: Supplied / Florence Charvin Napier City Council received 1007 submissions on its annual plan, the highest feedback in 10 years, and 67 percent of respondents wanted the library kept open for as long as possible. Wardini said it was evident the council had listened. "A lot of the community signed petitions and made it clear they wanted to keep the library - fair play to the council as they've listened and done what people wanted," Wardini said. The proposed interim closure of Napier Library would have meant a saving of $620,730 for 2025/26 rates. But the future of the National Aquarium is not so clear - the council's preferred option is to demolish the old aquarium and build a new one to the tune of about $28 million. The council said this facility would be cheaper to operate, however, only 17 percent of submissions supported this move. An alternative option is for the council to hand the aquarium's operation to a third party, and the council will now develop a business case for another round of public consulation. Decisions will be final when the council adopts its 2025/26 annual plan in late June. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
What will Suffolk council library takeover mean?
Library services in Suffolk are set to be taken back under control by the county council on Sunday. An independent charity had been running them for the previous 12 years. What will the change mean for people? Why is this happening? Suffolk Libraries had run the service since 2012 across 45 to renew its contract with the council started in November but broke down in Faircloth-Mutton, the Conservative councillor responsible for libraries, said he "no longer had confidence in Suffolk Libraries' financial viability or management".Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Suffolk Libraries, said his team was "incredibly shocked" and "disappointed".The council said the charity had proposed unacceptable terms, including reducing opening hours by 30%.Faircloth-Mutton also raised concerns about the cost of the charity's head office and senior Leeke responded: "We currently have one of the best run library services in the country which has saved millions of pounds of taxpayers' money." What was the reaction? About 23,000 people signed a petition opposing the move and protests were held outside the council's headquarters and some libraries. Rachel Wood, a library user from Newmarket, said she was "horrified" by the decision."We must not let Suffolk County Council throw something away that has helped so many people," she said. Opposition councillors opposed the Conservative-led council's Green, Liberal Democrat and independent group said a public consultation should have been held, while Labour questioned how the change would save supported the council's decision and said services were best run and delivered by the Dorsett, Unison's eastern regional organiser, said the union wanted to ensure "terms and conditions remain protected". Will libraries be closing? The council says no, they have no plans to close any of the libraries and opening hours will not change. Faircloth- Mutton said that services would be "as usual"."Sites will be open, mobile library vans will be touring our villages and it will be the service that people know and love across Suffolk." What could change? Branding appears to be the main thing. Logos are likely to change, as are some contact details like email addresses. The council said there would be some new social media accounts with others rebranded and there would be a new will not need a new library card, their current one will work, however when they expire different ones will be said there would be an investment of "£200,000 in mobile libraries, with a further £157,000 for new books". Will jobs be lost? Potentially. The council says that staff contracts are being moved over, so employees will now work for the said that the jobs of frontline staff would be "maintained", however there would be a review of the "back office in general".He said that would involve "systems, processes and staff".When asked by the BBC if a review would potentially mean job losses, he said: "A review is a review." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CBC
11-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Budget boost to N.L. libraries a welcomed surprise, says director, but questions linger
Public libraries across Newfoundland and Labrador got a surprise in this year's provincial budget — an extra $500,000 added to the funding. The province earmarked $13.5 million in April's budget announcement for the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board, a Crown corporation established under the Public Libraries Act to oversee the operation of public library services in the province. The budget has not yet passed in the House of Assembly. "It was very good news for us. We're very pleased to see it," said Fred Whitmarsh, director of library operations with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries (NLPL). However, Whitmarsh says there's some uncertainty around the money. "We're still in the process of parsing it out because one of the things that's unknown … is this a permanent boost to the funding or is it one time money?" he said. Some of that funding could go toward facility maintenance and improving accessibility in libraries across the province, Whitmarsh said, as well as updating servers so they run smoothly. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries put a pause on late fees. Whitmarsh said he'd like to see that become permanent. "The big thing for us is our collections, whether it's the physical collections on the shelves and the branches or some of the digital resources as well," he said. He said books are becoming more expensive, so libraries are being strategic in what they acquire, and he doesn't know why the government decided to increase the budget this year. "My personal perspective is that the library is wonderful, it's great. We can do great things with the funding," he said. According to a briefing note prepared for government officials, released via an access-to-information request in 2023, Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries saw a jump in clients using Libby, the library system that lets patrons access e-books and audiobooks, in recent years. Whitmarsh says the increase in people using the online services hasn't gone down. "You can't put that genie back in the bottle," he said. "We've seen a continued demand for those online services." In an email, Department of Education spokesperson Lynn Robinson told CBC News the budget increase is in recognition of the vital work libraries carry out. "Library staff and volunteers work diligently to support public library services and programming throughout Newfoundland and Labrador," Robinson wrote. "Funding for the [Provincial Information and Library Resources Board] supports the operation of the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Library system and fosters improved literacy in our province." NLPL was established in 1935 and provides public library services through a network of 94 locations across the province.
