A petition has been launched to “save Warrington’s libraries” as consultation gets underway on their future.
There was standing-room earlier this week at a public meeting at Stockton Heath Library, as LiveWire started a 30 day public consultation.
The neighbourhood wellbeing company has had success in increasing participation and memberships in integrated library sites since it took over the management of 11 libraries in Warrington in 2012, but stand-alone library sites have continued to see a decline in lending and memberships in line with the national trend.
Since 2010, library visits have decreased by an average of 32% at all libraries in Warrington with the exception of integrated hub libraries in Orford and Woolston which have seen visits increase by an average of 96% over the last six years.
As a result of this and funding cuts to library services from central government, LiveWire and Warrington Borough Council are looking at alternative ways to improve library and learning provision so it is cost effective and more accessible.
But following the first consultation a petition has been launched by local resident Dina Kingsnorth Baird and has already been signed by more than 1,000 people.
Dina says people are worried about losing their library buildings.
“They want a place to be able to browse real books within a real community,” she said.
A 38degrees petition has been launched to urge LiveWire and the Council to rethink their plans.
Dina added: “Bin your proposals to close, move and water down Warrington’s libraries. Instead, commit to retain all existing libraries, consult with the public and community groups on ways to involve even more community groups in to existing libraries and do more to publicly promote and celebrate the many activities already on offer across the network.
She added: “Public libraries across Warrington are under threat. The plans propose that some libraries are closed, others replaced with “lockers” and others moved from their current location to shopping centres.
“Libraries offer easy access to books and information to all of us, and a priceless space for young people to be absorbed in to the world of books. But libraries are about more than books. They also act as important community hubs – spaces in which the community can come together for events and spaces to meet, open to all no matter who they are or where they come from. They are a treasured and valuable asset to any community. Let’s be proud to be a town with fantastic, community libraries.”
A spokesperson from LiveWire, said:“We understand that the public are going to have strong views on the proposals for the modernisation of LiveWire and during the 30 day consultation period, we would encourage residents to give their views and comments either via attending the formal consultation sessions, sending their views to [email protected] or dropping them off in writing to any LiveWire site.”
8 Comments
The arguments presented by LiveWire concerning library visits are disingenuous. The reductions in opening hours and increases in fines have had an effect on visitor numbers. The petition against the closures has gained 1500 signatures in two days, and the Facebook group “Save Warrington’s Libraries” has gained 500 members in the same amount of time. The meeting at Culcheth library last night drew so many people that they couldn’t all get in!
It’s clear that the closures have little to do with the overall financial climate, and everything to do with a reallocation of resources within Warrington Borough Council. Libraries have been “sidelined” in favour of “profitable” branches of leisure such as sports facilities – witness also the move of the central library and various other branches to much smaller premises. Libraries are not profitable, and have never been profitable; a library provision is nonetheless part of the statutory function of a local council, regardless of considerations of “profitability”. Warrington Borough Council has a duty to maintain its library provision and should not be winding it down (some would even say sabotaging) it like this.
Agree completely. LiveWire and Culture (ahem) Warrington should be actively engendering interest in our libraries not acting as agents for its demise, under the guise of “bringing into the 21st century”. I doubt you will find a library service in the whole of the country which was ever profitable, nor were they ever meant to be. Perhaps in addition to the petitions we should also consider a formal complaint to the Secretary of State as my earlier comment of 6 September outlined.
Livewire claim a lack of money is to blame for Lymm library closing. Lymm pays more in council tax to WBC probably than any other ward. They have a mandatory duty to provide a library in Lymm
The figure quoted by livewire for annual usage of Lymm library is 60,000-70,000 (if this figure can be believed). That is a lot of traffic! So it is not closing due to lack of use. Lymm library has been there since before I was born, in the same building, I have attended Lymm library all my life, indeed I learned to read there.
I think Warrington Borough Council are more interested in knocking the libraries down and building houses, for more council tax than keeping libraries open
These sites are prime areas for house building
I’ve heard many stupid ideas coming out from Warrington’s authorities, this is the most stupid and short sighted. Libraries and their staff are one of the jewels of education and culture in the world; we should be building them up not knocking them down. Part of their strength is to allow you to browse and read or listen to things you have never heard of to broaden your life and education. That will go. To say nothing of the main library building which when emptied will decline and take the museum with it. Cultural quarter; don’t make me laugh. How come we can afford a useless child-like mural on the pyramid and a too large useless Parr hall but not libraries. Get a grip and save the libraries. Start by speaking to the librarians I understand they were not told till the afternoon before the announcement!
I’m struggling to think of anything good that WBC has ever done.
The town centre has become a joke, and now they want shut of the Library? Isn’t that part of the “cultural quarter”?
We need Lymm library as it comes in handy when we need books . We should not have to pay to read a book every time we want to . The most important thing is pokemon!!!!!!