The Big Society’s health is recovering. Despite the fevered clamour about library
closures, some councils and communities are being positive about re-organising their services.
After wide consultation with schools and local people, Wandsworth council has saved the York Gardens library in Battersea. Volunteers have agreed to form a ‘staffing mutual’ to run the library, this move is being supported by the £10m fund that the DCLG has allocated to cover the start up costs for nascent staff mutuals. In addition to that, two local schools have hired spare rooms on the premises to use as additional classrooms and both intend to maintain the library’s internet facilities with full public access.
The private sector is playing its part too. The Bookseller reports that the chief executive of Bloomsbury, Nigel Newton, is calling for publishers to ‘adopt’ libraries.
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