Government cuts ‘could see up to a quarter of librarians lose their jobs over the next year’, reports the Guardian. Leading authors have condemned the rising number of library closures because of massive cuts in local government spending allocations. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/nov/22/library-cuts-leading-authors-condemn
Examples include ‘North Yorkshire which is considering reducing its 42 libraries to 18 over four years, while Leeds is proposing to axe 20 smaller libraries. Cornwall, Brent, Lewisham, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond, Barnsley and Warrington are also planning closures. In Buckinghamshire, 14 libraries could become volunteer-run; in Gloucestershire, 12 will be closed if volunteers do not step forward. Camden, Westminster, Oldham, Southampton and Cambridgeshire are among the councils whose plans include greater use of volunteer staff.’