Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Calls for Evidence on Library Closures

You can submit a response as an individual; as an organisation or if you are overcommitted during the holiday season and unable to submit your own response, contact the Community Knowledge Hub with suggestions of what you think should be included in Locality’s response.

These are the questions the enquiry will focus on:

• What constitutes a comprehensive and efficient library service for the 21st century
• The extent to which planned library closures are compatible with the requirements of the Libraries & Museums Act 1964  and the Charteris Report
• The impact library closures have on local communities
• The effectiveness of the Secretary of State's powers of intervention under the Public Libraries & Museums Act 1964

Community managed libraries have the practical knowledge on what it takes to resource and expand independent library services, whilst keeping a keen eye on costs. 

The status quo around library provision is unlikely to remain and Locality’s experience of supporting community managed libraries shows that there are different models being delivered across the country. But, if you had a magic wand, what would you like to be able to conjure in your library space? Locally what would compliment the library service, help to sustain in the longer term and bring in new users?

What can be achieved in the short term, can be dictated by the agreement between the local authority and the community-managed library. We know that many libraries in community ownership are opening up library space to all sorts of new possibilities. Some examples include bringing in new technology that most of us can not afford to have at home but can rent from the library; co-located services such as housing advice and health clinics;  generating and publishing community knowledge; bringing affordable access to film through community cinemas and so much more.

If you can contribute to the picture of what a local library could be in the future, then please do get in contact with the Community Knowledge Hub team.

The rules of submitting evidence to Select Committees can appear to be daunting at first glance.  This is a brief summary of some of the main points but further guidance is available from the following link  www.parliament.uk

• Be clear about whether you are submitting as an individual or on behalf of an organisation
• Provide no more than 6 sides of A4 paper
• Submit by email if possible, if not then a postal address is available
• Clearly highlight any information that you do not want to be published publically.
• Evidence submitted should not be published elsewhere without the Committee’s permission.

Committee Membership is as follows: 
• Mr John Whittingdale (Chair) (Con) (Maldon)
• Dr Thérèse Coffey (Con) (Suffolk Coastal)
• Damian Collins (Con) (Folkestone and Hythe)
• Philip Davies (Con) (Shipley)
• Paul Farrelly (Lab) (Newcastle-under-Lyme)
• Mrs Louise Mensch (Con) (Corby)
• Steve Rotheram (Lab) (Liverpool, Walton)
• Mr Adrian Sanders (Lib Dem) (Torbay)
• Jim Sheridan (Lab) (Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
• Mr Tom Watson (Lab) (West Bromwich East)