How not to promote libraries - Croydon excels at this...

National Libraries Day 2016 is on 6 February - a national celebration of libraries.

Croydon has failed miserably, again, to promote libraries as part of this event.

Nothing at all on offer listed on the National Libraries Day site:

The buzz of activities to celebrate National Libraries Day in areas surrounding Croydon is clear. Yet not one activity has been posted for Croydon, just days prior to the event.

And, just one tweet about it, which went out on 3 February.

But, quite a number of activities, although most are modest offerings, are listed in the Croydon Libraries brochure...

Everything from: 

• scavenger hunts
• crafts
• African drumming
• mystery book displays
• quizzes for adults and children
• a coffee morning 
• NLD themed storytime
• We love libraries... heart writing event
• and a suggestion box 

If you love libraries, please ignore the lack of promotion.

You can:

Visit your library

Borrow a book or two

Take a shelfie to share

Tweet using #LibrariesDay #Croydon

Send us your views, images, thoughts....



Plus

You can also join the rally prior to the lobby of Parliament, next Tuesday, at Central Hall Westminster.  This is open to everyone - library worker, library campaigner and library user.

See www.speakupforlibraries.org for details and link to booking.

The Croydon rumour mill goes into overdrive on libraries

There have been various reports in the press recently about the possibility of all but one Croydon library closing or being turned over to volunteers or just four core libraries remaining.

And the council has gone silent on their pre-election promise to rip up the contract with Carillion.

They also declined to take up the offer extended to them of advice from Tim Coates, at no cost to the council, to advise them on libraries, although Croydon Labour were very keen to engage with him in opposition.

It might appear that Councillor Timothy Godfrey, the cabinet member responsible, really has no idea what he is doing, but it is suspected that this leaking of possible scenarios is just the council's way of testing the public's reactions.

There is talk of a review of libraries, which some believe has already started, but which the Chief Executive, Nathan Elvery has confirmed as still in the planning.

He wrote,

"The Library review has yet to commence, as soon as we are in a position to begin any form of public engagement I will let you know.

regards

Nathan
Nathan Elvery 

Chief Executive"

And, to add to the confusion, we now have conflicting reports regarding closures.  

The first is the promise made by the Council leader, Tony Newman that Norbury will definitely stay open, although it is unclear exactly what this means in terms of level of service, hours, staffing and stock.

The second, is a local blogger who seems to think that four libraries might remain, a plan which includes the closure of Norbury Library.

There are figures quoted in the later post, but those that campaign for libraries know how easy it is to achieve a pre-determined outcome.

Tactics such as reducing the promotion of libraries in general, restricting the stock and greatly reducing the staffing in Croydon libraries all play a part in driving numbers down.  Add to this the reduction of activities offered within in some but not all of the libraries, and it's not hard to predict the outcome.

Promoting libraries - Marking #NLD15 in Croydon

National Libraries Day is a national celebration of libraries, but not so in Croydon, and Carillion is continuing the tradition in spectacular style.

We've pulled together the history and collated the details of what is going on today, so you can join in, and we've summarised the details here.  But for the history and full details, read on.

#NLD12

In 2012 we had Croydon under fire, caught out by the press for doing nothing to celebrate the event, including a report in The Bookseller. http://www.thebookseller.com/news/croydon-under-fire-over-national-libraries-day

With news out and the campaign highlighting this, it lead to hastily cobbled together displays by staff in libraries, presumably under instruction,  in order to cover up the Council's omission.

Children's display on the day

Main entrance display in a library

#NLD13

Clearly lessons were not learnt, and Croydon Council chose to ignore National Libraries Day again 2013.

In order to avoid a repeat of the previous year, where staff were further burdened to cobble together a promotion at the last minute, no one mentioned a thing until on the day.  There was no celebration.

 #NLD14 

was lost in the blur of changes after libraries were outsourced to Laings then rapidly passed on to Carillion. 

Labour wins the Council elections in May 2014 and all wait for them to act on their pre-election promise to rip up the contract.  And they wait, and they wait....

The Campaign met with the Leader and have made attempts to meet with the Labour lead of Libraries. We are still waiting.....

And Croydon library service spiralled ever downward, with bare and disappearing shelves, IT problems, health and safety issues, odd study pass systems put in place, and staff visibly stressed and leaving in number. Staff numbers were so depleted that the main entrance to Croydon Central Library, one of the busiest libraries in the country, was closed off in order to close off areas of unmanned desk space. A handful of posts sum up the year... , and that's not the full depressing story...

We are actually open but you are not welcome here.
Main entrance of Croydon Central.
People turned away, believing it to be closed.

Just one trolley of unprocessed books - often banks of these
were seen in libraries.

Slightly misleading as these service desks, including the one
in the children's libraries and on certain floors, were never staffed.

Finally, with tape.  Eventually removed.
This sharp metal shelf was in place for at least
6 weeks, possibly longer.  

Standard display, promoting new books.

Shelving, Croydon style.

The terms of the contract remain hidden. Promotion of libraries continues to be sporadic and haphazard in the hands of Carillion.....

#NLD15

But surely they could not miss marking National Libraries Day.

No doubt plans will be in place for Ealing libraries, where national library campaigners understand Ed Vaizey MP is due to visit on the day.  Watch this space....

But Croydon, again,  suffers under a maze of misinformation and lack of promotion.  A lot has been teased out by library users, residents and campaigners....

We have -

Just one event 

promoted in the expensive full colour 'What's On' brochure, promoting events in Croydon Libraries.... released in January and still available, hard copy in libraries and also online.

Norbury Library 
9am to 5pm
Write a love letter to your favourite book and libraries, and display it on the graffiti wall.
If you aren't a library member, join free today.

This will have had the greatest reach, and was replicated online. Many will be unaware of anything going on in other Croydon libraries.

But two events

promoted in the online Events calendar, promoting events in Croydon Libraries....  recently updated and available online.

Sanderstead Library
9am to 5pm
Scavenger hunt for the children, where they win a badge for completing it.

"I love libraries because..." hearts, for all ages to complete.

Norbury Library
9am to 5pm
Write a love letter to your favourite book and libraries, and display it on the graffiti wall.

If you aren't a library member, join free today.

No.  Wait... 8 events

promoted late this week on 5 February, and only to those who signed up to the newly created email alert.

Norbury Library
Write a love letter to your favourite book and libraries, and display it on the graffiti wall.

[But not promoting that if you aren't a library member, you can join free today.]

Croydon Central
Contribute with reviews of your Best Reads

Bradmore Green Library
Coulsdon Library
New Addington Library
Purley Library
Sanderstead Library
Selsdon Library

Library scavenger hunt for children

Love Libraries board with paper hearts for adults

If you are not already a member you can join free today

BUT there is more...

Coffee at Bradmore Green

A campaigner has advised that Bradmore Green are running a coffee morning for National Libraries Day, although those who regularly visit were not aware of this, and we have not details of time.  It is assumed it will be in the morning. Please post if you have further details.

AND.... an author event at Central Croydon Library

The campaign was aware of an author promoting an event in Croydon Central library but, until tonight, we did not have any confirmation this was genuine as it was not listed anywhere.

Reading of The Adventures of Obi and Titi 1-2pm  - It is difficult to read the details from the post so do call if you are interested in attending.

And the mystery bonus!

It is also clear from this photo that there is another event going on... See bottom right of the photo. A Reader's Community Stock Selection event.  Not sure when or what it actually involves, but if anyone gets details of this, or any other event, please let us know.

Presumably there will be something going on in other Croydon libraries, including libraries in Broad Green, Ashburton, South Norwood and Thornotn Heath....

Help us to celebrate #NLD15 in Croydon

It's easy..... 

Send us details of events not listed so we can promote them

Visit your library

Join if you aren't already a member

Send us reviews, photos or comments on events you attend by posting here, via email or tweet us @SaveCroydonLibs

Tell us why you love libraries!

And keep an eye on your library, and feed us your views....

We will follow this up with a post summarising all details and comments received. 

Email SaveCroydonLibraries@gmail.com

Thank you!

AND, we will be tweeting and retweeting, using the hashtags #NLD15 and #Croydon.  

Join in!

#NLD15 in Croydon - What's on!

Details are sketchy and conflict in different listings or aren't listed at all,  but here is what we think is on in Croydon libraries.

"I love libraries because..." hearts, for all ages to complete may be in all libraries, but should be available in those listed below.

Norbury Library
Write a love letter to your favourite book and libraries, and display it on the graffiti wall.


Croydon Central
Contribute with reviews of your Best Reads


Bradmore Green Library
Coulsdon Library
New Addington Library
Purley Library
Sanderstead Library
Selsdon Library

Library scavenger hunt for children

Love Libraries board with paper hearts for adults

If you are not already a member you can join free today

Additionally, 

Coffee at Bradmore Green

A campaigner has advised that Bradmore Green are running a coffee morning for National Libraries Day, although those who regularly visit were not aware of this, and we have not details of time.  It is assumed it will be in the morning. Please post if you have further details.

AND.... an author event at Central Croydon Library

The campaign was aware of an author promoting an event in Croydon Central library but, until tonight, we did not have any confirmation this was genuine as it was not listed anywhere.

Reading of The Adventures of Obi and Titi 1-2pm  - It is difficult to read the details from the post so do call if you are interested in attending.

And the mystery bonus!

It is also clear from this photo that there is another event going on... See bottom right of the photo. A Reader's Community Stock Selection event.  Not sure when or what it actually involves, but if anyone gets details of this, or any other event, please let us know.

Presumably there will be something going on in other Croydon libraries, including libraries in Broad Green, Ashburton, South Norwood and Thornotn Heath....

Help us to celebrate #NLD15 in Croydon

It's easy..... 

Send us details of events not listed so we can promote them

Visit your library

Join if you aren't already a member

Send us reviews, photos or comments on events you attend by posting here, via email or tweet us @SaveCroydonLibs

Tell us why you love libraries!

And keep an eye on your library, and feed us your views....

We will follow this up with a post summarising all details and comments received. 

Email SaveCroydonLibraries@gmail.com

Thank you!

AND, we will be tweeting and retweeting, using the hashtags #NLD15 and #Croydon.  

Join in!

Carillion's Curse - part 2

Keeping track of the situation, some two and a half months on...

It is fair to say that modest progress has been made since the previous post reporting the state of Croydon Central Library back at the end of May.

You ARE now welcome to Croydon Central Library

Gone is the unwelcoming closed entrance shutter that was in place for so many months, 

even if somewhat reluctantly opened....

thanks to the efforts of the lead for Libraries, Cllr Timothy Godfrey.

Sadly though, library users are still so conditioned to going in the exit, the exit is the main entrance for most, even months later.

Lighting, surroundings and outlook

The lighting was dim on all floors months ago, and still is.

Previously some of the seating was in a poor state and, at times, oddly placed.

Now the issue of oddly placed furniture appears to have been remedied but the furniture remains in a poor state with threadbare seating still apparent.

Months ago there was a partly dismantled shelving unit, complete with metal shelving protruding beyond wooden side of unit. 

 

The metal jutting out at child eye level was not even masked until weeks later.

Months on though, the piece of metal has been removed, perhaps as a result of a library user pointing this out to the person doing a health and safety inspection.

Quite what purpose the remaining structure serves nobody knows. It's still there.

Signage

Previously there were signs everywhere, advising of the systems in place, not to move chairs and tables, where to go when stations on different floors were unstaffed and that staff were no longer able to help on matters such as booking PCs.  There was odd signage too, referring to not plugging in lap tops at points where no sockets existed and not moving chairs from an area with no chairs.

Signs are inconsistently formatted - different colours, fonts and styles - giving an unloved and unprofessional feel to the place.

Other than the removal of some of the notices and colour coding that had been put in place by hastily and poorly applied thick coloured tape across corners of tables to denote study and non study tables, little has changed.

Before

And after

Some signs on tables still remain. Where removed, the cleaning contractors have not even managed to clean the sellotape marks off the tables, leaving grubby marks on surfaces.

Nice!

Promoting what's on offer

Sadly there is little change here. Shelves are often untidy and trolleys are stacked with unprocessed returns.

Displays are still dismal and the same as those on show months before.

The leaflet racks are often virtually empty.

The Twitter account @CroydonLibs still fails to engage with library users or to promote events.

And notable changes

for the better....

New IT and access to floors is now in working order

At least most, if not all, of the PCs are now in working order, which is a welcome change. Gone are the out of order signs on PCs, on the lifts and the escalator.

Magazines and papers are now readily available on shelves that lay bare before.

Uncertain future, sustainability or effect
Maps are also readily available.

Whether or not they are still available in branch libraries has not been explored though.

Staffing was increased, on occasion, after the previous post went up late May, but quickly dropped to previous levels.

At no time in the past few months have we seen, or anyone we've spoken to seen, staff on level 2 or on the ground floor in the children's library. Signs to direct library users are permanently in place and regular library users know the system well.

Staff are tied to work stations (presumably due to shortage of staffing), rarely on the floor engaging with library users or dealing with stock on shelves and trolleys. Queues at desks are often evident.

Negative
Ever reducing stock
It is of concern that the stock is reducing even further. The proliferation of hazard-taped spots, empty shelving and bare unworn flooring where shelving once stood is ever more apparent.

So what exactly is Croydon getting for their money from Carillion?

 Not a great deal.

Let's hope the damage can be reversed by the new Labour administration.

Croydon Labour continue to promise a public meeting.

To be fair to Croydon Labour it is early days for the new administration. Nevertheless it is clear that Croydon libraries need urgent action and support.

Liaison with the lead on libraries, Cllr Timothy Godfrey and hid deputy Cllr Oliver Lewis has been sought, with an offer of support. A meeting with the Leader. Cllr Tony Newman, has been held, with promise of more engagement with the campaign.

The new administration is making positive noises about keeping their election pledge to bring Croydon Libraries back in house.

Let's hope this aim is realised.  It is the only point that has raised serious spontaneous applause at two public meetings in Croydon recently.