New Dorchester Library to open next week
9th July
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10535265.New_Dorchester_library_to_open_next_week/
New library will cost £5m
9:00am Saturday 22 June 2013
LETTER from Trevor Jones and Richard Biggs, County councillors for Dorchester
In your issue of June 19 you carried a story about the new Dorchester Library in Charles Street which will be opening soon. In it you say that ‘Dorset County Council claims that bringing the library and learning centre services together under one roof will also deliver long term savings’.
Sadly this is not so and the council has acknowledged it many times. In fact there will be an additional cost of £5million spread over 25 years; or £200,000 every year.
As we have repeatedly pointed out while it is nice to have a new library there is not much wrong with the one we already have by County Hall.
Queen’s Birthday Honours: Dorset's finest recognised on list
10:30pm Friday 14 June 2013
MBE for manager of the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus
Carolyn Date, who volunteered to organise a fundraising concert and ended up running Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, receives the MBE. She is secretary and manager of the chorus, a choir of 160 amateurs who perform between 12 and 18 concerts a year with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Carolyn has been service and strategy manager with Bournemouth Libraries and president of the Bournemouth branch of Unison.
A member of the chorus for around 35 years, she organised a fundraising concert in an effort to save the Bournemouth Sinfonietta – and became the next choice for secretary. “I’m very passionate about the chorus. It was founded by Sir Dan Godfrey. He was so proud of it and the fact that Bournemouth had a municipal orchestra and a choir,” she said. I’ve done my best to continue that tradition and also to make it accessible to people.”
Anonymous donor praise
10:45am Monday 10 June 2013
LETTER from Peter Kazmierczak, Senior Heritage Librarian, Bournemouth Libraries:
I would just like to thank the anonymous donor who came into Bournemouth Library on June 4 and gave us a selection of Cherries programmes covering their latest, momentous, season. He left without giving his name, so through the medium of the Daily Echo may I say a big “Thank you”. The donation is most appreciated. The Heritage Zone, situated on floor 2 of The Bournemouth Library in The Triangle, has a large collection of material relating to our town’s history. However we are always looking for donations, specifically related to Bournemouth, to add to our holdings, so that present and future generations can learn more about the place they live, work or study in.
Polish children’s library opens in Poole
4:00pm Tuesday 4 June 2013
A Polish children’s library has opened in Poole, thanks to an initiative by three local mums and help from the community. They run a parent and toddler group, Szkrab Poole by the Old Town Children’s Centre and at the moment the library has 350 books available including those for younger and older children and 20 on parenting.
“The library gives our families and many others with children easy access to Polish books of all genres,” said Patricia Stachowicz, one of the organisers. “We believe it will help us, carers to encourage our children, who will read, write and speak most of the time in English while at school, to learn to read and write in Polish as well and value their heritage. Most of all it will, hopefully, keep Polish language alive within the English environment that we live in, whilst also helping us to embrace and value both cultures.”
Grants were received from the Community First Neighbourhood Matched Fund and from the children’s centre. Money was raised by selling items made by Polish mums and from St Nickolas Day, which is celebrated on December 6, with a tombola and donated prizes.
Poetic opening for Christchurch library
10:16am Tuesday 4 June 2013
The newly revamped Christchurch library celebrated its official opening with a poetic performance at the weekend. Dignitaries and users of the library and learning centre as well as staff and other bookworms gathered to see the £1million refurbishment and extension officially opened. And they were treated to a special performance from poet Elvis McGonagall, who lives in Dorset, and had written a poem called “Search for Christchurch”.
As well as the official ceremony, other activities included a Leafy Library in Druitt Gardens, with drop-in sessions for families featuring stories, crafts and countryside activities. And in the afternoon, a Manga workshop took place where youngsters learnt the techniques of the Japanese comic-book artform from a professional artist.
Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr John Lofts was present as well as chairman of Dorset County Council, John Wilson and Peter Finney, cabinet member for community services.
From left, 10-year-old Ana Parfitt, John Wilson, Cllr John Lofts, poet Elvis McGonagall and Peter Finney.
The £2million new library now also includes an adult learning centre, as well as more books, updated facilities, rooms available for community groups, improved heating and lighting, a refreshments area and an ICT suite and classrooms. The transformation has taken place over the past year, and resulted in a more modern building with 60 per cent more space.
The Sight and Sound Centre will also operate from the building from early June. Provided by Dorset County Council’s Sight and Hearing Team, the service offers impartial advice and information on sight or hearing loss and provides an opportunity to try out examples of equipment.
Final touches being applied to new Dorchester library
4:34pm Wednesday 29 May 2013
The finishing touches are being applied to Dorchester’s new library and learning centre. Fitting out of the South Walks facility is in its final stages with the library opening to the public on July 19.
Public displays have gone on show in the existing library and adult learning centre to illustrate the lay-out of the new building. The library and learning resources will be spread across three floors with extra books and an improved children’s library area with a family learning room. There will also be public access computers and self-service units for book, CD and DVD issues as well as areas for reading, quiet study and browsing. The new adult learning facilities will include an IT suite and three multifunctional classrooms, which will be available for the local community to use as meeting rooms. The building will also feature toilets, baby changing facilities and access to all floors by lifts and stairs.
Dorset County Council claims that bringing the library and learning centre services together under one roof will also deliver long-term savings for the authority.
The existing library in Colliton Park will close from July 8 for books to be moved and stock to be transferred to the new building. In the interim period a mobile library will be set up in the car park of the old library.
A series of celebration events will take place after the opening on July 19.
Once the centre is up and running the council will terminate its lease on the current adult learning centre in Prince of Wales Road and the old library will be converted into office space as part of the authority’s overall strategy to reduce its property portfolio and cut running costs.
Dorset County Council’s cabinet member for community services Peter Finney said: “I am delighted work on fitting out the new library and adult learning centre is now in the final stages. It will provide the town and its surrounding area with better, more accessible facilities, offering benefits to people of all ages and interests.”
Bournemouth library workers raising cash for food banks
1:30pm Saturday 25 May 2013
A kind hearted member of staff from Bournemouth Libraries is giving up her personal collection of signed books and plants for a good cause. Medi Bernard, Service and Strategy Manager, decided to she wanted to do more to encourage people to give donations to the Food Banks in Bournemouth, as she had heard how over-subscribed they have been. She said: “The Kinson Library was already a collection point for donations to the food banks, but I thought it made sense to allow all Bournemouth Libraries to collect them.” She added: “I wanted to give people an incentive to donate. I came to work in Bournemouth in December 2000 and so I’ve built up a collection of signed books over the years, so I thought that maybe I could offer those, some of my spider plants and some book tokens. “So anyone who brings in a non-perishable food item can enter and we do the draw in the first or second week of every month and we have a different person to come along and pick the winner.”
Medi Bernard, left and Hilary Gow at Kinson library
For more information on the initiative and to enter the draw, visit your local Bournemouth library.
Library revamp is welcome
10:37am Friday 17 May 2013
ECHO OPINION: Cutbacks have affected numerous libraries. Some have shut, some have lost services, while communities are running others once under the auspices of the local authority. So it’s welcome news that Dorset County Council has invested £2m on improving Christchurch Library.
The library now has 60 per cent more space. It now offers more books with better choice and better facilities for youngsters and families. Libraries are a vital resource for learning. Anything which encourages more people through their doors definitely gets an A+.
“It seems this new band might catch on” – the musical history of the BSO
4:30pm Wednesday 15 May 2013
Much of the orchestra’s history is recorded in thousands of documents, photographs and items of memorabilia stored in Bournemouth Library, a selection of which is now on display to the public in an exhibition.
Among the collection are 13 scrapbooks kept by Sir Dan Godfrey, in which he kept everything from Echo clippings to records of an appendectomy. “Dan Godfrey kept everything. He kept press cuttings, letters, photographs, programmes,” said Barry Meehan, senior librarian responsible for music at Bournemouth Library. Other items in the collection include a baton belonging to another great BSO conductor, Charles Groves, and a top hat that Godfrey is thought to have worn when he received his knighthood.
Artefacts show history of ‘band at end of pier’
10:00am Tuesday 7 May 2013
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has teamed up with Bournemouth Library to mount an exhibition of artefacts, pictures and programmes from the past 120 years to celebrate the orchestra’s long history.
With its origins as a ‘band at the end of the pier’, the exhibition will chart how the orchestra grew to be one of the country’s leading municipal orchestras and then to the world-class ensemble they are today. The exhibition charts the inspiring leadership of many musical greats, from founder Sir Dan Godfrey to its current Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits. Each item is as fascinating as the last, with photographs and artefacts ranging from the late 1890s right through to the present day.
BSO spokeswoman Jacky Thorne said: “This is an exhibition which not only charts the history of the Orchestra, but reflects wider events and the amazing development of Bournemouth from a Victorian town to the major coastal resort it is today. Anyone who has memories of growing up with the orchestra will enjoy seeing items from its archive, many on show for the first time.”
The exhibition is held at Bournemouth Library, Level 2 until July 13.
Community to mark 100 days of running its library with World Book Night
3:00pm Friday 19 April 2013
The community of Wool will celebrate 100 days of running its own library with a World Book Night event on Tuesday, April 23. Lord Lieutenant for Dorset Valerie Pitt-Rivers and award-winning crime writer Minette Walters are due to attend the event at the library, which starts at 3pm. There will be 40 copies of The Reader by Bernhard Schlink given away to new library users and anyone who signs up as a member before 5.30pm will also have the chance to win an e-reader.
Wool is one of seven libraries that have been transferred to community ownership following the withdrawal of core funding from Dorset County Council.
Chairman of the Friends of Wool Library David Smith said: “We will be showing that the library is of intrinsic value to the community and can be a focal hub with much more going on than before.”
For more information go to woolcommunitylibrary.org
Frances Norah Woodsford
11:20am Friday 19 April 2013
Obituary: Ensbury Park library in Bournemouth was the setting for a celebration of the life of Frances Norah Woodsford on April 5. Known as Norah to her family and friends, the remarkably talented Bournemouth woman died at her home on February 20, aged 99.
In the post-war years she kept a roof over her widowed mother’s head by working as secretary/matron at Bournemouth’s public baths. Details of that work, its frustrations and long unsociable hours are described with great humour in her letters to Mr Bigelow.
A selection was published by Chatto and Windus as Dear Mr Bigelow in 2009, when Norah was 96. The same letters were also broadcast that same year on Radio 4 as Book of the Week. Copies are now in the archives of Bournemouth Library and the Museum of Rural Life at Reading University. A second volume, called Wish You Were Here, may be accepted for publication soon.
Volunteers step up to help Bridport's old library building
9:53am Thursday 18 April 2013
Around 60 people have offered to help get Bridport’s iconic Old Literary and Scientific Institute back into use. In 2010 The Bridport Area Development Trust took on the challenge of restoring the Georgian building for community use and have got the promise of £2.4 million for its restoration - if they can raise £200,000 from the community.
The Grade II listed institute in East Street has been empty – and deteriorating - since 1997 when Dorset County Council moved the library to South Street.
The trust already has initial approval for a £1.2 Heritage Lottery grant and commitments from the county, district and town councils, English Heritage and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. Project manager Crystal Johnson said: “Final approval of the Heritage Lottery grant will depend partly on the support of the community, demonstrated by the success of community and corporate fundraising.”
Plans so far include a ground floor café, with interpretation related to the industrial heritage and present-day story of the building and the town. This will also be used as a venue for talks and lectures in the traditions of the institute. Community working groups, including a fundraising group and interpretation working group will be set up, under Ms Johnson.
Up-to-date news about the LSI restoration project can be found on the BADT website at bridportadt.org.uk/news.
HISTORY
The Bridport Literary and Scientific Institute at 51 East Street, is a Grade II* Listed Building built in the 1830s, originally as a Mechanics Institute to train young working men of the town. In the 1860s the building was leased to a group of local trustees as a Literary and Scientific Institute for ‘the intellectual and moral improvement of all classes’. It also served for many years as the Bridport School of Art and it was used as a Red Cross recreation centre for American troops and as a quartermaster’s store during the Second World War. By 1950 it was closed. In the early 1950s became the town’s public library until 1997. It has been on the national At Risk register since 2003. When the library closed it was used by various community organisations. The last tenants, Labculture Ltd, left in November 2002.
Moves to restore the building were hampered by legal wrangles as to who actually owned the building, although Dorset County Council was hoping to apply for lottery funding for what was in 2003 a £1.1 million refurbishment project. The dispute has been over whether the empty building had legally reverted to its original owners, the Elphinstone family, because the terms of the original lease were no longer being satisfied. The High Court was to resolve the issue late in 2009 but the Bridport Local Area Partnership made a bid to use it on behalf of the community and the High Court ruled it had six months to come up with ideas.
Christchurch library to reopen after £2m extension
2:00pm Tuesday 16 April 2013
The new and improved £2million Christchurch library will open its doors to the public next month. After years of battling to gain planning permission to extend the town centre library in Christchurch, Dorset County Council is ready to unveil the new-look modern library and learning centre on May 13.
Work began a year ago on the extensive renovations and building work but before it can fully open, a two-week closure will take place from April 29 until May 13 to allow for final touches including flooring, IT installations, shelving and furniture. A mobile library will be situated in the Waitrose bypass car park where users can return and borrow books and other items. Customers can also borrow extra books in advance and use Highcliffe library.
As well as increasing the size of the library with 60 per cent more space than before, the new facility will see Dorset Adult Learning re-located to the building with classes offered from September and the Bargates centre closing. There will also be more books, improved facilities for children and families, rooms available for community groups, improved heating and lighting, an area for people to enjoy refreshments and an ICT suite and classrooms.
Paul Leivers, head of community services at Dorset County Council, said: “The £2million investment gave us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the building into one of the best libraries in the county. Incorporating adult learning facilities into the same building means that we can offer a one stop venue for learning and reading in the heart of the town centre. The extended facilities will benefit the community and visitors for many years to come. I thank all library users for their patience while their library service was interrupted and we look forward to welcoming our members, old and new to the new library and learning centre.”
Mayor of Christchurch and town centre ward councillor Peter Hall said: “It’s absolutely brilliant they have done it within budget. It really has improved, especially by moving the adult education centre there is a saving of £50,000 a year. There are better facilities and 20 per cent more books. It is great for the borough especially when other areas have had their services cut.”
The official opening ceremony will take place on June 1.
How new jobs hub is helping people in BH12 area get back into work
2:00pm Monday 15 April 2013
A new Jobs Hub has opened in a public library to tackle higher than average unemployment rates in the BH12 area of Poole. The community initiative on the first floor of Rossmore Library in Herbert Avenue is believed to be the first of its kind in the area, operating three sessions a week. It is independent of the council and local job centres.
The idea is to provide a relaxed and friendly environment where people can view a daily jobs board as well as obtain free help with job searching, CV writing, interview skills and filling out application forms. They can also access laptop computers, wireless internet and a telephone.
Sylvia Webster, neighbourhood manager of the Bourne Estate, explained that the hub was a new way of using community facilities, with the café on the ground and the newly revamped first floor helping to create a welcoming atmosphere. “We think this might be the first independent community-based jobs hub to be set up in Poole,” she added. “There’s no pressure and people don’t have to fill in loads of forms. They can come in, look around. They don’t have to talk to anyone, but someone will be there if they want to.”
Jobs Hub co-ordinator Carrie Smith said: “We want to help encourage people back into work. Our role is to involve more of the community and have them come in and not feel the hub is owned by the library or borough.”
The library has stocked up on useful books for the hub, and free skills and learning courses are available for the unemployed. The hub will also be working with the Chamber of Commerce and Wessex Enterprise to support people who want to set up their own businesses and achieve something great.”
The hub is open on Wednesdays from 11am to 2pm and 4 to 6pm and on Thursdays from 10am to 12 noon.
Chickerell Library set for official opening
11:00am Monday 15 April 2013
Chickerell Library, which is now run by volunteers, will be officially opened on Saturday, May 11. The Friends of Chickerell Library will be holding a tea party in the garden.
Councillors support handover of library to local community
11:00am Friday 5 April 2013
An eighth Dorset library is set to be handed over to the local community after receiving support from councillors. A total of nine rural libraries were faced with the loss of core funding after the county council decided to review its library service in July 2011. Portland’s Underhill Library has since closed its doors but those at Puddletown, Chickerell, Wool, Burton Bradstock, Charmouth, Colehill and Stalbridge have been handed over to the community and will be run by volunteers with support from the council.
Now the county council’s cabinet has backed a proposal by the Friends of Corfe Castle Library to take on their facility, with the handover expected to take from three to six months. Head of community services Paul Leivers said that the particular circumstances of the building occupied by Corfe Castle would mean the council would need to pledge around £3,000 per annum of additional support to the Friends group, on top of the £5,000 package offered to all the community libraries. He added that he feels ‘positive’ about the situation.
We'll make libraries fit for the 21st century, pledge councillors
3:00pm Tuesday 2 April 2013
Bournemouth will get libraries “fit for the 21st century” and at a reduced cost, councillors have promised. A comprehensive review of the town’s libraries service has recommended the retention of all 12 libraries, along with the home library service.
Cabinet members unanimously agreed the proposals, which will see £1.7million of savings and extra income made over the next seven years. This will be raised by increasing income through premises hire, fees and charges, staff restructuring by merging responsibilities and freezing vacant posts, reducing the annual stock budget and reducing printing, stationery and furniture costs.
Councillors also agreed to explore options for improving the library service in the future, including sharing library buildings with other information and advice agencies, reviewing opening hours, installing public Wi-Fi, using digital technology to promote the library service, installing coffee bars and drinks machines in some libraries and hiring out space for exhibitions and meetings.
Cllr Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for corporate policy implementation, said: “I can’t emphasise enough that this is a paper which recommends libraries for the future, well into the 21st century.”
And Cllr Michael Weinhonig said: “There is huge enthusiasm for hub working with the police and other partners. The future for libraries is, quite honestly, looking really exciting.” He said library staff and volunteers already provided an excellent service, helping deal with enquiries on everything from council housing to benefit claims. “This core service transformation adds value but you can’t put a price on the value added by the libraries to this council,” he said.
Good to read of vow on libraries
9:51am Tuesday 2 April 2013
Editorial opinion
"On any list of Things The Victorians Did For Us, one of the best would surely be public libraries. But in recent times, this valued service has been under serious threat. Dorset County Council told seven communities that they would have to run their own libraries or lose them. Libraries have been disappearing all over the country. Even a popular author, Terry Deary of Horrible Histories fame, chimed in to say they had “had their day”.
So Bournemouth council should be commended vowing to keep all its [12] libraries and its home library service. There is still £1.7million to be saved and the prospect of cutting the stock budget and “reviewing” opening hours is not so welcome. But the council’s positive attitude is laudable. Everyone, from the toddlers at story time to the pensioners reading books they could not afford to buy, will be grateful if the council is as good as its word."
Purbeck volunteers thanked
11:18am Wednesday 27 March 2013
Civic officials have thanked Purbeck’s ‘outstanding volunteers’ at a special reception. Purbeck District Council chairman Cllr Eric Osmond said he was privileged to host the ceremony. Each of the volunteers were presented with a scroll for the “exceptional work they do for their local Purbeck communities.”
Cllr Osmund said: “Purbeck is privileged to have such a special group of people. They freely give their time, energy and skills to help others and I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts. Their work is so important to our communities and without this commitment many local activities would not be possible.”
The other volunteers receiving scrolls were ... the Friends of Wool Library.
See also Outstanding Purbeck volunteers honoured 10:11am Thursday 28 March 2013
Final work underway at new Dorchester library
4:26pm Tuesday 26 March 2013
Work has begun to fit out a new library and adult learning centre in Dorchester. Dorset County Council is moving the two services into a shared building with the centre due to open its doors in July. The centre will occupy the same building as West Dorset District Council’s new offices in Charles Street, which opened to the public in January. The main entrance for the facility will be opposite the Hardye Arcade in South Walks and it will see library and learning resources spread across three floors.
The new library will offer extra books as well as an improved children’s area along with a family learning room. There will also be public access computers and self-service units for book, CD and DVD issues as well as quiet areas for reading, studying and browsing. The adult learning facilities will include three classrooms and an IT suite that will be available as meeting rooms for local community organisations when they are not in use. The building will also feature toilets with baby changing facilities and lifts will provide access to all three floors.
The relocation will see Dorset County Council terminate its lease on the current adult learning centre in Prince of Wales Road and convert the existing county town library at Colliton Park into office space as part of its overarching drive to reduce its property portfolio and cut running costs.
Public displays are due to go on show in the coming weeks at the existing library building and the adult learning centre as well as the reception in County Hall that will showcase the lay-out of the new South Walks centre.
The council’s cabinet member for adult and community services Hilary Cox welcomed the progress on the new centre and insisted it would prove to be of great benefit to the local community. She said: “I am delighted work on fitting out the new library and adult learning centre is getting underway. It will provide the town and its surrounding area with better, more accessible facilities, offering benefits to people of all ages and interests."
Extension work begins at Charmouth Central
12:31pm Tuesday 26 March 2013
Work has begun on the extension to Charmouth Central as volunteers celebrate more grant success. The digger levered up the first tarmac at the community library last week, and despite bad weather the construction work has continued and foundations are well on their way. The extension has been funded by a £50,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Village SOS.
But even before the extension is completed by late summer, the board of Charmouth Central has been exploring ways of introducing activities requested by residents in its aim to transform the former county council-run library into a community hub.
A £1,000 grant from West Dorset District Council’s social inclusion fund will buy sewing machines, materials and equipment for the newly-formed Sewing Society. The society will begin by making quilted cushions for use in Charmouth Central and go on to produce these and other hand-made goods for sale in the new extension. Profits will be put towards the costs of the enterprise, which has to be fully volunteer funded and staffed.
POPP (Dorset Partnership for Older People Programme) has also given a £1,577 grant for three touch screen laptops, which will be used by the group Computer Classes for Senior Starters. The classes were requested by local senior citizens who feel they are being disadvantaged by their lack of knowledge.
These new activities add to a list which already includes book groups, a creative writing group, a seniors' discussion group and rhymetime for the under fives.
Chairman Hazel Robinson said: "A crammed diary is exactly what we want. Residents of Charmouth and neighbouring villages just have to tell us what interests them and we'll provide the space and anything else we can."
The lobby of the original building has been fitted out by West Dorset District Council to take tourist brochures, so Charmouth Central is a fully-fledged tourist information point.
All this - including the core activity of providing full public library services - will continue while the building of the extension goes on.
Anyone interested in joining the library or in any of the social and educational activities should call into Charmouth Central during opening hours or visit charmouthvillagelibrary.org.uk.
Office is pulling in the tourists
3:00pm Monday 25 March 2013
A tourist information office is pulling in the crowds after moving into a library. Discover Purbeck has seen an increase of visitors from 62,000 in 2011/12 to 100,500 in 2012/13 after it moved from Holy Trinity Church to Wareham Library in March last year.
The centre came out top in a recent survey which showed that a large majority of visitors were happy with the new premises, staff knowledge, information available and easy access.
Councillor Ali Patrick, local economy and social issues spokesman for Purbeck District Council, said: “We are delighted that the information centre’s move has been such a success. Not only has moving to the new premises and working in partnership with the library saved the council money, the level access has opened up the service to many new visitors. The team were very positive about the move and we are extremely pleased that customers have given the service such encouraging feedback.”
The centre is located on the ground floor of the library and provides information about Purbeck to visitors and local people, including walking and cycling routes, local event publicity, theatre tickets, National Express tickets, an accommodation booking service and sales including books, maps, cards and gifts.
It is the first combined Tourist Information Centre and library project of its kind in Dorset.
Libraries will NOT be axed – but they do have to make £1.7m by 2020
12:00pm Monday 25 March 2013
A renewed pledge has been made that no Bournemouth libraries will face the axe – but they will have to make cuts and generate income worth of £1.7million.
Following a wide-ranging review of the town’s library service, councillors are pledging no closures, no reduction in hours and no adverse impact on the home library service.
Instead, the service, which accounts for 3.21 per cent of the council’s total budget, will be “transformed” to meet the changing demands of customers. Over the next seven years, £1.7m of cuts and extra income will be achieved by:
- Increasing income through premises hire, fees and charges, overdue stock and sales.
- Restructuring staff by freezing vacant posts and merging responsibilities.
- Reducing the annual stock budget.
- Saving money on printing, stationery, consumables and furniture costs.
Cllr Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for corporate policy implementation, said: “The crux of the whole thing is to make libraries not just somewhere to borrow books, important as that is. We’re not cutting services, we’re not closing libraries and hopefully we’re offering the public a better service. It will certainly be a different service.”
The recent consultation asked adult and child visitors to rate the five services most important to them. Unsurprisingly, printed books to borrow topped the poll from all ages.
“There’s still a demand for printed books and that was very gratifying to see,” said Medi Bernard, service and strategy manager for libraries and arts. “The enquiry and information service provided by libraries was also valued and the public computers were regarded as very important. “We’re very mindful that we are all things to all people. At the same time as bringing new services into libraries we want to preserve what people value.”
And Cllr Michael Weinhonig, who has helped lead the scrutiny of the libraries’ business case, said: “This is giving the service a future. It gives us continuity. These are real savings that we will achieve.”
Downton Abbey creator heaps praise on Puddletown library volunteers
12:30pm Monday 4 March 2013
Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes of West Stafford has praised the courage of library volunteers in Puddletown ahead of a visit to the village.
The Oscar winning screenwriter will be at Puddletown Middle School on Friday, March 15 to talk about his life at a fundraising event for the Friends of Puddletown Library. The Friends group took over the running of their village library earlier this year following the withdrawal of core funding from Dorset County Council.
Lord Fellowes is a keen supporter of public libraries and was happy to support the volunteers in their efforts to maintain the village library. He said: “In the best of all possible worlds Dorset’s network of public libraries would be maintained by the county council. But with local government finance under such severe pressure it seems this is no longer possible for the very smallest of libraries. Faced with closure, the people of Puddletown have courageously taken on the responsibility of running the library for themselves, as they believe it is better for volunteer librarians to take over than to face the prospect of losing such a precious asset. And I couldn’t agree with them more.”
The school doors open at 6.30pm on the night for a 7pm start. Tickets cost £12 and include a supper prepared by school staff. They can be bought from the library or school office during opening hours as well as from 3,11 or 21 High Street or Woods Cottage, The Green, Puddletown, or 12 Trent Close, Tolpuddle.
Charmouth Central is revealed to the community
5:13pm Thursday 28 February 2013
The community of Charmouth has welcomed the re-opening of the village library by a team of local volunteers. The library, now known as Charmouth Central, was the busiest it has ever been as residents took a first look at the revamped facility. It has been closed since January for building and decorating work to take place and was revealed to the public today. It marks the official handover of the freehold of the building from Dorset County Council to Charmouth Central.
Hazel Robinson, chairman of the Friends of Charmouth Library, said the day has gone 'brilliantly'. She said: "I'm absolutely thrilled that everyone has come, it's been absolutely heaving. I didn't think we would ever get it done it time, but we did. We have picked up a lot of new volunteers but we could always do with more. Everyone has been enthusiastic, I think they have liked what we have done and I think they can see it's a new regime and that we are going to try and make it of far more use to the village."
Angela Healy and Joan Aldworth were curious to see the work the volunteers had done. Mrs Healy said: "I'm pleased it's staying open, there are people in the village who really rely on it. A lot of hard work has gone in. We've lost so many things in the village so it's once that we've managed to keep this." Mrs Aldworth started going to the village library 50 years ago and was impressed with the new look. "It's a lovely idea for the village, as long as people use it," she said.
Carolyn Sparks worked in libraries for 10 years and appreciates how valuable the service is in the community. She said: "We are just thrilled it has been able to stay open and the services it looks like it can offer look wonderful. We hope we can support it in any way we can."
Vicky Whatmore and two-year-old son Archie have already made the most of the new services and enjoy the Rhymetime sessions. Mrs Whatmore said: "It's really nice to get the kids interested and I have definitely been coming here more since it started. I grew up in Charmouth so it's nice to see how the library has changed and it looks fantastic." Darcie Stainer, nine, will be using the library a lot after school. She said: "I like reading a lot. It's busy here and colourful."
Lynne Butler is one of the volunteers who will be helping out one afternoon a week. She said: "In a village like Charmouth it is up to us to keep the amenities going. It seemed the library was a way I could help and put a little bit back. People have been really interested and seem genuinely pleased that the facility is still going to be here."
It has been a very successful week for the volunteers with news of another successful grant bid, this time £1,000 from Dorset Community Foundation's social inclusion fund. It is aimed at activities that get elderly people involved in the community, and Charmouth Central will be using it to set up a sewing club.
See also Charmouth library set to continue 3:00pm Thursday 7 March 2013
Oscar winner Lord Fellowes to discuss his life
12:50pm Monday 25 February 2013
Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes of West Stafford will be sharing some of the secrets of his success at an event supporting Puddletown’s new community library. The Oscar-winning writer will be at St Mary’s Middle School in Puddletown on Friday, March 15 to talk about his life in film and television. The event will help support the efforts of the Friends of Puddletown Library, who took over their village library last month.
Charmouth Library to re-open thanks to volunteers
2:20pm Tuesday 26 February 2013
The doors of Charmouth Library will be thrown open again this week as local volunteers take charge. It will re-open on Thursday after being closed since January for building and decorating work to take place. The freehold of the building was transferred from Dorset County Council to the Friends of Charmouth Library after the authority withdrew its funding. Everyone is invited to the re-opening at 2pm, library user or not.
Hazel Robinson, chairman of the Friends of Charmouth Library, said: “When we waved our protest placards a year ago in an attempt to force Dorset County Council to recognise how we value our library, we could not have envisaged what huge efforts we would have to make to keep it. That's all in the past and, though we vehemently believe that there was no need to close libraries as there were other means of making sufficient savings, we have had to do what we have had to do. DCC will still provide the books, the computers and a little professional help and Charmouth has to do the rest.”
Charmouth Central Ltd has been formed to take on the freehold of the building and carry out building work, including repairing the roof, installing central heating, and re-decorating.
Mrs Robinson said: “Without the help of local traders, the parish council, generous local donors and the volunteers who help in so many different ways, the library would have been closed last year, never to open again. Instead, we have a great drop-in centre - a local community hub, just waiting for all who want to use it.”
Building work on an extension will begin in mid-March, paid for by a £50,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The extra space will allow refreshments to be served, social and educational activities to be held, a tourist information point, internet cafe facilities, and the selling of locally-produced goods and donated books and DVDs.
To help with ongoing running costs an Auction of Promises will be held on Saturday, March 2 at 7.30pm in The George, Charmouth. Catalogues are available from daclifford@aol.co.uk
Closure-threatened library saved by community
4:00pm Friday 15 February 2013
An East Dorset library that faced closure after council cuts has been brought back from the brink by the community. Colehill Library was one of eight threatened in the county after Dorset County Council pulled their funding as part of a bid to save £725,000.
However, local residents were so upset by the plans that they banded together to ensure the library was able to keep its doors open. The library was officially opened as a community-run facility on Saturday morning, with actor and Colehill resident Michael Medwin cutting the ribbon.
Chairman of the Colehill Parish Council David Mitchell said: “This has been a long-held dream, and it has taken some time to see it come true. A lot of work has gone into this, but lo and behold on January 8 we became a community library. A limited company, which is in effect a management team, looks after the running, and we have a lot of volunteers who will make sure it is able to open.”
An army of 90 volunteers have stepped forward to man the library, including around 30 who will help with maintaining the building.
“We are responsible for the whole thing now,” said Mr Mitchell. This is something that Colehill residents have overwhelmingly supported. We put out a questionnaire to see what people thought about it all, and something like 85 per cent were in favour of this project.”
County, district and parish councillor Janet Dover said: “People are really happy about this. We have finally achieved keeping the library open. The county council removed the funding but the community has stepped forward to ensure it didn’t have to close. We are absolutely thrilled – it is fantastic news for everyone.”
MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke also attended the official opening. She said: “Without the support of the community and these wonderful volunteers, this could never have happened. “It’s wonderful news.”
In early 2012, the parish council announced it was raising its precept to provide financial support for the initiative. The county council is also giving each community-run library around £5,500 a year towards staffing, books and IT services.
See also East Dorset library saved by the community after cuts threat
12:59pm Saturday 9 February 2013
Burton Bradstock’s library turns new leaf as friends take over
3:00pm Tuesday 5 February 2013
A band of volunteers has turned a page in the history of Burton Bradstock’s library – and given the village a new facility. The Friends of Burton Bradstock Library opened the doors of the library last week for the first day as a fully community-run venture. The 99-year library building lease is now held by Burton Bradstock Parish Council which has sub-leased it to the friends who will manage and maintain the building.
Friends’ chairman Prof Bob Hynds said the local community had been involved in manning the library for a number of years and that the transfer would see the facility open for 12 hours over six days each week. “The last few months have been a bit hectic and we have had to recruit and train an extra 12 volunteers to run the library,” he said. “But now we have some 20 people involved and there is considerably more support in the village. But what is also very important is that now that the parish council has the lease, the building is locked into village life for the future and can now be used for community purposes. At one point there was talk about the building being sold and it may have become another holiday property. But now it is secure for the foreseeable future. We still have the full resource from the county library system, but now they provide the kit and we provide the people.”
The friends have to find at least £2,500 a year for the building’s running costs and will be undertaking fundraising events and raising money from subscriptions.
A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “The transfer of services to Burton Bradstock library completes the arrangements with the local community, having successfully taken on responsibility for the building last year. The council recognises the support of the volunteers at Burton Bradstock over the past four years in helping to deliver their local library service.”
The library in Burton Bradstock is open from 10am to noon on Tuesdays and Saturdays and 3pm to 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Users will still use the same library card both at the community libraries and council run libraries elsewhere in the county.
Freeze on council tax in Hampshire as more savings are found
12:30pm Tuesday 5 February 2013
Now departments – including children’s services, adult social care, transport, libraries and country parks – are being asked to find further savings of two per cent in 2013 and 2014 to shave 20 per cent of its budget over four years.
Last year’s cuts saw the ...book fund was reduced and Winchester’s Stanmore Library moved to the Carroll Centre, where it is now run by the charity, while a volunteer group is to staff the library in North Baddesley.
This year the council plans to save millions by merging corporate services in a new department. There will be some job losses but on a smaller scale. Adult social services is losing three posts, library and museum services 14 and children's services four.
Friends of Charmouth Library celebrate grant success
1:59pm Friday 1 February 2013
Friends of Charmouth Library are this week celebrating more grant success as work to transform the building is forging ahead. The volunteer group has been awarded just over £4,200 from West Dorset District Council’s Leisure Development Fund. The grant will pay for floor covering and furniture in the new Charmouth Central when it re-opens under volunteer control in late February.
Hazel Robinson, chairman of the Friends of Charmouth Library, said: “We needed non-slip covering for the extension and chairs, tables and soft furnishings for the existing library and extension. This contribution will ensure that the current library and the extension to be built in spring can be used in comfort by many more residents and tourists, not just as a library but as a drop-in centre. Friends of Charmouth Library had already secured a grant from the Big Lottery Fund (Village SOS) for the construction of the extension but had been concerned that there would not be sufficient funds to finish the interior to a good standard. Now our worries about this are over.”
The extension, which is expected to be completed in August, will provide a kitchen to serve drinks and snacks, an internet cafe with WiFi access and a tourist information point. An army of volunteers are currently transforming the existing library building ready for re-opening on Thursday, February 28, when the building will be officially handed over to Charmouth Central Ltd by Dorset County Council. Preparation for the new central heating has begun and the volunteers are painting the walls this week.
“It’s already looking very different,” said Mrs Robinson. Our signage has been worked out so even the exterior of the building will look different. The roof repairs and insulation have been delayed because of the weather but should be starting soon.”
The community is invited to see the transformation on February 28 at 3.30pm, but Mrs Robinson said there would not be a big celebration. She said: “We don’t feel that there’s anything to celebrate in being forced to take over the library. I asked volunteers’ opinions and they said they didn’t feel it was appropriate. When we open our extension we will celebrate but at present we are mourning that we are not part of the statutory library service anymore. But we still want everyone to come and see what we have done, even out of curiosity, and see where the money they have given us is going.”
From February 28 residents will be able to take books in and out as normal but work will be continuing on the extension. The Friends will continue to fundraise to cover the ongoing running costs and the next event is an Auction of Promises at The George in Charmouth on March 2 from 7.30pm. Catalogues are available from various village shops or at www.charmouthvillagelibrary.org.uk
Libraries ready to turn page as keys are passed over to new volunteers
3:30pm Thursday 24 January 2013
The doors of Charmouth Library are closed this week - but thanks to volunteers it will not be permanent. Once it is re-opened on February 28, it will be officially handed over from the county council to Charmouth Central, a limited company set up specifically to take on the freehold.
Friends say despite the temporary inconvenience of the library being closed for over a month, this could have been the permanent situation if Charmouth volunteers had not agreed to take on the responsibility. Chairman Hazel Robinson said: “Although it's a nuisance, it really does bring home to us all that this could have been exactly what we would have had to face for the future, instead of which we’ll soon be able to use the library again just as we always have.”
Scaffolding for roof repairs is going up this week and the library has been cleared of all internal fixtures and books. The asbestos vinyl tiles are being removed this week, followed by the installation of a new central heating system and re-decoration inside and out. The building will officially become Charmouth Central in early February when new fascias are put up. Anyone who can help with decorating and other practical tasks is asked to contact Mrs Robinson.
The Friends’ bank balance is looking very healthy this month as £50,000 has been deposited. The volunteer group made a successful grant bid to the Big Lottery Fund's Village SOS scheme and the funding has now been released.
VIDEO: Author Peter James visits Westbourne library
11:00am Friday 18 January 2013
International best-selling author Peter James wowed fans with an entertaining speech at Westbourne library. The author was on hand to sign copies of his books, including Not Dead Yet, which has been published in 35 different languages. Born in Brighton, the author has sold 13 million copies of his books to date.
James, who recalled writing to Enid Blyton as an eight-year old, said: “I am a big supporter of libraries. With e-books contributing to the demise of the high street and book sales, engaging with the public is becoming more and more important. “I always love it. I’m always learning from interaction with my fans. I think if it wasn’t for public libraries, I don’t think I would ever have been a writer.”
Library manager, Jenny Young said “It’s always great to have an author here in Westbourne. The public always support us really well and it’s great to have the support of authors too.”
Volunteers take over Wool village library
3:30pm Thursday 17 January 2013
Puddletown and Colehill officially completed their takeovers last week and volunteers at Chickerell and Burton Bradstock are due to follow suit next week. Stalbridge and Charmouth will also be in the hands of volunteers by the end of next month.
Future of Wool library handed over to new volunteers
2:00pm Wednesday 16 January 2013
The keys to Wool Library have finally been handed over to volunteers who stepped forward to safeguard its future. Dorset County Council chief executive Debbie Ward made the key presentation to Friends of Wool Library chairman David Smith yesterday.
Wool Library, at the D’Urberville Centre, Colliers Lane, was plunged into crisis in 2011 after county officials ruled to pull its core funding. It became one of nine county libraries left without financial backing, as the authority tried to claw back £725,000 to help balance its books.
However, after widespread public outrage, Dorset County Council members agreed to allow it – alongside seven others – to become ‘community libraries’ last year. This paved the way for local users to establish management teams and recruit volunteers to help run the libraries themselves. Handovers are set to take place at Corfe Castle, Colehill and Puddletown libraries later this year.
At least 35 volunteers, who’ve been training since mid-October, met for their final two-hour training session three days before the grand opening. Volunteer co-ordinator Christine Reber put the team though their paces. Paying tribute, David Smith said: “Without the amazing amount of time and effort that Christine has put in, we would not have reached the starting gate, let alone get underway so well prepared.”
Before Wool Library opened for business at 3pm, the Dorset County Council sign was unbolted from the wall and replaced with a “Wool Community Library” sign. Although run on a volunteer basis, Dorset County Council will continue to support the community libraries with a package worth around £5,500 a year that will include books and IT services.
Kate Adie opens first community library in Puddletown
8:01pm Monday 7 January 2013
A new chapter has begun with the opening of Dorset’s first community library. Former BBC chief foreign correspondent Kate Adie cut the ribbon to officially declare the community-run facility in Puddletown open for business.
After several months of negotiations since Dorset County Council decided to withdraw core funding to nine rural libraries, villagers in Puddletown became the first to go it alone. Communities in Chickerell, Wool, Burton Bradstock, Charmouth, Stalbridge and Colehill are set to follow suit in coming weeks and negotiations are ongoing in Corfe Castle. The only library to close its doors as a result of the council’s decision was Portland’s Underhill Library.
As she opened the community library at Puddletown, former war correspondent Mrs Adie said: “I wish it good luck and hope everybody can support it, use it and love it.” Mrs Adie, a long-standing library supporter who had helped the Friends of Puddletown Library’s fundraising campaign, added that she was delighted to see the facility retained for the community. She told the Echo: “I think it’s great. I love libraries, I think they are not just worthwhile, they enrich a place and the fact we have got volunteers doing this is terrific.”
Chairman of the Friends of Puddletown Library Mike Chaney said the volunteers would man the library four days a week and, if they can get support from the village community in the form of volunteers, library users and funds, it is hoped they may be able to extend it to six days a week. He said: “The cost of running this is something like £3,000 a year and we have got to find that entirely from this community.”
Dorset County Council has also pledged to support the community libraries with a package of support including books and IT services worth more than £5,000 a year per library. Cabinet member for community services Hilary Cox said: “I think the community will be able to do many more exciting things with their library now it’s their own.”
Chairman of library support group Ad Lib (the Association of Friends of Dorset Libraries) Graham Lee has welcomed the start of a new era of community-run facilities. The Ad Lib group was set up in early 2011 when 20 libraries faced the loss of council funding and the threat of closure. Since then 11 have retained funding and only one of the other nine has closed. Mr Lee said: “We are very pleased that of the 20 libraries that were originally threatened with the withdrawal of funding only one disappeared.”
People power saves Druitt Hall from demolition
9:14am Friday 4 January 2013
Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Peter Hall, who proposed that the application be refused, said: ... “I have it on good authority that a room in the library will only cater for 35 and not be alternative accommodation. This demolition should be refused.” His speech was met with cheers by the room of supporters.
Volunteers taking up duties in new era for Puddletown library
1:30pm Thursday 3 January 2013
Volunteers running Puddletown’s library are looking for support from the local community.
Monday sees the start of a new era for Dorset libraries as Puddletown becomes the first of seven communities to take over the running of their facility.
Volunteers at Puddletown are ready to start after a lengthy handover process but know they have a real fight on their hands if they are to keep the library running.
Retired Anglican priest Roy Bennett, who will be on duty at the library with his wife Diana today, said: “Not only have we amateur part-timers got to convince the people who come to borrow books or to seek information that we’re as on the ball as the professionals we are replacing – on top of that job we have the massive task of balancing the books.” He added: “It’s not just a matter of turning up and helping people to choose their books. We are confident we can make a success of the cultural side of the business. But today the Friends of Puddletown Library have become the owners of this business – and with ownership comes the job of making sure we can pay the rent and keep the place warm and dry with the lights on. Like any business we must insure our volunteers against public liability. Finding the money to do all that’s a big job and is going to keep us on our toes.”
The Friends group say their first task will be to make sure villagers in Puddletown are aware of the change of management and support them to make it a successful venture.
The task will be aided by a high profile launch today, which will be attended by former BBC chief foreign correspondent Kate Adie.
The volunteers have also received a message of support from West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin, inset left. He said: “I pay tribute to all those who have worked so hard to ensure that Dorset’s village libraries have a future. I know of the heroic efforts that have been made in Puddletown. I join you in spirit as you celebrate this auspicious occasion.”
Druitt Hall site scheme comes before committee
3:00pm Tuesday 1 January 2013
Christchurch Borough Council has applied to its own planning department to demolish the beloved but dilapidated hall... But the plans have provoked an outcry from residents and users of the hall, who want to see it retained or replaced.
... the new library rooms will not be able to accommodate large meetings and will have limited opening hours...
... the council said it did not believe there was any need for a new community hall in the town centre.
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