The Good Library Blog

A recent meeting of the authority’s Full Council seethed with talk of books. On behalf of keen readers two councillors submitted a petition each, from separate wards, each requesting that the Council open Hove’s celebrated Carnegie Library on a Monday.

Two hours later, the Council agreed to this. This is the effect that readers have gained since saving Hove’s Carnegie Library and got Brighton’s Jubilee Library open on Sundays.

Meanwhile there had also been handed in by different councillors another six petitions, from all parts of the city. These made it clear that readers want the branch libraries not to be sidelined but to have more stock and longer opening hours. Many are open only three days a week (and, even then, close at lunchtime). One Councillor quoted the late John Updike's view of libraries. There is also great concern that in Brighton the Jubilee Library’s scant shelving is a waste of precious space, especially as there are 256 electric sockets in the floor which are unused but designed for lights to illuminate from above many rows of as-yet non-existent shelves. There was general disappointment that a Question about this was brushed aside without an answer by the Council.

The eight petitions, however, coincided with the Council’s debating a delayed three-year Library Plan. Although the Plan is obliged to go through a box-ticking exercise so that the authority is seen to be making the right noises about “hubs” and certain types of books, the delay - for fuller consultation - meant that the authority again became aware of the public clamour for more books and longer hours. Crucially, the Plan has been amended to make this its central thrust, and all the special interests are a natural part of that, as all subjects should be in a well-stocked library.

This provides hope that, before too long, the Jubilee Library will have proper shelving, the branch libraries more stock and hours - and Hove will also open on Monday mornings as well as the promised afternoons.