News - Foul Play in Doncaster Council (Bawtry Library)

Our fears have been confirmed; the officer in charge of executing the library cuts has been involved in secret meetings with parish council leaders and the Mayor of Bawtry, in which demands have been made by DMBC for parish councils and community groups to make arrangements to take over the running of the library service by June or have the library service completely removed. This is completely unacceptable for many reasons, some of which are:

1. The Mayor, councillors and officers responsible for the library budget agreed through the overview and scrutiny process to conduct proper and robust consultation with communities and stakeholders, to ensure that the council was fully informed about community capacity and whether communities would be able to sustain a library service themselves. The overview and scrutiny committee also identified that no information had been collected about levels of deprivation across Doncaster. These information collecting processes have still not occurred. The council therefore has no evidence with which it can justify removing the statutory library provision from the 14 areas under threat. The fact remains that the council has no idea whether communities would be able to take responsibility for the library service and how this would be implemented.
2. The Mayor admitted that the 12 of the 14 libraries that were chosen to be closed (or at the very least lose their council funding and buildings) were picked arbitrarily. The council has failed to provide evidence that any work was done to reassess which libraries they had selected, despite claiming they had done so using a points system. A Freedom of Information request was made and the council refused to provide the documents they claimed existed – they now claim they do not exist and never did. This is pending an internal review which the council has a legal duty to conduct. Despite admitting that they failed to use accurate information to choose the library closures, they are still threatening the same branches.
3. The Mayor will seek to justify library closures by claiming that there was no “appetite” for a library service in those areas when communities fail to step forward to run the service. This is a spurious claim. The council has a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. It also has a duty to promote the service to encourage people to use it. Doncaster has completely failed to provide a good service or promote the service for several years. As a result, many people in Doncaster are unaware of what libraries have to offer and do not know how libraries can be of use. There is therefore a diminished “appetite” for libraries and it is the council's fault. It is morally reprehensible to run down a service to the point that it does not meet the needs of communities, then blame them for this and threaten to remove the service to which they have a legal right unless they step forward to run it. Communities have extremely limited knowledge and understanding of the library service, and this is the fault of the council.
4. Enough money has been found to maintain the service as it is for twelve months. The officers responsible are pressuring communities to make quick decisions, manipulating them through threats. The council has enough time to properly investigate alternatives to closures and community-run libraries, but is refusing to do so. This suggests that the closures are at best a manifestation of council ineptitude, and at worst, ideologically driven and a symbol of the council's refusal to serve its electorate.
5. These discussions are happening behind the backs of  ward councillors, communities, unions and campaign groups. It is vital for the process to be transparent in order to ensure that everyone involved understands the implications of the decisions being made. Without the involvement of those who understand communties - the public and ward councillors - and  those who understand library services – the public, Doncaster's library staff, and qualified librarians – and those who understand the legal implications of staff redundancies – the unions – the discussions are meaningless and counterproductive. There is no point wasting time and effort by investigating impossible or impractical options. This continued lack of communication with the public demonstrates how incapable and unwilling the council are to work with Doncaster residents, as does their failure to schedule a public debate, which the council is obliged to do now that 15,000+ people have put their names to a petition in opposition to the cuts. Remember, Mayor Davies, just as you've said many times... “The council is the servan of the public.”
   
   From: http://savedoncasterlibraries.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/foul-play-in-doncaster-council/ 

News - Books to be given away (Southwell library)

Forty free books are being given away at Southwell Library tonight as part of World Book Night.

Staff will hand out Zigzag: The Incredible Wartime Exploits of Double Agent Eddie Chapman by Nicholas Booth.

There will also be literary debates and quizzes, and cheese and wine will be served.

The event starts at 7pm.

During the day there will be free story sessions with children to celebrate the Dr Seuss books including The Cat in the Hat, and Green Eggs and Ham.

 

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Books-to-be-given-away

Talk - Hidden House History with Nottinghamshire Archives (Worksop)

Does your house hold secrets from the past? Find out which local resources can help you to trace the history of your home. Worksop Library Sunday 6 March, 12.00-15.00. Tel 01909 535353 for further details.

Trans-Atlantic "treasure" for Rotherham Archives

The hidden history of one family’s trans-Atlantic trip, and return to the town they love, will be forming the basis in the next in line of a phenomenally popular Rotherham exhibit.

A small cache of documents, handed in anonymously to Rotherham Archives and Local Studies last year, will be the highlight of the Service's new "Treasures from the Archives" display.

The items belonged to the Uttley family, who ran various small businesses in Rotherham in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Uttleys belonged to a large extended family from Greasbrough, many of them employed as coal-miners from at least the late 18th century. 

In one respect they were unusual. Isaac Uttley was born at Greasbrough in 1847, one of nine children of John Uttley, a miner. He married Martha Sellars, a miner's daughter, early in 1870 and almost immediately they were on their way to Liverpool where they boarded the "Nemesis" arriving at New York on April 25 1870. 

In best pioneering tradition, they made their way to the mid-western plains country of Illinois, where their two children John and Emma were born. In July 1870 when the US federal census was taken they were living in a small settlement called "Scott", where Isaac had found work as a coal miner. In1880 they were still in Scott, but Isaac had taken up farming.

Perhaps they were not successful, perhaps homesickness got the better of them. Whatever the reason, the family was back in England by 1885 and Isaac was running the Carter's Rest beerhouse at 30-32 College Road, with a sideline as a grocer.

It was there in January 1897 that Emma died and shortly afterwards her parents moved further up College Road to no 62 where they ran a tobacconist's until Martha's death in 1922 (Isaac had died in 1912).

Meanwhile John had done very well for himself. He qualified as a pharmacist and founded the retail chemist's business J. Uttley Ltd, initially at 66 College Road and later at 11 Bridge Street, where it traded until the late 20th century. 

John died in 1931 aged 59.

The items on display give some snapshots of the lives of a Rotherham family a little over 100 years ago. They include a photograph of John outside his chemist's shop (which also sold the relatively new 'phonographs' and 'records', as in demand then as iPads are today), an 1897 invoice for some smart bedroom furniture from London and a letter from the brewery, who owned Carter's Rest, to Isaac suggesting ways of attracting a 'different class' of customer, that is, the more respectable type of working-man.

Assistant Archivist Celia Parker said: "These are, on the face of it, unremarkable items left by unremarkable people. However, it's possible to tease some information from every single document, even an empty envelope from the US suggesting the family kept some links with their former home."

The display can be seen in the Service's searchroom in Central Library.

From: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/news/article/399/trans-atlantic_treasure_for_rotherham_archives

 

Save YOUR Local Library - Read-in's Planned for 29th January

Hi everyone,

Looks like there is a planned read-in on 29th January at Doncaster Central library between 13.00-15.00 to help save local libraries.  with 14 due to close around Doncaster this is important.  Not only are there great history/archaeology books in libraries but its a great place to meet people and chat.

Remember once they're gone they'll never return so this is an important social stand against cuts.  There is a Save Doncaster Libraries campaign out there so go and join it! Write to your local Con/Dem MP and your local "Community Health" Champion.

See http://savedoncasterlibraries.wordpress.com/ for more info

E-petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savedoncasterlibraries/

Cheers

Dave C

The Five Million 'Secret' Artefacts Available For All to See

His daily work includes examining and looking after a steadily increasing collection of thousands of books and manuscripts, housed in rooms off a narrow spiral staircase.

The works in Lincoln Cathedral Library, opposite the West Front of the cathedral, date back to the 10th century and cover varying issues from church history, make-up tips for ladies and the history of chocolate.

Prized possessions include a first edition of John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Across the city, at the Lincolnshire Archives, off St Rumbolds Street, a quiet storeroom with 10ft-high shelves is stacked with hundreds of boxes containing an estimated four to five million items.

Church documents, letters, maps, court records and council minutes are some of the things waiting to be catalogued, while people have access to many other works in the public reading area. These two quaint buildings, although not secrets, contain histories undiscovered by many in the county.

Librarian Dr Nicholas Bennett said the collection was stored in eight rooms in Lincoln Cathedral's Medieval and Wren libraries, with 10,000 items dating pre-1800 and 10,000 items dating post-1800s.

Dr Bennett said he was joined throughout the year by up to 80 volunteers, with exhibitions on the library's contents being held from Easter to October and usually during the Lincoln Christmas Market.

He said: "We are an historic library and a working library. Access is restricted only because it's in an historic building and there is not a great deal of space or staff.

"Anyone can come to use the collections, they just have to make an appointment first.

"Every time a book is taken off the shelf, it deteriorates a little bit. We have to be careful. But there is no point keeping precious books if we can't see them. We want to keep them for future generations but we also want the present one to see them."

The 12th century library contained between 40 and 50 books by 1148 and has grown largely thanks to donations. Dr Bennett said a recent arrival was a rare 18th century Irish catechism.

The librarian of 20 years said: "Apparently, there are only three known in the world and the man who donated it found it in his mother's attic. It's such a rarity and shows how the library has grown through people's generosity.

"My favourite book of the collection, perhaps unexpected, is a history of chocolate from the late 17th century which is fascinating and very appetising."

Collections officer at Lincolnshire Archives, James Stevenson, said the first challenge for staff was identifying a document. He added the second was working out its context in a collection and place in history.

Mr Stevenson said: "Our oldest document dates to 1072 and we have already got some material that is from the 21st century. Unfortunately these days some of the Methodist chapels are having to close and the records come to us."

From: http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/education/History-s-hidden-gems-right-nose/article-3062879-detail/article.html

Family roots at Hatfield Library

Doncaster Archives and Local History unit is putting on a Family History on the Internet workshop at Hatfield Library on Monday January 17 from 10am to 12pm. Booking is essential so contact the library on 01302 734307.

From http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/News-in-brief-Old-plough.6679943.jp

Family History Scrapbooking Session at Worksop Library

There is a free family history scrapbooking session this Saturday (11th December) at Worksop Library between 10.00 and 12.00.  The session is open to anyone including children.  The event involves creating a family history scrapbook to take home and keep in the family for future generations, or give to a relative as a Christmas present! Bring family photos and dig into the library's collections of images, newspaper cuttings and other documents of Worksop past to bring your story to life. please note booking is advised.

Worksop Library Family History Group

Worksop Library's Family History Group, which meets in the new library 4 - 6pm on the last Thurs of every month, is attracting really good numbers of people, many of whom are complete beginners in family history needing guidance in how to get started/using the library's resources including Ancestry (free access from library computers).

The group is currently run by a couple of volunteers who are enjoying helping people with family history research but would be keen to welcome any new volunteers who are experienced in family history and would like to lend a hand in helping others.

It's entirely voluntary, and the library make clear to people that the volunteers cannot do someone's entire family tree for them (just as library staff can't), but will offer guidance and support so that people can learn how to trace their own family trees.

If you're an experienced family history researcher and are interested in helping out with the group, please call the library on 01909 535353 or e-mail helen.fox@nottscc.gov.uk:

Next group meetings:

Thursday 25th Nov 16.00-18.00

Thursday 16th Dec 16.00-18.00

(dates back to normal - last Thurs of month - in New Year)

Raymoth Lane Talk/Sheffield Heritage Day

Todays talk at Worksop library by Bassetlaw Museum's Sam Glasswell went really well, I was unable to attend due to work but about 30 people attended.

Don't forget the next meeting is on 15th November and is about the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864.

Also Sheffield Heritage Day is on the 20th November at the Showroom.  Hope to see you there :)