Saving out Libraries: The New Opening Hours …

You know, it’s not THAT often I can admit an old friend’s a published poet …

But I’ll be honest …

I’ve an old friend who’s a published poet.

I was mildly stunned, to be frank …

You see, I’ve known Carly for quite some time.

And, while I’ve always felt Carly’s got depths to her, I never actually guessed quite how far down they went.

So I’ve got to be honest, when she told me she’d had a couple of poems published in a couple of collections … ?

Left me gobsmacked …

And curious.

And …

Well, to be frank, heading up to Brentwood Library

»»•««

Which is where I’d found out that the consultation about Brentwood Library’s opening hours is now officially over, and the new opening times are in place.

Hmmm …

I’m thinking the various protests over the past few months had some effect, although not as much as I, amongst many, had hoped …

Just so you know, the currant hours are 9am ’til 7pm, Monday to Friday, 9am ’til 5pm, on Saturday, and 1pm ’til 4pm, on Sunday …

The two alternatives we were given were:

Option A)

• Monday 9am ’til 7pm
• Tuesday 9am ’til 7pm
• Wednesday Closed
• Thursday 9am ’til 7pm
• Friday 9am ’til 7pm
• Saturday 9am ’til 5pm
• Sunday Closed

Option B)

• Monday 9am ’til 5pm
• Tuesday 9am ’til 5pm
• Wednesday 9am ’til 5pm
• Thursday 9am ’til 5pm
• Friday 9am ’til 5pm
• Saturday 9am ’til 5pm
• Sunday Closed

The final results …

Are a much modified version of Option A.

New Opening Times

• Monday 9am ’til 6pm
• Tuesday 9am ’til 6pm
• Wednesday 9am ’til 1pm
• Thursday 9am ’til 6pm
• Friday 9am ’til 6pm
• Saturday 9am ’til 5pm
• Sunday Closed

Which, to be frank … ?

Still aren’t perfect, considering the amount of protesting that went on about this.

Still wouldn’t make me especially happy, if, like many in this town I call home, I were working in London and wanted to get a book back if my train got back to Brentwood AFTER 6pm.

But …

Well …

Well, it’ll have to do …

For now …

But does leave me wondering where a real councillor is, when you need them … !

»»•««

At any ray rate, where was I … ?

D’oh … !

Carly … !

Like I say, I’d always felt Carly had more in the shop than she’d put in the window.

To look at … ?

Carly’s a bright woman, who you’d think has little more to worry about than the next episode of EastEnders.

That’s at first glance.

Then you get to know a remarkably bright — and tough — woman: slap me if that get’s a bit much, Carly!

But a remarkably tough woman, you get surprised by: she’s been beating me at Scrabble on Facebook, I know that.

Which was when she told me she’d been published, playing Scrabble, this morning …

I just had to go and check that lead, out.

The first thing I did, of course … ?

Was check Essex Libraries online services, where the titles Carly gave me, didn’t show up.

And on going into the library … ?

They still didn’t.

But the assistant who helped me out did manage to look the book up on Amazon …

And place an order for it …

Well …

Granted, we’ll be seeing less of the library’s staff.

But, by GOD, they’re good … !

Saving Our Libraries: The Email … !

This is literally going to be just a quick post.

I have got dinner on the go, after all.

But I thought I’d let you know I’ve just emailed a version of Councillor Chuilvers’ template letter to Susan Carragher, Essex County Council’s Director of Libraries.

It looks like that email address isn’t as out of date as I’d thought.

Or, at least, I’ve not had a “Your Message Has Not Been Sent” notification, anyway.

Here’s what I sent her:

Dear Ms Carragher

Thank you for asking the people of Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone to take part in the consultation about the future opening hours of each library.

I can’t help but be disappointed that there’s no options to keep Brentwood Library open on a Sunday as this is a time many frequently use the library.

I would ask that the consultation includes an option to open on a Sunday: preferably retaining the 1pm – 4pm Sunday opening.

Indeed, I’ve even suggested a possible timetable, here.

I hope this options can be explored, before a final decision is taken.

Yours sincerely

Now, whether that’ll have any effect, I don’t know.

I can’t even swear that it’ll get an answer.

Or comment, here …

As soon as something happens … ?

I’ll let you know.

Saving Out Library: Following On …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve got the telly on at the moment.

BBC 3, to be frank.

They’re re-showing the penultimate episode of Matt Smith’s first season as Dr Who. Complete with a scene I’m convinced Stephen Moffat only threw in to make Mary Whitehouse — where-ever she may be buried — rotate at a very rapid speed!

Not that I’m complaining.

The older I get, the more concerned I feel about things on TV.

But, my word, she weren’t half an annoyance to a young fan … !

I liked those scares, thank you very much … !

But lets move on, shall we … ?

Yes … … … … …

»»•««

I wrote, yesterday, about the library, and how local Lib-Dem Councillor, Karen Chilvers had organised something of a protest, as Essex County Council had made no provision for Sunday opening in the Consultation they’re holding.

Something she’s posted about on her site..

In last night’s post about the protest — Protest, Day Of Action or Demo, Councillor … ? Just so I know — she also included the template letter she suggests we modify and send to Susan Carragher*, the Director of Libraries and Culture at Essex County Council.

Here …

Your address here

Brentwood

Essex

Postcode

Today’s Date

Susan Carragher

Director of Libraries and Culture

Room 11, Library Headquarters

Goldlay Gardens

Chelmsford,

Essex CM2 0EW

Dear Ms Carragher

BRENTWOOD LIBRARY

Thank you for asking us to take part in the consultation about the future opening hours of the library.

We are disappointed that there are no options to keep our library in New Road open on a Sunday as this is a time we frequently use the library.

We would ask that the consultation includes an option to open on a Sunday and please take notice that we would like to retain the 1pm – 4pm Sunday opening.

Additional comments here

We hope that more options would be explored before a final decision is taken.

Yours sincerely

Your name

As I’ve said in a footnote, I’m none too sure if that email address is currant.

But feel free to try …

»»•««

* Be warned, I’m not sure if the email address included in that link is current: but feel free to try.

Saving Our Library: The Photo Call, completed …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I can really get distracted by some of Facebook’s sillier games, I really can.

I had intended to get started with this post, about an hour ago.

’Til one went right to my head.

Ahem … !

Needless Beachboyism, there, I think …

At any rate, I meant — before I got distracted — to tell you about where I was, earlier, this afternoon.

I was at Brentwood Library.

With a trio of Lib-Dem councillors, and a lot of people complaining about it.

Well …

Allow me to be accurate, here, complaining about the consultation Essex County Council have put in place, regarding the new hours for Brentwood Library.

In case you’ve not been following it, Essex County Council aren’t closing any of the county’s libraries.

Instead, they’re reducing the amount of hours each one is open.

In Brentwood Library’s case … ?

The hours are being reduced from sixty-one hours a week, to forty-eight.

With no provision for Sunday opening.

Now, can I be honest, here … ?

I work part-time.

So, for me, personally, the fact that Brentwood Library’s shut on a Sunday makes very little difference.

But I can remember working more hours than I now do.

Especially in the early days of the Old Peculiar pub quizzes, having access to the internet, via Brentwood Library, was vital: both for research, writing the quizzes, and checking on questions.

Like you wouldn’t believe … !

So while I may not have need the library open on Sunday’s at the moment — what with having my own ’Net connection and computer, indoors — the fact it’s been and currently still is open on a Sunday … ?

Has been bloody useful, over the years.

|»»•««|

Actually, just as one final point, here.

You remember me mentioning the proposed new opening hours … ?

Yes … ?

Option’s A, B and C … ?

Now, I don’t know how Essex County Council pays its staff for working Sundays: double-time, day off in lieu, what-have-you.

But I’m willing to bet that that’s the main stumbling block to having one or two libraries in a given catchment area open on Sunday.

I can also remember that, when it first opened on Sunday’s, Brentwood Library also only ever opened half-days on Wednesdays: Brentwood used to have Half-Day closing on Wednesday, lord knows why.

So I’m willing to bet the staff costs are the main reason why Essex County Council didn’t suggest an Option D that looked something like this …

Monday 9am to 5pm

Tuesday 9am to 5pm

Wednesday 9am to 1pm

Thursday 9am to 5pm

Friday 9am to 5pm

Saturday 9am to 5pm

Sunday 1pm to4pm

Just a thought for you.

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Saving Our Libraries: The Photo Call

Oh …

Well …

That’s a thought …

I’ve got to confess, I had an email, Friday, from our local Liberal Democrats.

Bless ’er, I think Councillor Chilvers had noticed the same thing I had about Essex County Council’s consultation about the alteration of hours at Brentwood Library.

There’s no actual provision for Sunday opening.

At the moment, Brentwood Library opens from 1pm to 4pm on Sundays.

Which is handy: especially if you don’t like the rental prices in Blockbusters, or can’t find what you want in you local CeX.

Which is why their organising a bit of a do, tomorrow.

Here …

That’s their page about it.

Or, and while I’m at it, you can also fill in the consultation form online: here …

Saving Our Libraries: The Consultation …

You know, I’ve got to confess, I was in town, earlier, today.

Seriously … !

Well, maybe not so seriously.

But, at any rate, I was there.

And, while I was … ?

I had something to take back to the library …

And a little bit of form filling in to do, as well.

In point of fact, I was thrown at it by a librarian.

Now, as you probably know, the government cuts have meant many local councils have had to cut their services as well, as a result of the loss of funding.

The government have already had to u-turn on the prospect of selling of lots of forests.

But one that hasn’t been stopped … ?

Is various local councils cuts to local library services: I think I’ve mentioned it before.

In fact I know I have.

Thankfully — possibly — library closures haven’t happened in Essex.

But Essex County Council is planning to restrict hours for Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone Libraries.

It’s started a consultation, about new opening hours: which are, I should add, worked out by head of population each library serves:

Over 100, 000 people 59 hours per week

30, 000 — 100, 000 people 48 hours per week

20, 000 — 29, 999 people 42 hours per week

10, 000 — 19, 999 people 4 hours per week

7, 000 — 9, 999 people 24 hours per week

Under 7, 000 people 16 hours per week

Effectively, Brentwood Library’s hours are cut from the current 61 hours per week, to 48 hours per week: here’s the current opening hours …

Monday 9am till 7pm

Tuesday 9am till 7pm

Wednesday 9am till 7pm

Thursday 9am till 7pm

Friday 9am till 7pm

Saturday 9am till 5pm

Sunday 1pm till 4pm

Here’s the three options that the Council wants to cut them too …

Option A

Monday 9am till 7pm

Tuesday 9am till 7pm

Wednesday Closed

Thursday 9am till 7pm

Friday 9am till 7pm

Saturday 9am till 5pm

Sunday Closed

Option B

Monday 9am till 5pm

Tuesday 9am till 5pm

Wednesday 9am till 5pm

Thursday 9am till 5pm

Friday 9am till 5pm

Saturday 9am till 5pm

Sunday Closed

Oh, and there’s always Option C: “No Preference”, to quote the rather terse words of the leaflet done by Essex County Council.

Now I went for Option B.

But looking back … ?

I maybe should’ve gone for Option C, the ‘No Preference’ one.

Because, to be frank … ?

None of them look too stunning …

|»»•««|

Just before I sign off, I should remind you: you can either cast your vote on the hours either at you library — which starts today and ends on the 27th of February, this year — or you can contact Essex County Council’s Library service, here.

Have fun with that … … …

Saving our Libraries

Hmmm ...

Now, there’s a thing …

You see, I’ve got to admit, just to highlight the fact that today is 'Save Our Library' Day, I’m actually at Brentwood Library, posting this.

You can probably tell, can’t you, by the way my usual quotation marks and apostrophes have been replaced by the bog-standard ones on a PC keyboard.

At any rate, I thought that coming to Brentwood Library would be a perfect way to highlight the fact that for many people - myself included, when I started writing the quizzes that were this very blogs inspiration - relied on their local library’s computers - and internet connection - for the things they needed to do, online.

Now, by the sounds of it, Essex Library service doesn't sound like it's going to be closing any of its libraries down.

But it is having a ‘Consultation’ about changing the opening hours for Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone libraries, starting on the 14th of February and running until the 27th.

My thinking, here ... ?

Apart from shock at the amount of typos and weird pop-ups an unfamiliar keyboard is inducing ... ?

Is that on my way out I’m going to fill in the part of the consultation form in Brentwood Library that says I want my library to be as open for as long as possible.

I’m also going to suggest that you, and as many many as of your friends in the Essex area do likewise.

Oh, and enjoy the book you get out, as well.

And just as a final thought ... ?

Just so you know, you can now also say “Hello” to Movie Night Adrian, whose photo I’ve also included: he’s decided he may as well have it put up here, as he’s already joined Facebook … !