‘HORRIFYING’ numbers of library closures across the country will not be replicated in Barnsley, according to council bosses who revealed the town’s continuing to invest in its facilities.
A study - published this week - found almost 200 libraries have been lost since 2016 as well as 2,000 job losses, with many operating on reduced hours due to budget cuts.
The findings were described as ‘horrifying’ by former children’s laureate Michael Rosen, while several organisations have called on the government to come up with a strategy to protect on-the-brink libraries.
However, the Chronicle can reveal that Barnsley’s picture is much different to the national one, with it retaining all 14 of its staffed venues and one self-serve facility.
A key arrival during the timeframe has been the creation of the town centre’s purpose-built £5.3m Library @ the Lightbox, which opened in 2019 and effectively began the Glass Works regeneration.
Coun Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said: “Over the past two years we’ve been working hard to breathe new life into our libraries, making them enjoyable spaces for everyone.
“Since 2016, we’ve provided 14 staffed libraries across the borough, in addition to Priory Library offering a self-service option.
“After consulting with our residents and reviewing our library services, we reduced the opening hours across ten libraries.
“This was due to the need to make budget savings while making sure our libraries remain accessible and convenient for everyone.
“We also carried out a thorough inventory stock check at all libraries to improve the accuracy of our library catalogue.
“In terms of the staffing figure, there are eight more staff when compared to 2016.”
Aside from Library @ the Lightbox, the council’s also heavily invested in refurbishments of its village venues including libraries in Worsbrough, Royston, Wombwell and Mapplewell, all of which have received cash injections in the last two years.
The works were paid for by so-called Principal Towns funding, which came as a knock-on impact of the town centre’s £220m regeneration and is designated solely for boosting larger villages across Barnsley.
Mr Rosen, an acclaimed author, said libraries are an incredibly important part of people’s lives regardless of their age.
“They are very, very important spaces - we should be treasuring them.
“We must fight to save them and find different and new ways to make them popular.
“If you close libraries and make them harder to find and harder to get access to, we’re depriving people of what they’re entitled to.
“If you take away libraries, if you take away the hours that people have access to, you are hurting people, it’s like an act of cruelty.
“Sometimes people don’t see that, people see cuts and think it’s saving money or people don’t really need it, but I see it as a form of deprivation.”
