Time for communities to take over the libraries

THE decision by Kirklees Council to cut the library budget by a further £1.9 million is panicdriven, shortsighted, and simply wrong. But, it is now an opportunity for local groups to take ownership of their village library under the council’s community asset transfer scheme.

Libraries are an essential tool in building smarter communities and a more inclusive, democratic society. But, they must reinvent themselves as library community enterprise hubs to become more relevant to local people, community groups and businesses.

They need to become sustainable by adopting a commercially-focused approach. To achieve this, we need to change the culture of local government to encourage and support entrepreneurship, accountability and responsibility from within.

At a time when false news and information overkill besmirches the internet and social media, librarians can so easily be the trusted new guardians of real knowledge.

Local knowledge is everything. For example, government now recognises that cyber security awareness and economic resilience starts bottom up, not top down. This is one of the reasons why The Shepley Hub CIC – set up to save Shepley Library from closure – is an active member of the new Yorkshire Cyber Security Cluster. The Kirklees region – and particularly the Colne, Holme and Upper Dearne valleys – also lies at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse region between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield. Investment is ripe and our library service should seize the opportunity to bid for funding to support community-based education and skills.

This week, a new credit union service starts at Shepley Library offering the usual loans and debt advice to people across Kirklees.

Plus inspiring local entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses, teaching children the