Birmingham City Council has announced that Stirchley Library will be closing for a further day each week from 22nd July. They have described libraries as being in a ‘transitional period’, and advised that a reduced number of available community library staff means a temporary timetable needs to be introduced for the majority of libraries during the summer which will see them close for an additional day each week.
From 22nd July Stirchley Library will be closed on Thursdays, leaving only two days a week of BCC-staffed library provision (Tuesdays and Saturdays). Kings Norton and Kings Heath libraries will also be closed on Thursdays, so Stirchley Library users will have to travel to Northfield for a library service. Up-to-date information on library hours can be found here.
FOSL are extremely disappointed by this development. We had thought that we were in a consultation period on a statutory process, and consultations should be conducted in good faith with the outcome not pre-determined. It appears however that Birmingham City Council thinks we are in a transitional period towards significant library closure. It has evidently already decided libraries will close, contrary to the requirements for a meaningful consultation process, and has created the conditions for a chronic shortage of library staff by not filling vacancies.
If you share our concerns and disappointment, we encourage you to make your feelings known by emailing the Council leader [email protected].