Seasons Greetings everyone!
As 2017 nears its end Birmingham City Council are consulting on next years budget cuts. You can have your say here:
Feedback from last years consultation includes: “Strong support for the city’s cultural offer—museums and galleries, libraries and the arts”
Libraries feature on p.25: under Neighbourhoods & Communities – libraries: “Charging for reserving books. This is where residents/library members are seeking to borrow an item (e.g. book, CD) not available in their local library. This may be because it is already out on loan or is held at a library elsewhere in the city. The item is then obtained and made available for collection at their local library. It can also be returned to their local library.”
The consultation runs until 15 January 2018 and there is a public meeting on 10th January 2018. The meeting is free to attend, but you do need to register for a place, which you can do online here:
FOSL began our campaign 12 months ago as a few individuals that were worried about their local library that they love and we came together to form a group to see if we could build momentum and keep the library service in the library building. With tremendous support from the local community and library staff we successfully campaigned to keep the library service within the library building.
Throughout 2017 FOSL have continued to support Stirchley library staff and encourage new users into the library. We have held public meetings, many of which have been attended by local councillors, we have raised awareness of our activities by distributing leaflets and posters and have held stalls at the Stirchley Community Market. We have held book sales for the library and had two stalls of our own at the Stirchley summer bash, selling plants and books. This raised about £170, which will support our publicity campaign for 2018.
FOSL volunteers run a monthly code club at the library and we also contributed to the Stirchley Fun Palace by running a space-themed stories and craft session.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their help and support during 2017 – whether you have attended meetings, helped with refreshments, whether you have donated time, money, plants, books, gazebos, tables or a sympathetic ear – we really couldn’t have done it without you!
FOSL are now fully constituted, with a bank account and we look forward to organising an exciting programme of activities for 2018. This will begin with a winter themed stories and craft session on 6th January, 2.30pm. Please put the date in your diary!
I look forward to starting the new year fresh and ready for some FOSL activities. In the meantime, I wish you all a peaceful, restful and enjoyable Christmas.
Theresa