While physical visits have increased slightly, a big increase in the number of people using online services has also been recorded.

According to reports circulated in advance, they will learn that in the period between April to September 2013:

• Libraries are on course to meet new targets set to combat a falling-off in use after opening hours were cut in 2011.
• Physical library visits are projected to increase by 0.9 per cent while online library visits are projected to increase by 41.6 per cent.
• Library issues are projected to increase by 1.5 per cent and new library members are projected to increase by 5.5 per cent.
• However, the number of active borrowers, defined as people who make at least one visit and borrow one item in a year, has fallen slightly. This figure does not currently include online users.
• The annual Summer Reading Challenge enjoyed its most successful year ever in 2013, with 18,472 children participating (an 18.1 per cent increase on 2012).

The report also shows how virtual library use as a proportion of total library use has risen from 14.7 per cent in 2012/13 to 19.4 per cent in the period under consideration, as virtual visits have increased more rapidly than physical visits.

It says: “Performance figures for April to September 2013 show encouraging signs that the decline in library usage in the immediate aftermath of reduced opening hours has been halted, and that usage is beginning to increase.

“It looks likely that performance targets for 2013/14 will be achieved.”

You can download and read the full report by visiting the council website here.

It found that nearly half of people in the UK had used a library in the last year, and that a third had visited a branch in the last six months.

It also found 51 per cent of people have a current library card with 42 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 62 per cent of those over 60.

You can see the full poll here.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which scrutinises the work of the government department of the same name, has announced an inquiry into ACE’s work.

This is important for libraries because ACE took on the role of supporting them in October 2011 after the Museums, Libraries and Archives council (MLA) was abolished. See more on its role here.

However, it is arguable that ACE, an organisation that promotes arts and culture, is not always a very good match with libraries.

While a large part of libraries’ work involves arts events and reading promotion, there are also many very significant areas that are entirely different – examples include information services, helping boost public digital and information literacy, bridging the digital divide, helping people with business start-ups or promoting health and wellbeing.

It also hinders the creation of national library standards, something many library campaigners would welcome as a way of calling local authorities to account when they propose large-scale library cuts.

If a more specialist body was charged with supporting libraries, then the aspiration of a set of minimum standards that all library authorities must meet to comply with their obligations under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act might be easier to achieve.

But this is never likely to be a priority of ACE, and it is something the present government is also notably reluctant to intervene in local authorities’ running of libraries, even though it has a duty of supervision under the Act.

The consultation will be inviting written submissions until Monday 24 February. There is more information on having your say here.

Visit the National Libraries Day website here.

Hertfordshire libraries are organising events in some branches and are also holding a prize draw for readers who visit a library and borrow a book – three lucky winners will receive a Nook e-reader. Their advice is to contact your local library branch for more details.

View everything that’s on in the UK here.

This year we’re working on an idea first put forward by Gary Green of Voices for the Library – contributing to the Library A to Z. We’re hoping to make a short film on the theme of O for Opportunity – “County of Opportunity” being a slogan of Hertfordshire County Council’s, after all.

You can check out the A to Z yourself for ideas about ways to celebrate National Libraries Day, or for a broader idea of all the different things that libraries do.

A great way to celebrate is to bring along a friend, colleague or relative who doesn’t use the library, but who you think might enjoy it once they get through the door.

Another popular idea is the Librarithon – seeing how many branches you can visit in a day. There’s a forum on the National Libraries Day site for people to make plans and compare totals.

You could check out Phil Bradley’s excellent set of retro library posters on Flickr here – why not print one out and put it up on your staffroom, office, school, college or community noticeboard?

But, whatever you decide to do, the single most important way of supporting libraries (especially the smaller branches) is to visit them, use their services and borrow books. So, if you do nothing else, please get yourself along to one of the Stevenage and North Herts branches on Saturday February 8.

If you’re a Twitter user don’t forget to follow @natlibrariesday and check out the NLD14 hashtag.

• Image by Flickr user Phil Bradley – click for full credit and licence.

Recently-published guidelines on the GOV.UK site caused consternation in the library world for their explicit promotion of community-operated services over those that are publicly-funded and professionally-staffed.

Now Freedom of Information requests submitted by the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP) have revealed this advice does not appear to have been given formal ministerial approval.

We ♥ Libraries believes strongly that library services should be publicly-run with paid and trained staff. While volunteers have a valuable and important role to play, it is in supporting such services, rather than taking on the burden of running them unsupported.

Requests to the Department for Media, Culture and Sports (DCMS), The Cabinet Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) showed that the advice was approved following discussions between officials from the three departments.

Barbara Band, CILIP President, said: “The website gives the impression that the government is trying to encourage volunteers to take over the running of their local libraries.

“It is hard to believe that the Minister is happy that official Government advice seems to suggest volunteer-run libraries are in any way a suitable alternative to a professionally managed service delivered by the local authority.

“Not only does it go against the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act, which clearly states local authorities have a duty to provide public libraries, it also dismisses the role of librarians and library staff.”

She said the fact that the advice does not appear to have had Ministerial sign-off and is not put in context was “deeply worrying”.

CILIP believes any change in Government policy towards favouring volunteers over professional library staff needs proper scrutiny from elected officials.

However, responses from DCMS and DCLG say that the original advice, which came from the former No 10 website, was commissioned by a member of Cabinet Office staff.

They go on to say that the advice was “revised following consultation with and contributions from officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Communities and Local Government, before being approved by officials from the three departments”.

In their response to the FOI request the Cabinet Office state that they do not hold information about how the page was created and responsibility for the page lies with DCMS. At no point was there any Ministerial input, according to the FOI responses.

You can check out the runners and riders in various national book awards, find out what’s recommended for reading groups, discover how children’s events are changing and check out what’s on during February, including a series of health and wellbeing events around the county.

You can read the whole newsletter here – and, if you’d like to keep up with what’s going on in your nearest library, why not subscribe?

• And don’t forget to check out the Herts Health for All event at Welwyn Garden City Library and Information Service on Tuesday February 18. It’s a day of wellbeing tips for people of all ages, and includes sports zone sports activities, first aid demonstrations and health checks, story times, fabric and paper craft activities and a performance from a community choir. More information here.

We’ve written the following to local newspaper editors:

Dear Editor

I am writing on behalf of We Heart Libraries to urge your readers to take part in a consultation that is under way from Hertfordshire Library Service to determine what people in the county want from libraries in the next 10 years.

We Heart Libraries is a group set up to champion our local library service in North Herts and Stevenage and we believe it is essential as many people as possible make their views known.

The library service is consulting on important matters including whether smaller branch libraries should continue to be funded, to what extent volunteers should be involved in running libraries and whether services should in future share buildings with other services.

We Heart Libraries believe that smaller library branches are essential focal points for our communities, that paid and trained staff are at the centre of the service and that libraries should only share buildings if their strict neutrality is maintained.

Rather than the service being a drain on the public purse we believe it adds value to communities and ultimately saves the council money by providing opportunities for people to get timely information, advice and assistance in their daily lives before more costly interventions are required.

But the most important thing is for residents to give their views. They can take part in the consultation by visiting the libraries website at http://www.hertsdirect.org/libraries or by calling into any branch before December 31.

Andy Darley
Co-founder, We Heart Libraries

Nearly all DVDs have been reduced in price so members can now borrow films for £2 a week from the library instead of the old rate of £3. Only the latest releases – those out in the last three months – will cost £3.

You can also have your say about the future of library services, catch up on the latest book news, try your hand at the Christmas quiz or find out what’s on, including the opportunity to have a go with tablets and e-readers at Welwyn Garden City Library and Information Service on Wednesday December 11 from 10am.

You can read the whole newsletter here – and, if you’d like to keep up with what’s going on in your nearest library, why not subscribe?

It’s an attempt to croudsource an alphabetical list (what else?) of all the activities and values of libraries, as well as positive representations in books, songs, films and other media.

It also aims to show that, while books are undoubtedly a core feature of library services, there is so much more on offer – as as a result of the benefits of reading and beyond.

Voices for the Library is hoping that a letter or a single word will inspire you to create something in response, for example a visual alphabet to share as posters, inspiration for artists and musician or the basis for making a video of user stories.

Bearing in mind that the next National Libraries Day is due to be held on Saturday February 8, and this could be the perfect tool for celebrating it.

If you would like to contribute to the alphabet, or use it to create a work of your own, please let VftL know and they will share it on the site.

Recent figures from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed 15-year-olds in the UK ranking 23rd out of 65 countries – broadly similar to previous PISA figures from three years ago.

CILIP, the professional body representing librarians and library staff, says this highlights the importance of a well-stocked, well-staffed library in every school.

Vice-president Barbara Band said: “Literacy skills are the bedrock for a developed society and successful economy. All young people need the right support to make sure they are fully literate.

“The UK’s success relies on students building essential literacy skills through their education and development. Good libraries in our communities and schools are an important way to support young people develop these skills and help them reach their potential in life.

“Professionally delivered public and school libraries promote literacy, encourage lifelong learning and provide everyone with an opportunity to build their knowledge and develop their skills. Every secondary school in the UK should have a well equipped library. Every school library should have a qualified librarian just as every classroom should have a qualified teacher.”