The early bird booking rate, just £20 per person, closes on Friday 24 October.

Click here to book your place.

Speak Up for Libraries are holding this year’s national conference on public libraries on 22 November in central London. It will bring together local campaigners, union members, library users and library workers - and give them a rare chance to talk directly to the people who make the decisions at national level. This is crunch year for public libraries, with a general election due and two major inquiries - on England and Wales - reporting soon.

THE LINE-UP

Helen Goodman MP (Labour shadow minister)
Justin Tomlinson MP (Conservative)
LibDem spokesperson TBA
Sue Charteris, panel member of the Sieghart Review in England
Claire Creaser, chair of the Welsh Review of the Public Library Service

Barbara Band, CILIP President, will open the Conference
Ian Anstice, editor of Public Libraries News, will chair the workshop feedback session
Alan Gibbons, author and library campaigner, will chair the panel debate

PROGRAMME

Full details are contained in the brochure, which you can download here. Speak Up for Libraries Conference 2014

Please download and share copies for those not online, to help spread the word.

BOOKING

Book your place online on our Eventbrite page.

All bookings include refreshments and lunch.

We are offering an Early Bird booking rate of only £20 per person for those who book a place by 24 October.

If places remain after this date they will be at the full price of £25 per person.

For queries or help to book a place, please call 020 8651 9552.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Facebook: Speak Up for Libraries

Twitter: @SpeakUp4Libs

And the hashtag for this event is #SUFLconf14

Since 1 April 2013, 693 professionally managed libraries (static or mobile) have already been lost in this way or remain under threat (out a UK total of c.4,265). Yet further damage is predicted as local authorities plan for further significant reductions in their funding.* This has major implications. Public libraries - especially small branches in deprived communities - are a vital resource for families, pre-schoolers, students, older people, benefits claimants, job seekers and all who need internet access, books, information and the essentials for citizenship. Properly staffed public libraries are irreplaceable, and cost very little to run.

Statistics produced by CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy) show a net loss of 212 libraries or mobile libraries in the UK in 2011-12, and 71 in 2012-13.
Public Libraries News estimates that in 2013-14, 491 libraries (including mobile libraries) were closed, or scheduled for closure, or became volunteer-managed.
Since April 2014, Public Libraries News reports that 202 libraries (including mobile libraries) are threatened with closure, have closed or will be handed over to volunteers. http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com

Month: October 2014

Early bird booking for #SUFLconf14 closes on Friday 24 October