AGM: some questions and answers

Here are some of the issues discussed at the AGM on the 18th:

*Questions:*

1. Marjorie Smith from the library service suggested FoSL might like to

buy a scanner for the library.

a. Do you think this is a good idea?

b. Would you use it?

2. At the last talk, we ran out of mugs! Someone suggested getting some

FoSL mugs printed, for use at the library and to sell.

a. Would you buy a FoSL mug?

b. If so, how much would you pay?

*AGM highlights:*

Tonight's AGM resulted in the committee staying the same:

Chair: Yasmin Emerson

Treasurer: Nik Thomas

Secretary: Chrissie Mawson

Events Officer: Pat Glasbey

Library staff representative: Gill Howden, Marjorie Smith

Other committee members: Barbara Harris, John Godwood.

Some of you may have heard that Gill and Carol, our librarians, are

retiring at the end of this year.  The Friends of Sawston Library

committee thank them heartily for all the hard work they've put in over

the years (decades!) as librarians for Sawston Library, and Gill for her

extra hours of helping with Friends of Sawston Library.  You will both

be sorely missed!

On the committee front, Gill has said she's happy to carry on being the

Library Staff representative until December. Marjorie Smith, who

attended the AGM in her capacity as District Library Manager for South

Cambs, offered to take over after that.

The minutes for the meeting, and Marjorie's report, will be available on

our website and at the library in the fullness of time. In the meantime,

here's a small summary of what Marjorie said.

Comunity Hub progress:

- Project managers and construction company have been appointed.

- Hope to apply for planning permission for new building (to side of

Marven Centre) in February.  Then a detailed design will follow.

- Hopefully fitting out new buiding in May 2016.

- Money (£1.25m) has been allocated for the project, and isn't time

limited (bar a change of heart from the county councillors, but this

seems unlikely)

Library Service report:

- All a bit depressing.  Cambs Libraries have already saved millions of

pounds, and will be expected to save even more.

- There will be another Library Service review sometime after April next

year, and an associated consultation.

- This will probably all result in more cuts and greater reliance on

volunteers.  Possibly even more libraries ending up volunteer-run, like

the current Library Access Points.

- But hey, we don't have to worry about this for a while yet.

Sawston Library report:  (I may well have got these numbers wrong, but

the gist is right! Correct numbers will be on the website soon)

- Marjorie compared statistics for 2013 with 2011, as 2012 was an

incomplete year due to the fire.

- Number of adult books issued was down 8% (similar trend across South

Cambs), but children issues up 58%.

- In the latest quarter, adult issues were up 17% and children up 7%

- Computer use is also up

We learnt from the last Library Service review (which is when and why

FoSL was formed) that these statistics are extremely important. Maybe we

should all give out library card application forms to adults for

Christmas?!?

AGM tonight

A slight change of plan; the AGM will still be tonight, Tues 18 November, at 7.30pm in the library but our speaker will now be Marjorie Smith from Cambridgeshire Libraries.  Marjorie will tell us about where the Community Hub project is up to, and she's also promised to give us information on what's happening at the library service.  The agenda is below.  Refreshments available!  Hope to see you there.

Agenda:

1. Apologies

2. Chair's report

3. Events we've done in the last year

4. Treasurer's report

5. Community Hub and Library Service update from Marjorie Smith, Cambridgeshire Libraries 

6. Events coming up - Any ideas?

7. Review of constitution

8. Committee elections

9. AOB

10. Date and time of next committee meeting

New Library Plans

Cambridgeshire County Council have applied for an extension of their planning permission for the temporary library.

 You can view the application here:

http://planning.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/swift/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=S%2F1784%2F14%2FCC&theTabNo=3

The most interesting document is the Development Statement:

http://planning.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/swift/MediaTemp/38039-1950949651.pdf

which contains nuggets such as:

"A NEW LIBRARY – plans for replacement

Cambridgeshire County Council has allocated £1.25 million of funding to build a new community hub and library for Sawston; the preferred location has been identified next to the Marven Centre. Borras Construction were awarded the design and build contract in August 2014.

The building brief comprises an accessible and energy - efficient community hub that will facilitate flexible spaces (circa 350m2) providing key services to the community, including library services and early preventative services for children, young people and families. It is envisaged that with sufficient flexibility in the design of the building, hireable space can be created to service the community"

"Whilst Cambridgeshire County Council has made every effort to secure the land and funding for the new community hub, this process has taken longer than anticipated. With the contractors now engaged, the initial project plans suggest June 2016 for delivery of the new building."

The previous planning application was for two years, so this application is to request that the same arrangement can continue - it sounds as though they're hoping to have some overlap with the new building. 

We'll be discussing this at the AGM next week (Tue 18th, 7.30pm), so come along and find out more.