Library Cuts in Gateshead

Gateshead needs YOU! Join the Volunteer Army

Like so many councils across the country, Gateshead Council also plans to make budgetary savings through cutting expenditure to the library service. They propose saving £748,000, in part, through making five branch libraries community run, i.e. run by volunteers.

The libraries affected are:

• Lobley Hill
• Low Fell
• Ryton
• Sunderland Road
• Winlaton

Meetings to discuss the level of interest in volunteering to keep these libraries running will be held from the 9th Jan to 17th Jan at various locations in the town.

Although I am not really happy about libraries being run by volunteers (see discussion here), it is better than having no library at all.   

I don't mean to sound uncharitable (sorry Dave, I don't buy your Big Society concept), but the idea that all librarians do is check books in and out, and that they can be replaced by unqualified and unpaid volunteers, is complete codswallop. 

Question: What's the difference between a book repository and a library?