Children in Birmingham's Libraries

Spring Hill Free Library, now Tescos/Library

Many of the libraries in Birmingham still have 'FREE LIBRARY' printed clearly over their entrance - reference to our proud tradition as part of the free library movement, dating back nearly two centuries now.  It must have been an exciting time, bringing reading and 'enlightenment' to the masses, who had not had access to reading on such a scale before.

Birmingham Library Service delivery plan 2010-2011 still begins boldly:

'A free comprehensive, universal enquiry service using hard copy, electronic, and on line resources, staff expertise and highly specialised (sometimes unique) resources.'

However, with the Council looking for value for money, and reduction in costs overall, the council will be looking closely at how library provision is provided, not least because of the spectacular building of a new Library of Birmingham.  Looking to statistics of library usage nationally, there has been a gradual reduction in the total number of people visiting libraries,the number of library staff, and libraries.  But a closer analysis reveals some more promising stats:

• Children's participation remains buoyant
• Children's issues remain high, fiction even growing by 10%
• Visits to library websites show huge growth year on year 

See Taking a closer look at Library Statistics

Even in the Strategic design brief for Library of Birmingham in 2008, it was recognised:

'Birmingham in the 21st century is ambitious and dynamic, youthful and diverse. It is the economic powerhouse and regional capital of the West Midlands. Home to more than1 million citizens, it has the youngest age profile of any European city and by 2020 it will be the UK’s first predominantly black and minority ethnic city. The Library of Birmingham will symbolise Birmingham’s identity as a global city with a local heart.'

Kings Heath Library Reopens, earlier in 2011

Not surprising, given Mike Whitby's involvement and Brian Gamble's leadership and award winning expertise in marketing, that the new library should prioritise improving use of ICT and services for young people and children.  Birmingham Library Services also continues to support projects like Children's Lives - working to engage more people to explore our archives.

What is more questionable is how library services for children and young people will be delivered as a whole, across Birmingham. How will Community Libraries relate to services provided in the Library of Birmingham?  Anecdotally from my work in schools, most children in Birmingham have visited their local library, and very few have visited the Central Library.  Those that have gone to town, will almost certainly have regularly visited local libraries first.

Recent changes we have seen have not been promising - Early in 2011 Birmingham schools library service was closed.  BCC figures suggest staff costs represent over half the total cost for our library service, so not surprising it has been targeted for cuts.  We now have only one constituency library per constituency, with at least one qualified librarian.  The other libraries face even more severe staff cuts and significant reduced hours of opening - particularly pressing at weekend and after-school hours.  With the closure of many other community venues, like youth clubs (3 out of 4 in my local area), across our city, libraries are one of very few safe places there are for young people to meet, study and learn.

For school groups visiting libraries, if there are staff available to assist the visit, the school is likely to be charged for this service.  Reduced staff also means libraries will be under pressure to reduce family events and outreach, like visits to nurseries, playgroups, and stay and plays - a good first introduction to reading for many children.

These are significant barriers to children and young people accessing reading and libraries, particularly from poorer families who are less likely to have regular access to computers.  Charges are likely to continue creeping into our libraries and increase these barriers, as does a more centralised library service making it harder for people to walk to their own library.  It may be tempting to charge more, but how risky a strategy is it to move away from Free Library principles?  It may increase revenue, but at what cost to the people who most use and need our libraries?

Useful links:

• Birmingham Library Service Delivery Plan 2010 to 2011
• Taking a closer look at Library Statistics
• Birmingham City Council’s library cuts: from world class city to mediocrity
• http://martinmullaney.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-libraries-letter-that-bham-post-wont.html
• New Library of Birmingham
• Children's Lives
• School Library Service Closed

Wassail 15th Jan

Ye Traditional Wassail

We've been planning a Wassail, and being a bit of an urban chic hippy folky, I only had a vague idea it involved cider, making a noise, and possibly bearded men with bells.  So I did a bit of googling:

1860 Wassail Bowl Scene Moonlight Children John Gilbert

For history, Wikipedia was helpful dating it back to the 'Middle Ages' from southern England, christian celebration on the twelth night (6th Jan).  Other sources hint at a more general Germanic source, and pre-christian tree worship on the other twelth night, of pre Gregorian Calandar 1752 - (17th Jan), e.g.  this one, and ones here and here).

Thanks to Mister David

Wassail is a contraction of the Middle English phrase waes hael meaning literally 'good health', and most articles I read also refer to the 'Wassail bowl', filled with a mulled cider.  There are recipes for wassail, and some folk go further in suggesting particular woods needed for the turned wassail bowl, peculiarly Lignum Vitae from South America(?), or maple.

The art, and the music of Wassail tells of two different traditions merging slowly into one - a blessing of a significant apple tree, and door-to-door christmas carol singing, begging a sup of cider from the master.  See lyrics of the two most popular carols (of which there are many):

1856 London Twlefth Night Wassail Bowl Children Dog Party

Also hear the wonderful Kate Rusby singing one of them, or try youtube for range of folkies and others singing.

The Wassail Song

...We are not daily beggars 

That beg from door to door

But we are neighbours children

Whom you have seen before

Love and joy come to you

And to you your Wassail too,

And God bless you and send you 

A happy new year...

Gloucestershire Wassail

Wassail, wassail all over the town
Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee 


So here is to Cherry and to his right cheek 
Pray God send our master a good piece of beef 
And a good piece of beef that may we all see 
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee...

Wassail hasn't entirely been subsumed into any religions, and being an 'English' tradition it has few champions, apart from an unholy alliance of cider drinkers, morris dancers and carol singers.  It's got a clearer message than other new year 'traditions', like fox hunting, Jools Holland and heavy drinking, so  here's wishing you all  WASSAIL!

Useful links:

http://misterdavid.typepad.com/traditional_sports/wassailing/

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/Notes_On_Carols/wassailing.htm

http://www.archive.org/stream/proceedings42dorsuoft#page/50/mode/2up

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/01/magical-wassail-under-frosty-full-moon.html

http://www.stuartking.co.uk/index.php/making-a-wassail-bowl/

Cake, pies and pomanders

Mincemeat from last week was ready to use - not enough time/ kitchen rather busy to do today, so left behind for another time.  We made one pomander, but spent the bulk of our time on the rather magnificent cake decorating:

BMAG History Galleries ready to go!

Today as a CAP member, I was invited to an informal ceremony at BMAG, over a mince pie and coffee, to mark the handover of the Birmingham History Galleries from the building contractor.

The History Galleries are a major £9m capital project which will tell the story of Birmingham from earliest times to the present day.  The galleries are not due to open to the public until September 2012.  We had the opportunity to have a look around the new galleries before the exhibition fit-out starts and see the building in its 'natural' state. In addition to exposing and restoring the Edwardian historic fabric of the Grade II* listed structure, there are some nice modern touches including naturally lit arrival and orientation spaces and a spectacular oculus rooflight which descends through two floors of the building.

It's a fabulous space now, and really makes the most of the features.  Looking forward to seeing it filled with goodies!

CAP is the Community Action Panel - a group of local people from different backgrounds and cultures, including community workers, artists, teachers, parents and musicians. It is one of three advisory groups that have been adivising BMAG on the History Galleries - if you want to get involved, visit their site.

A crude 300 degrees view of the main entrance space - the main exhib spaces leads off here, along with toilets and other bits and bobs, all newly fitted and looking shiny new - with Richard Stratham, Interpretation and Audience Development Officer, BMAG

Co-construction of Wikipedia

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to do some Wiki training and become a Wikipedia editor, thanks Emma Buckler of the soon to end MLA.  Arts Council England takes over museums and libraries responsibilities, while The National Archives 'assumes responsibility for providing strategic leadership to the archives sector and advising government on its development.'  A curious arrangement leading to more unanswered questions over the future of libraries and museums.  But that's for another blog.


There are, in fact, many thousands of wikis, but the English part of Wikipedia is what we were interested in.  Love it or hate it, it is the biggest, and most widely used encyclopedia in the world, with over 20 million articles and growing at an incredible rate. Andy Mabbett, our trainer, outlined just what makes Wikipedia:

• is [only] an on-line encyclopedia
• strives to be balanced and impartial
• is free content
• editors should be nice to each other
• no firm rules

These are the five pillars of Wikipedia, although I'd argue #5 shouldn't really be there - maybe I can edit it out of Wikipedia?  As quickly as possible Andy moved us onto editing our own content - not an easy task as writing entries is a little clumsy, and knowledge of .html is helpful.

Once we started, I was surprised how stringent Wikipedia is.  I had thought to train primary children to enter their own entries about people they thought were important.  It might yet be possible, but may take longer as the pillars suggest entries need to be 'notable' - to be notable you should cite at least three 'reputable' sources, and ensure you are being 'impartial'.  It is frowned upon to reference to your own blogs or write about yourself or your own organisation.  You also need to have some understanding of copyright and permission to use photos and other material.  Plagarism, unsurprisingly, is a big no no.

What also became clear is just how many people are out there apparently spending large portions of their day prowling wikipedia, as both vandals and vigilantes.  There is even a 'random article' button you are encouraged to hit and check articles existing in Wiki, in any spare moment you have.

One trainee had not completed all her citations before saving to wiki.  Within five minutes the entry was being deleted by another editor somewhere in the ether, before it had even been completed.  Another trainee received a slapped wrist, again from a wikieditor out there, for too closely copying material from another source.  By the end of the day we also had a case of 'Geohacking' happen and resolved by another wikieditor: The googlemaps link to a nearby heritage site was sending the Wiki user to a webpage about a strip joint in Birmingham.  

What I think is most surprising, and promising for the future, is how quickly volunteer editors picked up on all the above problems and corrected them - an indicator of the quality of entries and editors.  I can see why more serious academics are increasingly using wikis in a similar way to the more specialist journals which are increasingly on-line too.  Instead of peer review only, wikis open up your article for review and editing to a far greater number of people who will have many different specialisms and knowledge.  Wikipedia and the other associated wikis opens up serious academic articles to a far larger audience instantly, with free content openly available to develop ideas for the good of all.

My first entry was co-construction  of learning -  considering what wikipedia represents, a bit of a shocker no one had thought to put this one in.

More xmas crafts

The last two weeks we've been hard at work painting the salt dough xmas tree shapes, making the mincemeat ready for next time, making real holly and ivy streamers and table decorations.