Alan Wylie and Community Libraries

Alan Wylie, a well known Libraries campaigner, has published some usage figures on independent and staffless libraries on his face book account.  He says:

“East Barnet Library lost 85 per cent of its visitors since becoming a volunteer “partnership” library and reducing its opening to 15 hours a week.
Meanwhile, Golders Green and North Finchley libraries, which have pin-code restricted access for under-15s and lost their children’s rooms, lost 66 per cent and 51 per cent of their visitors respectively.”
Library users and campaigners in Sheffield and Doncaster have also highlighted a huge decrease in usage in their volunteer-led ‘libraries’;
“FOI data re Doncaster & Sheffield Libraries:
- Huge fall in book loans and other use at Doncaster libraries transferred to volunteers.
- an increase of 50% in lost and stolen items in the year following the transfer of libraries to volunteers.
Book loan figures from Sheffield Libraries for 2014-2016 show a huge decrease in book loans and other usage since transfer to volunteers.
Book loan figures from Sheffield Libraries for 2017-2018 show a continuing decrease in book loans and other usage for 2017 and 2018.”
Also in Lewisham;
“Data obtained via FOI showing that stock issues have plummeted by nearly 50% in Lewisham Libraries between 2009/10 - 2015/16, point made that the Lewisham model isn’t sustainable.”
And in Warwickshire;
Library loans in Warwickshire down by 46% since 2011/12 https://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-33…
“The number of loans has gone down at all 12 of Warwickshire's community libraries since they were formed following council cuts.
There were 112,832 loans in 2014/15 compared to 207,619 in 2011/12, a 46% fall.
Opening hours reduced at seven of the libraries after volunteers took over”
Also in Manchester;
Library visitor numbers plunge as cuts force drastic reduction in opening hours"

It frustrates me that the various routes outlined above have been subject to very little scrutiny.  Meanwhile Brent's excellent record on visits and loans and user satisfaction gets very little attention.  Indeed the figures for pin code libraries are the only ones I have ever seen for that kind of library anywhere.