COMMENT
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S
ILLY season is well underway – that time of year when parliament has broken up, journos are on holiday and there is mad
scramble for “news” to fill the pages and airwaves. So, we can expect a slew of lightweight, inconsequential stories landing on newsdesks everywhere. (Kindly refrain from comments such as “no change at Mediawatching Towers” or “will we notice and difference?”). First to some news from Twickenham Library and a slight deviation from the usual cat in a library story. This (bushy) tale concerns a friendly vulpine interloper who sought out some shade and comfort at its local library. The Standard (
https://tinyurl.com/MWAut251) reports that Twickenham Library had to be closed to the public after staff discovered “the curious animal cuddled up on a chair inside the building”.
Richmond Council, which runs the library, posted on social media, saying: “There was an unexpected visitor to Twickenham Library yesterday when a fox decided to pop in and make themselves VERY comfortable!
“The Richmond Libraries team had to close up temporarily to remove the fox, who we can only assume was after some Roald Dahl!”
Leeds Central Library is on the lookout for musicians and singers to help breathe new life into its historic collection of sheet music, according to the BBC website. Music Librarian Lee Noon is looking for performers to help celebrate Heritage Open Days in the city throughout September. (
https://tinyurl.com/MWAut252) He told the BBC that hundreds of music hall songs from the late 19th and early 20th Century held in the collection were
Music hall hits at Leeds Central Library.
“very much the pop songs of their day”. He adds that the heritage days are perfect opportunity for: “Many of these songs won’t have been performed or heard by an audience for more than a century now, and we’d love to give people in Leeds the chance to experience them again and for our local musicians to try and recapture a bit of what was really the golden age of music halls.
“Each of these pieces of music represents a little bit of the city’s musical history and it would be a really special moment to help bring them back to life again.” From music hall to music hell, or at least one of its representatives – the self-styled Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osborne who sadly passed away last month at the age of 76. The Birmingham heavy metal icon was honoured by the city he grew up in when they lit up Central Library in his memory (
https://tinyurl.com/MWAut253). Just weeks after Ozzy played a triumphant homecoming gig with Black Sabbath, people have been flocking to the city to pay their respects – congregating at Black Sabbath Bridge to leave flowers and messages. City councillors have also made their own tributes, with council leader John Cotton saying: “Ozzy was a fantastic advocate for the city of Birmingham and we are so shocked and saddened to hear of his death.
A new visitor to Twickenham Library. Autumn 2025
“Ozzy came from humble beginnings, in Aston, but that in no way deterred his
passion and drive to break through the tough rock music scene of the 1970s and make it all the way to the top. “Birmingham is a better place for the sheer brilliance he brought to the city and now we honour his life and legacy.” Next, we head to Ottawa and a report that fines totalling almost $700,000 are helping to fund nine local libraries. These are not fines from late returns though, as Ottawa County is taking a novel approach to budgeting by using fines from speeding tickets and other criminal activity to pay for civic amenities.
“In recent years, distributions to libraries have ranged from $700,000 to $900,000, depending on the volume of citations,” Ottawa County Treasurer Cheryl Clark told the Holland Sentinel (
https://tinyurl.com/MWAut254). “This year’s distribution is consistent with last year’s. Libraries provide essential services to residents of all ages, and these funds play a key role in sustaining their operations.” Finally, news that Columbia University has moved to discipline students involved in a takeover of the library as part of protests in support of Palestine. The university, which has also settled a $220m claim filed against it over anti-Semitism claims, has expelled and suspended a number of students over their part in demonstrations on campus – including a takeover of a reading room at the university’s library. (
https://tinyurl.com/MWAut255). IP
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