Librarians answer questions with facts, politicians answer questions with …
Librarians answer questions. We’re trained to do so and we pride ourselves on giving the correct answers. There’s a whole interview technique of asking open questions (e.g. “What do you want?”) then closed questions (“Is this what you want?”) and then a final check up question (“Is there anything else we can help you with?”) just to make sure. We make sure that the answer is an accurate one and try to avoid vagueness or untrustworthy information, even if it inconveniences us to do so. Politicians obviously think in a different way. Their world is that of the elusive, the not-quite accurate and the self-aggrandising. Take for example this exchange in parliament about libraries:
Which library service? 5% of English libraries now volunteer-run.
Dec 4th
If one gets asked about the state of the public library service in the UK, one should really answer “which one?”. For a start, a national study in an Arts Council England report (due out in January) estimates more than 170 are volunteer run. My own figures, at more than 168, are almost identical. That’s 5% of all the libraries in England, with a third of the total being accounted for just in the last two years. Of course, those volunteer-run libraries are to some extent the lucky ones as a whole pile have closed. Then, to confuse matters, there’s the big whopping new increasingly-looking-like-white-elephant central libraries that have been built, or are still being built, around the country. Biriminham, Liverpool, Manchester. The shiny one in Newcastle is especially embarrassing at the moment as its PFI inflated cost means a whole pile of smaller branches are likely to close. The same is probable in the other cities mentioned too. We also have a pile of new, smaller, libraries being built or at least refurbished. These are as often actually combined customer-contact centre/libraries than libraries alone.
Grabbing a pizza the action: Booktrust, Right to Bid, free poster and, well, pizza
Dec 1st
Good news that the Government has maintained funding of Booktust, albeit minus inflation,. This allows bookgifting to continue, which is important as many homes, as librarians sadly know, are “Argos households” where the only visible book is the Argos catalogue. A new scheme, aimed at the most in need two-year-olds (a critical age for getting used to the joy of a book) will also be introduce and is also heartily welcome, although there is no extra funding for it. Another Government initiative is starting to appear as well: the first registering of a library as an “asset of community value”, as far a I am aware anyway, will shortly take place. This is hoped to at worst postpone the conversion of Kensal Rise Library into flats and at best completely restore it as a library. Expect a lot more of these registrations around the country. [Edited 9pm] A fear I often hear is that campaigners will be the unwitting stalking horses of others with the “right to challenge”, especially private companies, who can then bid for the “asset” themselves. Doubtless, we’ll shortly be in a position to see if this happens in practice. In the meantime, we’ll see what happens in Kensal Rise with the “right to bid” [End of edit].
No to getting axe for your tax: Sefton and Wolverhampton protests
Nov 29th
The size of the protests in Sefton against library closures there is quite impressive – thousands have raised their voices. Clearly, the people there are not happy about having local services axed while being still having to pay their tax. These protests can have an impact as those in Wolverhampton have found with some, but by no means all, of their libraries saved from closure. It’s interesting to see that rare beast, the entirely-self-service library being an option that looks likely to become reality for one of these branches. Moving away from campaigning, it’s great to note that, for a trial period, public libraries will be able to lend CDs from the day of their release rather than (as before) waiting for three months.
People power: the Community Right to Bid & Wolverhampton (sort of) bows to pressure.
Nov 28th
The “community right to bid” legislation was brought in to help local people purchase important council buildings/land that may otherwise be lost. If you’re not familiar with it, have a look at this webpage, because libraries under threat of closure are very much in this category as well. The power of the community, this time without legal redress, appears to have made a difference in Wolverhampton with the Council now proposing to keep six libraries in their current locations. Finally, The Arts Council England chief, Alan Davey, answered a few library related questions during a live online chat today, one of which from the arch-library investigator, pen-name Ruby Malvolio, who has written a post pointing out the DCMS still seems confused about ACE’s role.
Neutrality is difficult if you need the money
Nov 27th
An incident at the volunteer-run Primrose Hill Library highlights one of the problems facing the Brave New World of libraries that have had their council funding withdrawn. A new shop run by a chain (Space.NK in this case but it could have been anyone) attempted to donate some money to the library but is refused. Local traders had campaigned against the shop and had even managed a 1000-name petition against it.
A £189m lego ferry, a permanent second-hand library bookshop, and book sculptures
Nov 26th
News that catches my eye today includes the Telegraph article regretting the loss of the old Birmingham Library. Apparently, it was originally designed to be in marble. The author compares the new, somewhat more showy building, as resembling a lego ferry. Hmmm. They’re obviously more down to earth in East Sussex, where they have announced the first ever permanent second-hand bookshop within a library. The most exciting news, though, is nothing to do with withdrawn library books but rather that, the pro-library book sculptor has struck again in Scotland and has announced she (for it is a she) has produced five more works as part of Book Week Scotland.
A Hive of noisy activity
Nov 25th
One of the great hopes for a new public library future may be in doubt as the flagship co-located public/university library “The Hive” is receiving a pile of complaints of students. It seems that academics need peace and quiet to study while public library users (such as children) are – shock – noisy. Other reports include some serious problem behaviour (inc. illicit sex) going on in one of the public areas. While the story may not be as bad as it seems (and the University is trying to dampen it, despite 200 “likes” on a Facebook comment saying it is a problem), it does raise the important issue about co-location.
Yes, Secretary of State, libraries ARE thriving: in China, in South Korea …
Nov 23rd
The Secretary of State showed that she was continuing with the “libraries are thriving” party line, first seen in a speech by Ed Vaizey, when she was asked a question on Mumsnet. That she appeared to not answer the question is also worthy of note.
“Arts and culture no longer affordable”
Nov 21st
The horror of the Newcastle cuts continues to make the main news splash, with Alan Gibbons and friends showing the power of authors in library campaigning. The media love celebrities because well-known people sell papers. I even notice this on Public Libraries News when I put the name of someone famous as the blog title.: one of the most popular posts ever was one on Stephen Fry and another “big seller” was on Zadie Smith. If you want to harness this power, I’ve done a list of celebrities who have gone on record as supporting libraries here which all are free to use. Of course, another reason why authors make good coverage is that they’re so good at using words. Read Philip Pullman on libraries sometime or quotes from the Newcastle protests meeting to see what I mean.
Advertise here and reach those interested in public libraries direct. Email ianlibrarian@live.co.uk for details.
Please note that this website is produced entirely independently of any employer or other organisation. Any views expressed within are wholly mine.
Public Libraries News by Ian Anstice is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Recent Comments