Comments on: The War on Libraries so far https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2011/11/the-war-on-libraries-so-far.html What's happening to your library? Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:02:26 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Ian Anstice https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2011/11/the-war-on-libraries-so-far.html#comment-178 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:02:26 +0000 http://83.170.89.36/~publicli/2011/11/the-war-on-libraries-so-far.html#comment-178 You’re quite right of course. The Act reads clearly. However, I say “vaguely worded” because lawyers seem to think it is – and, with the law, it appears that what the lawyers think is what really matters. Especially while the Minister in question is busy looking the other way and whistling.

]]> By: LibraryWeb https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2011/11/the-war-on-libraries-so-far.html#comment-176 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:09:10 +0000 http://83.170.89.36/~publicli/2011/11/the-war-on-libraries-so-far.html#comment-176 I wouldn’t say the 1964 Act was in particular vaguely worded. The second reading says that the Secretary of State was to be given the power “to issue guidance to local authorities”, and one would presume that in 1964 that guidance could only have followed from the Bourdillon report (i.e., this was the best guidance that they themselves had at the time, and so presumably this would have been the basis of any advice, and any subsequent guidance would presumably had to have been reasoned and rational or perhaps alternatively based on research as robust as the Boudillon report itself). (The Secretary of State was to also have a role as a forum for the library community communicating the wisdom gained and best practise otherwise.)

Post appreciated, thanks 🙂

PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS BILL, HL Deb 30 June 1964 vol 259 cc514-76 514, 3.0 p.m., Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

Great Britain. Ministry of Education; Bourdillon, H. T. (1962). Standards of Public Library Service in England and Wales. Report of the Working Party appointed by the Minister of Education in March 1961. (Chairman, H. T. Bourdillon.). London : H.M.S.O.

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