There is no problem: the government is doing exactly as it pleases with our public libraries because, after the banking crisis, and the subsequent bale-out paid for by the taxpayer, public libraries are not deemed important enough to continue investing in. We have two new aircraft carriers coming along, at ca. £60 million each, so that we can bomb our enemies back into the stone age. Money is always found for what the government deems vital. We are not broke and there are always new tax revenues coming in. The lives of ordinary citizens in the U.K. (who pay these taxes) is clearly of no importance to this government. I would say the same of the previous government as well, which is doubly sad.

We need more people like Michael Rosen to speak up for libraries, but librarians themselves seem, if they have not been replaced by volunteers, demoralised. The professional body, CILIP, is moribund, because after all its years of “advocacy”, which it always claimed was vitally important, it is now clear that government does not listen to them. I want to see a professional body for librarianship that any government would be scared of ignoring. Lessons will not be learned. This coalition is doing a Pontius Pilate act over public libraries, and much else besides, of course.

how much does it cost to run a small community library with staff ? – £80k and we have 2,000 of those = £160m

how much does it cost to run a medium size town library ? – £350k and we have one thousand of those = £350m

how much does it cost to run a large county library or central library £800k and we have 150 of those = £120m

total cost = £630 m — add £70m (11%) for administration = £700m

Annual expenditure on libraries in England in 2012/13 = £855m

so where is the problem?

How far we have now fallen: we can no longer afford to uphold the principle that citizens have a right of access to information and knowledge through public libraries, run by professional librarians. We just cannot afford them. We could afford those ships all those years ago, though. Notice, though, that the well off are not affected by all this. They can afford to join private libraries, or buy 1st ed. hardbacks when they are published without having to think about it too much. Public service cuts are never, ever, equitable. Would you, on this basis, wish to fight for this country, as that earlier generation did? We live in a country where economics always overrides principles, be the the latter ever so humble, like the library profession itself nowadays. I did say, quixotic….