Comments on: Library Campaigner, Pragmatist or Believer: which one best describes you?

By: Frank Daniels

Frank Daniels — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:28:34 +0000

For me, it was more than five years ago, so I suppose it does not count?!?! Without your professional ethics, you have no profession, I believe. Because the so-called profession is so full of people, especially at the top, who have no time for ethics, the profession is a soft target. Yes, CILIP should really give up its Royal Charter since it is not worth the paper it is written on. I am now trying to imagine this kind of central government attack, in the name of austerity, on the medical, legal, architectural (et al.) professions. somehow, I think that the establishment, including the politicians, really like the benefits that these latter professions give them (for a fee at the point of use). I bet they all have Royal charters too.

By: Ian Anstice

Ian Anstice — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:39:46 +0000

In reply to Frank Daniels.

Hi Frank. I think you make an excellent point. You will notice that I don’t mention “ethics” in the post once. That’s because that, outside of some campaigners and academics, I am sorry to report that ethics simply don’t get mentioned – and, if they do, they’re swiftly ignored. And this is something that needs stressing: when push comes to shove, when the council or your boss tells you to do something that’s against the ethics, the ethic lose. Show me a librarian in employment who has resigned over an ethical issue in the last five years. I can’t think of one.

With regard to the Royal Charter it’s an important one to consider. Do the fine words actually mean anything or, when push comes to shove, do they get shoved?

By: Frank Daniels

Frank Daniels — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:31:26 +0000

Sorry to comment again so soon, but your definition of “pragmatists” in relation to libraries and austerity cuts leaves a bit to be desired. If, as you say, chief librarians and CILIP officials are “pragmatists” where does that leave them in relation to the professional code of conduct (there is one, and it is backed up by Royal Charter, something which everyone seems to wish to ignore)? To say that someone in the library field is a “pragmatist” is surely not to say that they are exempt from the provisions of the professional code of conduct (the ethics of the profession), or is that in fact what you mean to say? Why have a code at all if, in fact, you are expected to implement such vicious cuts as these? Cuts in previous years, under earlier governments have been much less severe and did not lead to actual closures or loss of professional staff, but now there is cause for a real crisis of
conscience. I do not expect people to rise to the occasion. To avoid the impression of hypocracy, CILIP should consider giving up its Royal Charter. Life will be so much easier for all senior library staff from that point on, if it ever should come to pass.

By: Shirley Burnham

Shirley Burnham — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 07:30:37 +0000

An aide-mémoire for the application of Labels:

Believers:
Believers compete to establish their credentials by treating the Library Service as if it were an extreme sport, not a service. Believers adopt the word “radical” to give force to their consumerist approach, knowing that it has been a favorite word of advertisers whose websites have something to sell and now routinely promise a transformative experience. They risk comparison with religious fantatics who embrace a scary agenda that polarises opinion and eradicates the middle ground that is shared by those who desire a peaceful, ordinary life. Whilst such shrill radicalism might be expected in an adolescent, it is unworthy of those who have influence in the corridors of power. The advocacy of a wholly consumerist ethos for public libraries – that ignores all evidence relating to the nation’s illiteracy, the benefits of reading for pleasure and the desirability of lifelong learning, all of which have an economic impact on society – means it is time for the Believers to grow up.

Pragmatists:
Pragmatism is a philosophical movement which claims that an ideology or proposition is true if it works satisfactorily. That begs the question of the library pragmatist’s evidence that his or her solutions for the service in the ‘austerity’ climate are achievable or will work satisfactorily. On the evidence, it seems that every concession to pragmatism to date has led us blindly to the current crisis in public library provision. Winston Churchill said: “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.” There are few pragmatists left for the crocodile to eat. Some still have a body part poking out of its mouth, whilst others – which shall be nameless – have vanished completely down its gullet.

Campaigners:
Campaigners are fighting to preserve the local, staffed public libraries they rely on and value in the face of assaults from the Believers and Pragmatists.

By: julie boston

julie boston — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 22:25:25 +0000

What a balanced assessment but i think you and pragmatists are far too accepting of the austerity spin. Bristol has just been given £5.5 for Ageing Better plus £3.8 m to turn one floor of Central Lby into a private school. Short of money ?

Many academics plus Corbyn MP and Caroline Lucas MP have pointed out that the shrinking of the Welfare State is a political act, How frustrating that we’re not linking up with other countries such as Holland and uniting in opposing to cuts to their libraries.
Sisters Uncut showed how to make the case for refuges this week.
Let’s have a display of banned books in the remaining libraries with the Bible in the middle. Then a display of books which make the argument for a balanced society plus Ragged Trousered Philanthropists for national Library day in Feb 2016.
And public readings of Philp Pullman’s speech to Oxford Ag the Cuts 2010. No point going to Nat Lby Conf cos i don’t see how it will help. Sad day.