Comments on: General Election 2015 and Public Libraries: statements from Conservatives, Greens, Labour and Lib Dems on libraries

By: Ed Hunt

Ed Hunt — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 08:14:31 +0000

What no MOOCs(1)?!

In a world where the internet is bringing education to the people instead of people having to go to the education, why aren’t libraries involved?

Recently (through reciprocal hospitality – for me a library-based internet activity) I met someone who did a law degree via a MOOC – while he was working – and at a cost of about £300.

There is a world out there full of opportunity which could be brought to local libraries – but it takes leadership and vision for that to happen.

(1) Massive Online Open Classroom – university courses – available completly free – you pay only when you register for a formal qualification.

By: librariesmatter

librariesmatter — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:09:11 +0000

Ed Vaizey’s comments relate to England.

The CIPFA public library statistics for the UK show:

2009/10 2013/14 4 year change
Static libraries 4,064 3,920 -144 -3.5%
Mobile libraries 548 362 -186 -33.9%
UK Total 4,612 4,282 -330 -7.2%

By: Alan Beard

Alan Beard — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 14:42:48 +0000

Ed Vaizey: ‘we estimate that the total number of static library closures to be 93’. If this was true it would be a damning statistic. However look to the right of this page: CIpfa have calculated that 49 service points were lost in 2013/14, 74 were lost in 2012/13 and 201 in 2011/12. I make that 324. This does not take into account the number of lost hours too with libraries that remain open (eg the hours at Birmingham Central Library have been halved). You should be absolutely ashamed of yourself and your slash and burn attitude to public services. It’s no good blaming local authorities, it’s your fault for cutting grants. And yes there is plenty of money – by closing tax loopholes and chasing corporations who avoid tax you could fully fund the NHS, and re-open all libraries and even open some new ones. You choose not to. OK, then face up to what you are: a friend of the rich, an enemy of the people. Stop lying and dissembling.