Pretty much agree with you Paul.
That doesn't mean that the profession can't use the demand for reform of the
body politic and "modernisation of public services to make us competitive in
the new knowledge economy", as they tell us, to promote the development of
library services. After all, who fostered the common man's involvement in
the information age at the beginning of the twentieth century?
For instance, with all the pressure to deliver e-government, public
libraries should be constantly hammering at the door saying: "we are
e-government access points you know!" That way there's a chance that sites
like http://www.localegov.gov.uk that currently only recognise libraries for
their support of their local communities (only! sorry! would that more
recognised that role...) would also recognise their role as access channels
within the community, particularly for socially disadvantaged people.
Similarly, perhaps we should be telling the Office of the e-Envoy what we're
doing rather than waiting to be told what they're doing to us.
Just my two penn'orth and probably expensive at that.
Steven
Steven Heywood
Systems Manager
Rochdale Library Service
Wheatsheaf Library
Baillie Street
Rochdale OL16 1JZ
Tel: 01706 864967
Fax: 01706 864992
Touching the Future - rare local studies books can now be read online!
http://rochdale.gov.uk/Living/Libraries.asp?URL=ebooks
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Forrest [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 26 June 2003 13:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The New Minister
I think we have to face the fact that the current government may have lost
interest in libraries. They've "done" the People's Network and, given the
huge demand for reform from the body politic, geopolitics etc are focussing
elsewhere. Which means we in the profession are left to get on with it, and
create massive change ourselves. It only takes a few focussed individuals
to do this e.g. Opening the Book. Let's not wait for Big Brother to do our
work for us.
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