Henley, Caroline wrote:
> I don't see why further, if not all, public libraries would fail to
> participate in a neutral and balanced study into the situation. The fact
> that Tim Coates has previously gone on record with concerns regarding
> library services see Guardian 18 May 2002
> http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,717311,00.html is not
> in itself indicative of a negative attitude, however, it remains
> surprising that
> much appears to have been surmised from a report based so closely on the
> situation at 1 of 149 authorities.
>
> It would be interesting to know definitively -
>
> how many authorities were asked to take part in the study?
> Was Tim Coates approached by Libri, or did he approach them - and was
> this because, or in spite of his known views on the situation?
>
The answer to Caroline's last point is obvious: the Libri Trust are a small
group of the Islington chattering class, and the trust was probably formed
in order to propagate Coates' views.
John Briggs
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