It may be too late, as Tim Coates suggests very strongly, but here
again is a report which challenges the diversification of public
library services, a long term trend which has been aided and abetted by
a Government whose funding momentum has been one-dimensional and
heading for the cul de sac of public library stagnation.
Actually, cull might be more appropriate, as the pursuit of space
creation for PCs, gaudy improvements and cash income from those items
that once filled that space does smack of butchery.
Yes, I know there are wonderful exceptions and my pride in having been
a small part of this profession is always re-kindled whenever I see
them.
But "Who's to blame?" might be a better title I feel. Of course
librarians and their local government colleagues exist in a blame-free
culture. Not so politicians, as Coates suggests. But how do you blame
(sorry, call to account) transitory decision-makers? Once they're the
subject of blame, they disappear via the polling booth.
I disagree with Tim Coates on funding. It is a serious issue that needs
addressing, but not from within (why is that always an "outsider's"
view? It needs looking at in the same way that ICT provision through
public libraries has been met via the highly embarrassingly successful
People's Network (with many others I imagine, I do hope that this
doesn't turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory in terms of the maintenance
and development needs of the ICT infrastructure).
One of my former library authorities did a funding shortfall assessment
on the bookstock, following a detailed age and condition survey. It
made frightening reading for elected members and of course there was
plenty of shelf space on which to store the report.
Maybe we need a People's Bookshelf initiative? I'm not smiling.
And finally, you can't, and shouldn't, take the emotion out of this
debate.
It should engender strong, sometimes irrational responses from both
sides of the argument.
Other, more rational beings than me will make the important decisions
anyway, won't they?
C John Hughes BA MCLIP LIAV MInstLM
External Assessor
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