Did anyone read 'Overdue' by Charlie Leadbeater, 2003. That was one
suggestion, but anywhere but local authorities. If we do get regional
government, and some of our major counties go, where and what will happen to
libraries?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lewis,Aran M" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:48 PM
Subject: Re: Command and control (was FW: Is this the end for OPACs?)
> London Borough of Lambeth: our disclaimer is at the end of this e-mail.
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> Robert, if you take public libraries out of local government, where would
> you put them instead? No doubt we can all think of a number of
possibilities
> and models, but what would you advocate?
>
> Cheers,
> Aran Lewis
> Senior Librarian, Stock Support Services
> Lambeth Libraries
> Carnegie Library
> Herne Hill Road
> London SE24 0AG
>
> 020 7926 6069
>
> [log in to unmask]
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http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/intradoc/groups/public/documents/a-default/019232.
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> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Robert Harden [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 2:48 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Command and control (was FW: Is this the end for OPACs?)
> >
> > As often happens on this list, the discussion about OPACS reveals a
> > deeper problem. The talk of cultural retail outlets set me awondering
> > about whether we're seeing reality as clearly as we ought.
> >
> > It's about time public libraries, as presently constituted, stopped
> > pretending that they exist to satisfy their customers. It can only lead
> > to disappointment for all concerned.
> >
> > Public libraries are in the control and rationing business. It's no use
> > wishing, or behaving as if, it were otherwise. It's the core of their
> > mission. Eking out limited resources to optimise their social benefit
> > is what libraries do. They can do it with a smile or they can be
> > sour-faced about it. But giving the generality of customers what they
> > want when they want it has never been a goal with any realistic chance
> > of being attained.
> >
> > Internet terminals are a case in point. Whether or not the library has
> > dumb OPAC terminals wouldn't be an issue if there were enough
> > all-purpose terminals to go round. For all sorts of reasons public
> > libraries just aren't flexible enough to respond in that way to what
> > customers want. As arms of local government, they do not control most
> > of their key assets and satisfying the priorities of library customers,
> > actual and potential, comes a long way down the pecking order after
> > satisfying the priorities of the local council's policy makers.
> >
> > Libraries operate in a command economy, as the People's Network neatly
> > demonstrates. Internet terminals were installed in libraries en masse
> > because the government wished it so, not because libraries themselves
> > were responding to customer demand.
> >
> > In the present scheme of things a public library is unable to behave
> > like a customer-led business. If it is desirable that it should, there
> > is one big obstacle to be overcome first. And that is local government.
> > Take public libraries out of that command and control environment, and
> > there is a chance that they will be able to respond to the changing
> > requirements of their customers. Any service enterprise that fails to
> > do that, has a short future.
> >
> > Robert Harden
> > ______________________
> > [log in to unmask]
> > www.harden.dial.pipex.com
> > ______________________
>
>
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