Many of us will have read, probably with mounting frustration, the
continued attack by Tim Coates on the management and policies
surrounding public libraries in the UK. Recently, Richard Charkin of
Macmillan Publishers was invited to speak to the National Acquisitions
Group during their conference, and he has summarized what he said – and
what he has since published in The Bookseller – on his blog
(http://charkinblog.macmillan.com/PermaLink,guid,62e98c6f-f55e-4445-9ca7
-3707b7297b89.aspx). Broadly speaking, he is of one accord with Tim
Coates, at least insofar as being appalled by the statistics of decline.
Less interestingly, he also has a solution – but that, like the
statistics themselves, for which I cannot vouch and which I do not
recommend to you in any way other than to suggest that they need
investigating and verifying if you are a public librarian, is not the
point of this email.
Rather, it is to suggest that two things should be happening in the
light of the ongoing publication and publicising of this issue; indeed
should have been happening for some time now (can CILIP really have
failed to comment thus far on the charge that “30% of [public] library
buildings are no longer fit for use” (Charkin)?). AND, that they should
be happening with high visibility in all the CILIP and library
communities, and by all means of publication, both print and electronic.
1. CILIP should respond in a reasoned and robust way to the charges
made. The response should be published widely and be highly visible. It
is not sufficient to denigrate the authority, stance or the wisdom of
their authors; rather it is necessary to examine the charges – in some
detail – and to suggest appropriate ways forward. If, as seems likely,
some of the statistics (or at least the trends) given are correct, then
CILIP – as the professional body representing public librarians and as
advocate for the profession – should be advising on ways to improve or
rectify the situation, that is:
2. CILIP – which rightly makes much of its advocacy role – should advise
the Minister, the MLA, and government in general on an appropriate
policy to rescue public libraries (I use the term as a generic term as
do Richard Charkin and Tim Coates, but perfectly well aware of the
successes which exemplify good practice, such as the new library in
Brighton which I visited recently). A strategy to “re-establish that the
prime objective of libraries is to lend books and [to increase] book
stocks” (Charkin) and to spend monies more appropriately than the
reported £4m on MLA consultations would be a step in the right
direction.
This is the reason that CILIP members pay their subscriptions – to hear
their professional body speak on their behalf. Of course, IF it can be
shown that the entire set of statistics, and the premises that result
from them, are false then the situation is less serious… BUT we still
need to hear from CILIP with a detailed corrective of each and every
point.
Chris Armstrong
National Councillor (CILIP)
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