I'm not sure I recognise Gordon's description of "CILIP's" attitude and
would be interested to hear why he should think this. I'm by no means an
uncritical apologist for CILIP and its works but I wouldn't have thought
anyone could criticise it for being anti-library. Certainly a lot of those
who joined the merged organisation from the IIS find CILIP far too immovably
entrenched in the traditional library apporach and atmosphere.
There was a flurry in the papers earlier this year about the dinishing % of
public library budgets going into resource acquisition (sorry - the book
fund),and I think the UK public service as a whole has s till to solve the
problem of reorganisations leaving the coordination and planning units
intact (if retitled) while the savings take place at the sharp end. If we
as a profession don't get a grip on the need for high impact/low overhead
staff structures, then someone else will do it for us (ie to us). Or is
this just me feeling old and grumpy to be at work this late on a Friday?
Tony
Tony McSean
Director of Library Relations
Elsevier
84 Theobald's Road
London WC1X 8RR
+44 7795 960516
+44 20 76114413
-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gordon Smith
Sent: 23 June 2006 13:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Public Libraries
There is a common complaint that local authority budgets are actually
controlled by local government managers and bureaucrats, not councils.
Although the frontline services decline or are withdrawn, the number of
bureaucrats still increases. The argument goes that the number of
bureaucrats should fall but they never willingly cut themselves. Ditto the
NHS etc.
There are now some interesting comments on the story on the site mentioned
by Danny. The first one suggests public libraries need business sense and
commonsense, and so does the NHS.
The site www.libri.org.uk mentioned in the story belongs to Libri - Charity
for Libraries. Their 2005 report "From University to Village Hall" is highly
critical of "the lack of focus of the majority of those on local councils
responsible for libraries, of the heads of county library services, of those
who advise Ministers on library policy" - managers and bureaucrats again?
The last of the quoted groups cover a "large number of QUANGOs and other
groupings including the Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and its
regional MLACs, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information
Professionals (CILIP), and the Advisory Council on Libraries (ACL)." It's
worth a read.
Some of us would say that a similar situation applies to NHS libraries, but
I have been there before! What is worrying is that CILIP seems to be seen as
opposed to libraries, their users, and those who service them. CILIP
appears to be committed rather to collaborating with what it perceives are
the big players, e.g. NeLH/NLH, MLA, etc., but they may drop it in the
future. It is hardly surprising that people consider its position as weak.
Yours relevantly (??),
Gordon.
Gordon Smith
The Sally Howell Library
Epsom General Hospital
Dorking Road
Epsom, Surrey, KT18 7EG
Tel. 01372-735688, Fax 01372-735687
NULJ=HOWE, HLN=EP
The Master said, "Look at the means a man employs, observe the basis on
which he acts, and discover where it is that he feels at ease.
Where can he hide? Where can he hide?"
- Analects of Confucius 2.10 (Slingerland)
>>> "Hodgson, Julian" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> 23/06/2006 10:36 >>>
Things come round though don't they? I worked in public libraries in the
1970s when swingeing cuts were being made by local authorities and the
library book fund was an easy target. If I remember correctly
Buckinghamshire lost all or almost all of its book fund one year and they
were not rebuked by whoever was responsible for local authority standards.
Any pleading by us (and I'm not for a moment suggesting we shouldn't) is
bound to be seen as special pleading. Put yourself in the shoes of local
authority councils who have to meet budgets, what would your priorities be
for cuts: schools? roads? rubbish collection? recycling? social work?
museums? street lighting? care homes? Not so easy when you have the purse
strings in your hand, and yes I could still write an essay on why libraries
could be considered the binding matrix of a civilised society, but that
doesn't pay the bills. Fight for public libraries, castigate CILIP (I left
years ago because of its ineffectuality), but don't forget the really hard
decisions that have to be made out there.
Julian Hodgson
Wishaw General
-----Original Message-----
From: Helen Wright [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 22 June 2006 16:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Public Libraries
I am also an ex-public librarian and an active public library user. When I
was actively involved in looking at patterns of use, borrowing of books,
particularly fiction was declining, library visits were not. Recent media
hype is quoting that more people go to museums and art galleries than
football matches. The same is true for libraries, and it was no accident
that Tony Blair made the public library the point for all to free Internet
access. Fixed public libraries also support in terms of staff and stock for
community services to the housebound, nurseries, homes and hostels, prisons,
hospitals etc etc. The public library seems to be always under threat as
easy to cut.
Helen Wright,
Library and Knowledge Manager,
National Public Health Service for Wales,
Building 1, St. David's Park,
Job's Well Road,
CARMARTHEN. SA31 3WY
Phone: 01267 225077
WHTN: 01820 5077
Fax/facs: 01267 225220
e-mail: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask]
Intranet: <blocked::blocked::http://nww.nphs.wales.nhs.uk>
http://nww.nphs.wales.nhs.uk
Internet: <http://www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk/> www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk
Helen Wright,
Gwasanaeth Llyfrgell a Rheolaeth Gwybodaeth,
Gwasanaeth Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cenedlaethol Cymru,
Adeilad 1, Parc Dewi Sant, Heol Ffynnon Jôb,
CAERFYRDDIN. SA31 3WY
Ffôn: 01267 225077
WHTN: 01820 5077
Ffacs: 01267 225220
e-bost: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask]
Intranet: <blocked::blocked::http://nww.nphs.wales.nhs.uk>
http://nww.nphs.wales.nhs.uk
Internet: <http://www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk/> www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk
_____
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Danny Marden
Sent: 22 June 2006 15:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Public Libraries
Dear all
I know its against list protocol to post links on the board but I feel that
this is a a justified exception.
It is regarding the future of public libraries, and although not directly
related to health, no doubt some readers will find some similarities and nod
in agreement!!
Happy reading
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5105580.stm
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5105580.stm>
Danny Marden
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