This was originally a reply to Phil Bradley's reporting of this article http://bit.ly/agUD3H - however I decided to sail more closely to the wind (testing the water, and the politics!) and post it here.
Mr Skinner is not being constructive, but he is entitled to his say.
I found myself saying in a comment to a post recently on the future of libraries:
"Something I’ve noticed recently though with all the library cuts going on ... administrators are seeing libraries as nothing more than a warehouse for books that can be dealt out by volunteers. I think there is an element of librarians having brought this upon themselves through traditionally being bookworms and Dewey heads [cataloguers], and not seeing themselves as having a critical role for their community (society, etc.)."
Our understanding of libraries I think it is fair to say at the moment is somewhat fragmented, librarians, users, governments, unions, authors, etc. all have their individual perceptions of the value of libraries, but it is all very fragmented. We need to bring together our current understanding of what the libraries are, how they work, their role in society - maybe a job for the next generation of librarians. It would help. In a recent email I wrote:
"Intuitively ... given a combination of new technologies and the role that libraries have traditionally played in society, the libraries probably have as much potential at this point in time as was felt when public libraries were first legislated for 150 years ago. The task for librarians and the libraries, to my own mind, at this point in time, is to consolidate their understanding of themselves and new technologies, and to present the proof of this potential to the public and Government."
It is recognised by criminologists that most crime goes unreported and not acted on. I'd ask if a chunk of that is not 'information crime' (an all the more salient topic in this day and age). Bad librarianship (professioanl and paraprofessional) is a reality in our society, how much I can't say, but that I can. I wonder though if this doesn't put off a lot of people (and maybe Mr Skinner included) from supporting the libraries. Maybe a new library offer to the public should be made that includes this as an issue.
To use their library people need to have the mental health to be able to "learn and reason" - and crime is a major negative factor on mental health. The libraries could be proactive here (the subject of crime and mental health). It is within their terms of reference, and Mr Skinner's camp would begin to see the libraries as doing something useful.
It is no good the libraries ignoring (even suppressing) a quiet minority who are not satisfied with their library service and want to close it. And the first section of the recent DCMS report Modernisation review of public libraries was titled a "A Library Offer to the Public" - what would Mr Skinner and those who think like he does like to see in that offer (I haven't actually seen the article yet).
Gareth Osler
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