Totally agree
f
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Swaffield
Sent: 12 February 2013 16:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: National Libraries Day
The date was originally chosen as the time when councils are getting their budgets together, & in the 1st 2 years often took the form of petitions & demos alongside the celebrations.
People may see this focus as more important than ever - or as a lost cause.
One thing is for sure - if this is discussed again it should be started NOW, not suddenly & I must say rather peremptorily in September, as it was last year.
People need time to plan.
We also need to sort out year-long reinforcement of the message - Kathryn's message below says it all.
The library community has been appalling at this.
The National Literacy Trust has TWICE got outstanding results on a shoestring, from Year of Literacy campaigns - only to see the whole thing just fade away.
The Reading Agency devised, again on a shoestring, a fantastic Love Libraries campaign with a lively website, annual competitions for Librarian of the Year (etc), loads of artwork and promotion ideas/activities - which at the end of the project as handed over to MLA to continue, and was just killed off.
It's a great pity, I think, that National Libraries Day did not pick up this mass of stuff. I believe it decided not to because Unison has since adopted the pink heart/love theme - since it was otherwise being completely wasted...
Laura Swaffield
The Library Campaign
www.librarycampaign.com
On 2/12/13, Kathryn Armstrong <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> This from one of our visitors
> Just a very quick note to say how very impressed I was with South
> Shields Library during my visit last Saturday as part of National Libraries Day.
> I am actually from Hartlepool and have not been to South Shields
> before, but I met up with a friend who was taking her kids to the
> Audience with Davros event and I must say we were both extremely
> impressed with the Audience - in all honesty I wasn't convinced it was
> going to be any good but I was very pleased to be proved wrong! In
> addition though, we were also extremely impressed with the breadth and
> variety of things available at your library, quite apart from the
> usual library facilities - the theatre, regular film nights, the
> historical society talks, and on and on. It was truly a revelation and
> has turned our visit of an hour with a Dalek to probable regular
> visits for historical talks or whatever else might be on offer in future.
> Keep up the good work!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Phil Bradley
> Sent: 12 February 2013 12:55
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: National Libraries Day
>
>> Oh John, don't be so delicate and protective
> I think John was actually rather more interested in being factual.
>
>> It does sound as if there were a lot of good events. However, it does
>> seem to be the wrong time and too short a period.
> February certainly wouldn't be my personal choice I agree; I'd
> certainly like a week in the summer, but the steering group can I am
> sure give thought to such issues and make a decision between them.
>
>> Also if you look at it from the perspective on non-library uses, how
>> many new readers were signed up., how much press did you attract
>> across the country, especially local press., who were the 'big wigs'
>> involved., how much local TV coverage.
> I have no idea how many new members were signed up and at this stage
> neither does anyone else. There were over 50 items in the local press,
> and national coverage on BBC, Sky and ITV, to say nothing of other
> national press covering the story. Local radio stations covered it in
> depth. I'm not entirely sure what 'big wigs' means in this context,
> but a lot of well known authors were also involved. As for local
> television coverage there is no way of telling - news resources are
> not obliged to keep CILIP informed when they cover library stories.
>
>> Now I know no one would call me Mrs average, or even normal, BUT had
>> I not known about the day form the lists, I would not have known
>> about it and saw no evidence of it.
> I have lots of anecdotal evidence from friends who visit libraries
> (and also those who don't) that they were very well aware of the day.
>
>> Lancashire has an excellent library service and are not closing
>> libraries, in fact extending opening hours.
> Well, that's splendid and I'm delighted to hear it, but not entirely
> sure how that relates to the subject at hand.
>
>> So it seems an excellent day, congratulations all, but never be
>> complacent, we can always build on success, and now is the time to
>> plan the next one!!
> I don't actually see anyone being complacent. I certainly hope that
> next years NLD (whenever it may be) is going to be even bigger and
> better, building on the success and hard work that so many people put
> into it this year.
>
> Phil.
>
> --
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