LOST LIBRARIES MAKE UK INTERNATIONAL LOSER
England's destruction of its public libraries is making it the loser
in the global race to build digital, knowledge-based economies.
'Not all countries are doing what we are doing,' author Alan Gibbons
told the Speak Up For Libraries (SUFL) national conference in London
on 22 November. [*1]
'There are 180 new libraries in South Korea. There are many more
libraries in China. There are more libraries and librarians in Japan.
'There are no wholesale closures in Ireland, New Zealand, France,
Spain or Finland - to give just a few examples.'
In the UK, 936 libraries (out of 4,265 in 2010) are due to be closed -
or handed to volunteers to run - by 2015. Most of these are in
England. Similar cuts are now starting to affect Wales and Scotland.
[*2]
'Across the world many people ask me in genuine bewilderment: "How can
the UK do this?" ' said Alan Gibbons.
A constant theme throughout the day was the crucial role of libraries
in supporting a wide range of government priorities, including
literacy, education, health, business support, combating social
isolation and building cohesive communities.
Most vital of all is providing digital access to the millions who have
none, or need advice on using it. More and more government information
and business (local and national) is being transferred online.
A librarian in the audience said: 'We are not glorified book swaps. We
are about information, and that means a high digital presence and
digital skills.
'We are delivering IT and support for schools admissions, job match,
benefits claims. People come in who have no idea how to do it.
'We don't have enough staff. Everyone is dumping everything on to us.
We need other government departments to put their hands in their
pockets.'
Justin Tomlinson MP, PPS to libraries minister Ed Vaizey, said: 'The
biggest problem is the lack of engagement of senior ministers in other
departments].'
But he defended Vaizey's refusal to use the Secretary of State's legal
powers to intervene where drastic cuts threaten services - he has
rejected all 10 cases referred to him by local people.
'You need to get it right through local elections. We don't want a
centralised service,' said Justin Tomlinson.
The audience disagreed. Every surrounding nation - Wales, Scotland,
Ireland - has a clear national policy and national standards. These
have been shown to raise standards - and the public's usage of
libraries.
Helen Goodman MP, Labour's culture spokesperson, said Vaizey's
non-intervention is 'extraordinary'. She has tried in vain to get an
explanation of his criteria for waving through mass closure plans.
Politicians and audience did agree that libraries should not be run by
volunteers - although, Helen Goodman pointed out, Vaizey's department
(DCMS) positively encourages them. Volunteers are valuable as an
addition to professional staff - not a substitute.
All agreed, too, that the idea that consumer e-gadgets can replace
libraries is 'barking'.
Alan Gibbons summed up: 'A library without a librarian is a room.
'Libraries are cheap. In total, they cost less than a billion pounds,
when trillions is wasted on Trident, the banks and a failed austerity
project that has given us almost permanent economic crisis since the
2008 crash.
'Shutting them costs a fortune, not just in redundancies but in the
damage to society.' [*4]
CONTACT: Laura Swaffield, 07914 491145
[*] 1 SUFL is an alliance of organisations and campaigners working to
protect libraries and library staff: Elizabeth Ash; Campaign for the
Book (Alan Gibbons); CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library &
Information Professionals); The Library Campaign; Voices for the
Library; Unison. www.speakupforlibraries.org; @SpeakUp4Libs;
#SUFLconf14
[*2] The figure of 936 losses was given by Helen Goodman.
Significantly, she had had to obtain them from a library campaigner.
They were compiled by a librarian in his spare time
(www.publiclibrariesnews.com). They are not available from the
government. In a recent Commons debate, she said, Ed Vaizey had given
the total as 'about 100'.
[*3] UK Gross Domestic Product in 2025 could be £32bn higher if action
had been taken to ensure all children were reading well by the age of
11. (The Read On, Get On campaign supported by the Save the Children,
the Confederation of British Industry and the Teach First charity).
[*4] Alan Gibbons' speech in full:
http://alangibbons.net/2014/11/some-thoughts-written-on-the-train-to-the-speak-up-for-libraries-conference
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