Roy Clare wrote to me directly after my email
below saying my ‘sleeping’ comment is unfair. I replied to say –
and I’m writing because I’d want them to know – I meant no personal
offence to colleagues working their best and in such distressing circumstances
for them, their careers and their families. Indeed I was once there. Even recently
I hear complimentary comments about MLA colleagues.
By the same token, I’m more than an
armchair pundit: As a librarian I have experience, views and, I believe, ideas
that move with the times. As a citizen I am part of a community; I have views
on other than public libraries; I am a library user and, indeed, through my new
job, working with communities and developers I have new experiences to share. Though
I write my own views, I also successfully stood and put a case for election as
a CILIP Trustee to do my bit in and for my professional body.
So, the substantive issue; my point is
that institutions, including DCMS [superintend
and promote], have duties and strategic responsibilities which
– for whatever reason – they are not fulfilling. I and others have
a right to express views about new opportunities, to offer solutions [e.g. in
the big society model] and to ask our elected Government to lead.
Of course these lists are librarians
talking with librarians and we can hurt each other; as ever, the echo chamber
resounds. However, one would like to think others read it and maybe messages get
through.
John
John
Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200
From:
John Dolan [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 15 February 2011 17:50
To: 'MARTYN
Subject: RE: good news
At that point of course, there would be no
point in changing the act; to do so would just draw attention to what had
happened by intentional default.
The allocation of responsibility to local
councils serves as a divide and rule tactic, deliberate or not [why is
The forest matter is under review –
opposition over a shorter time, with different results – because there
was single national coordinated reaction to a single national policy action.
The PM and SoS don’t get it about
libraries – yet – and the Minister, who does get it, has decided
not to be a champion for libraries across government as he promised.
Now private companies are offering to run
services, probably at lowest common denominator level – why bother with
more?
The library idea is still, in theory,
unique services – resources collections + information service + learning
/ cultural programmes + place / identity – and a unique place in the
community, but it needs national steer. CILIP as a national body can advocate
for that. MLA is sleeping and ACE hasn’t yet woken up to its library
dawn.
Therefore, it remains
-
local
authorities to provide comprehensive and efficient
-
DCMS to
superintend and promote
No apologies for cross posting
John
John
Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP
Tw. @johnrdolan
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200
From:
lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:
Sent: 15 February 2011 14:57
To:
Subject: Re: good news
|
Of course changing the law is all any government has
to do - but the coalition is on record as saying that it has no intention of
changing the 1964 Act - probably because it would alienate many of their
ordinary party members. If they did move to change the law on this
issue, they would also loose the fig-leaf of denial that it is all down to
local councils. Currently opposition to library closures is uneven
and is less vociferous in areas not directly affected by the charges and
closures - changing the law would threaten every library in the country and
the opposition would become widespread. The government would prefer to
divide and rule, then when it has established a hotch-potch of service
provision (some of it not funded by library authorities) they will move to
change or abolish the Act. Martyn
All this government
has to do is change the law! Philip
Wark Library
Services Manager Library HQ Loanhead tel: 0131 271 3971 fax: 0131 440 4635 From:
lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:
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