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Dear all
I just came across this (forwarded by a colleague in
“Council
removes foreign language papers from libaries (sic) to encourage English
speaking”
It’s incredible the elected (sic) mayor, apparently,
should decide to remove “foreign language” (to him) or “community
language” (to the public) newspapers to “encourage people to speak
English”.
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Stopping community language papers won’t
make people’s English better
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It will push closed the open door of the
public library
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… where people’s communications
skills improve through interaction with others
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People will learn better English and learn
English better through proper provision of English language learning provision,
itself badly cut in recent times.
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Indeed, this provision could be expanded by
delivering more learning opportunities in public libraries to supplement the
class-based learning in other areas which has been cut
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Rarely have elected members interfered in
the selection of a public library’s stock. The few occasions would
include
o
Wapping dispute when councillors wanted to
stop libraries taking the Times during the row about the move from fleet St to
Wapping
o
A few councils tried to ban the Pink Paper,
gay free paper
o
Others (not all councillors) protested at
libraries taking Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and Madonna’s
Sex
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It reminds me of the furore a few years ago
when the group attacked some libraries for stocking so-called “Islamic
fundamentalist”. As a result MLA produced guidelines on the best
management of (potentially) controversial stock to meet all community’s
need and interests.
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It’s going back to the days when some
said the public library is not for people who can’t read (sic)
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It will cause disappointment and frustration
and tension among people who presumably pay rates and taxes and vote for
councillors and elected mayors
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Is it just a cover for a budget cut? or
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… has the tipping point been reached?
Is this anti-multiculturalism gone mad! This is not local decision making; it’s
not big society, community consultation or any such thing
Not only are there no public library standards any more; this
feels like there are no standards in public libraries.
It would be interesting to hear
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Are there other such cases of political stock
control (other than just cutting budgets)?
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What is the reaction of people in ethnic communities?
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What is the status of stock planning,
responding to communities, widening audiences, community engagement, excellence,
performance review… i.e. the proper management of services for the public
and communities?
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Does the Arts Council have a view, given it’s
history of advocating for diversity?
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Does the DCMS have a view?
John
John
Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP
Tw. @johnrdolan
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200