1.
Emptying my mind …
May I just ask colleagues to take time to look at a piece
which Voices for the Library have
kindly posted at http://bit.ly/rOBXZn
We make little of the library providing non-fiction works and
now, supported use of the web and e-resources. Around a third of books borrowed
from public libraries are non-fiction; then there are music scores and sets
(what about
We talk of the Information Society, the Knowledge Economy
and claim a critical role for libraries in our future prosperity. We headline
libraries as places for information and learning, where people meet and share
ideas. They are the only open-for-free democratic space that we have; the only
place where you don’t have to pay to stay.
This is true, yet we infrequently explore in detail or
campaign for the information and learning side of the public library offer. Is
there a concern for the range and depth of non-fiction coverage in your average
library? We can reserve material; but we also want to browse and find, look
around, be prompted by the books just being there. Are they there? There was a
question on Lis-pub-libs a few months ago asking for ideas around non-fiction
displays. I didn’t see the responses but it made me think. Going into the
library you’ll see light stuff – gardening, food; there’ll be
occasional stuff – Christmas, sport; there’ll likely be local
history.
Does it go much further? Do any libraries have displays on
politics or economics? Public finances? The political parties, government,
citizenship, rights? Education, school, university education? Science, industry,
manufacturing? Religion and philosophy? Important subjects in our time. The
library is a place to find.
We display what we are asked to – planning
applications, proposed changes to parliamentary constituency boundaries,
college courses, but do librarians promote proactively? From topical subject to
universal truths. What’s the market?
2.
Occupying my mind …
There must be a need. We have all read of the libraries that
have been developed at the Occupy sites in
There’s some fantastic you tube coverage: If you want
to be uplifted, watch Eric in the
People’s Library http://bit.ly/vgsMmq.
If you want to feel low see the police removing the OWS People’s Library
from Zucotti square http://bit.ly/sUKuAO . Now
the Guardian Books blog tells
Occupy London Library has two branches! http://bit.ly/ujLHLz
.
I’m not suggesting that libraries are innately
seditious or that public libraries should stir it up unduly but let’s get
real. A free society cannot work without the free exchange of information and
ideas; for the general community there is no other place for this. There is no
other place for this.
Yes I wrote it twice. It needs saying again and again
… over to you.
Thank you
John
John
Dolan OBE
Tw. @johnrdolan
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200