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May 12, 2006
Ealing Central Library and Brighton
The people, councillors, MP's and library officers of Ealing should take note of the sad tale of the new library in Brighton. A handsome new building which cost a large fortune and attracted much praise has a pitiful collection of books. Only a year or so after opening it is the subject of derision in the local press, not just by would be users but even by the local politicians.
Des Turner the MP for Kemptown is reported in the local paper saying "all it needs is some books in it" .
Many Councillors involved in the project have now lost their seats.
The message is clearly: don't be fooled by architects and think tanks into converting a library into something they call "a democratic neutral space". Beware of brave new concepts. Use the English language in a straightforward way and keep your library
Not only is the concept wrong, but the planning lacks arithmetic. Brighton library has no book fund adequate for the size of the building; they cannot afford staff to keep it open; and saddest of all, as it is mostly made of glass: they cannot afford the window cleaners. I fear the same kinds of problems in the Discovery Centres of Kent and Hampshire and Ideas Stores of Tower Hamlets. They look fine on an architect's drawing, but five years later, they pose many problems, particularly of operating cost. Don't do it.
Local councils are for providing local services in an efficient way to their communities. They are not for inventing risky retail concepts that even a brave entrepeneur would avoid.
Posted by Tim Coates at May 12, 2006 8:08 AM