The Good Library Blog

I have no idea how they feel about the digital revolution in this town you mention but if they are librarians then for them it isn`t coming fast enough. I am not anti-digital or anti-ecommerce or anti-information-online, far from it. In certain areas it is obviously the way to go (as Richard Charkin is always reminding us.)But the book has and always will have its place - quite a different place. Librarians, though, clearly do not see things this way. About 5 or so years ago, having my arm twisted, I went to talk to a meeting of regional librarians. Every single question was a variation on 'Is the book dead ?' in a tone that implied they really, really wished it were. They were all adamant that computers were taking over and were the way forward for all libraries, that they were fully justified in de-stocking books as fast as they could go and could not wait for the arrival of the e-book. I was baffled that they did not seem to see the full consequences of this line of thought for themselves. The funniest comment came when someone suggested I, as a writer, was only keen to keep the book going because I had a vested interest. I waited for them all, as librarians, to see the funny side of this but do you know, I was the only one who laughed.
We have a delightful small library in the large village/tiny town near which I live in Gloucestershire - it was extended a few years ago, there is a wonderful and very attractive chidren`s corner (paid for by the local Community Fund )..there are three computers, always in use, but they do not dominate. I take them all the new books I get by way of review copies, promo copies and other freebies and they are very grateful as otherwise they have no new books to speak of - the librarians even read I think. But last month I had to go into the nether reaches of that library to end all libraries, the Bodleian in Oxford and was given a very old, very rare cildrens book to look at. I handled it, of course, with extreme care, not to say reverence - the conservation librarian I was with commented on the pleasure it seemed to give me. 'I wish the young staff here had the same attitude to books,' he said, 'but they can`t wait to get rid of them. All they are interested in is computers, te e-book and the digital revolution.'
I just cannot understand why they don`t all go and get jobs in PC World.

I've written about this on my own blog but have to add something to Tim's: can it really be true that librarians don't care about books, and don't read? This is worth asking, here in the U.S. too. I work with librarians, attend library conferences frequently, and get the magazines. There's certainly plenty about books and authors, especially popular ones. But are they drawn into their profession, at least in part, because they love books? Do they themselves read for pleasure? I think I'll ask that question in an email to the 3,000 or so on our mailing list!