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June 24, 2006
Enter your favourite library in the wonderful "Good Library Guide"
This is a message from Karen Christensen, who at Berkshire Publishing, is the originator and host of this blog. The Good Library Guide is a most beautiful book. She wants to create a British Edition and a website to go with it.
"One of the first things I did after moving to England as a teenager was join the Frimley Green Library. Now I'm a publisher reading about U.K. libraries from my home in Massachusetts, and eager to support a transformation in how they are operated--and valued.
Setting up the Good Library Blog for Tim was a fantastic start, and now we want to begin work on what will eventually be a U.K. Good Library Guide in print.
Only 1% of British restaurants make it into the Good Food Guide, I've read. It'll be a small percentage of libraries that make it, too, but on the website we can include many more. They don't have to be perfect: in fact, we'd like to gather information about libraries that need attention. Tim and other friends of libraries stand ready to advise and help.
By sharing information online--about services needed, successful
programs underway, and ways you've found to solve problems without spending a lot of money--libraries themselves and citizens will be able more easily to work together to make their libraries lively, sustaining, and successful public places.
Here's what we'd like to know:
Name of library, address, contact information, website, head librarian
History and architecture
Please review and rate 1-5 (1=in need of much improvement, 5=wonderful)
* Book collections
* Periodicals
* Electronic and online publications
* Special collections
* Opening Times
* Services
* Suitability for private study
* Atmosphere
* Facilities
Your name and contact details (for verification only)
Other information you think we should have
A more sophisticated system will be available soon, but in the
meantime, we'll be happy to accept submissions. Please send them to
Rachel@berkshirepublishing.com. The editors and advisory board for the project will be announced soon, and if you would like to participate as an anonymous visitor to libraries in your area, do let us know. Our draft Good Library Manifesto is posted here on the site. Comments welcome: karen@berkshirepublishing.com."
Posted by Tim Coates at June 24, 2006 12:50 PM