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July 9, 2006
Act Now
This is not another call to go out on the streets but rather an explanation to local councils and heads of library services as to what they must do to stop the decline of their book collections.
Start working on the budget for 2007/8 Now. In the past you have added 5% to the staff budget first and then cut the book fund to meet the council's overall budget requirement. Instead of that add 50% to the book fund first and then see what you have to do to the staff budget in order to meet the overall figure. That will force you to think about how to reduce your non- front line costs.
If you leave this (difficult) work to September, you will already be too late.
I don't say these things because I am trying to bring the library service down: I say them because I truly believe that unless we take this medicine now and for the following two years the public library service, as a place in which you can find a useful collection of books, is finished. After that time there will be no more profession and no more funds. The slope is that slippery. So I believe we must Act Now-- not next month.
Posted by Tim Coates at July 9, 2006 10:12 PM
Comments
Yes, this is surely the point that might reach them.. no libraries will mean NO JOBS NO JOBS NO JOBS. Now do you understand ?
Posted by: SUSAN HILL at July 10, 2006 5:08 PM