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September 15, 2006
Richard Charkin reported in Publishing News
Here is the report of Richard's Speech to the Librarians conference..
The comments are extremely important, but it is also really crucial that other publishers see what Richard now sees clearly: the central issue for book supply is not about discounts or the supply chain, but the priority and size of the book budgets within each council. Only councils can respond to what he says, and it is the library managers within each council who have to find the right way to recommend these actions to their directors and councillors
"Books come first :Richard Charkin forthright at NAG
MACMILLAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE Richard Charkin issued a simple plea to delegates at the National Acquisitions Group Conference at the University of Reading this week: double your book purchasing budget and increase your book offering to readers before they lose the habit of visiting libraries.
“Nobody could be more supportive of digital initiatives in libraries than me and I accept absolutely the role of the library within communities,” he said. “However, books must be the first priority… I would simply ask you to review everything you do, from top to bottom, and increase your book offering to readers before they lose the habit of visiting libraries”.
He believes that the necessary changes following such a review are possible. “I have no doubt that this can be achieved and that, more than any other act, would secure the role of libraries into the 21st century.”
On STM publishing, he described copyright erosion as “probably the greatest single threat to our industry” and questioned the “unholy and short-term beneficial alliance” some libraries had formed with Google. “If only Google would come to their senses, accept that they are not entitled to digitise in-copyright material without explicit permission, and focus their attention on working with publishers to develop appropriate systems for the secure discovery and delivery of material from books.”
He also lamented the fact that book budgets have been cut back and that UK educational publishers are struggling. “Overseas governments’ support for textbooks and school libraries is seen as a top priority,” he said. “Why not here?”
Posted by Tim Coates at September 15, 2006 10:58 AM