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November 12, 2006
Newington reference library
This is from Isobel Durrant (thank you, Isobel, I thought what you said at the meeting was incredibly powerful, it was good to meet you-- you are not alone!) From this note we now learn that there is a "Staff only" area on the ground floor. Surely that cannot be of higher priority than the space for readers.
"Hi, This isn't exactly a comment, I'm just sending you a copy of an email I've sent to the campaign group. Does it make sense, or am I barking up the wrong tree entirely?
Best,
Isobel
Hello,
I attended Monday's meeting at St Matthew's and went on the library tour with Pam Usher on Thursday.
Ms Usher said that a stairlift could not be installed as it would not meet health and safety or fire regulations. This seemed like the trump card to put an end to all argument. Then she said all the information came from within the council, from their own experts, and that no second opinion had been sought. This seemed to me to offer a window of opportunity, or at least possibility.
The crunch is obviously the access for the disabled. Ms Usher also talked about the need to improve study space, and pointed out that it's always full to capacity in the Reference Library. The plan is to move those items most often consulted to the ground floor and 'reconfigure' (her word) the collections, giving access to material in the same way as at Guildhall Library. I pointed out that that is q time consuming, so people could end up spending longer in the library waiting for books to to be brought to them, thus occupying spaces and making it more crowded. However, she said that many of the people studying there do not consult any of the books and other resources available. So it occurred to me that there is no need to close upstairs at all and a compromise that may suit all parties is within reach. By increasing study space downstairs - possibly by using the existing staff only area rather than taking over space from the lending library - and moving the most requested items, plus newspapers etc downstairs, more room woulod be created upstairs which would make it easier for people in the ref library to access the books etc. At the same time, the system that is being proposed to all users should the reference library close, could be made available to disabled users, that is to request books etc to be brought to them. That way, we keep our library and collections, disabled users have access to the collection as it stands, not a severely curtailed one that is proposed, and the lending library space is not further eroded. This seems to me a viable solution that meets the needs of all interested parties. Or have I forgotten something?
Your comments please.
Are there any further meetings proposed?
Best wishes
Isobel Durrant"
Posted by Perkins at November 12, 2006 10:30 AM
Comments
Sorry, Tim, but the staff only area i'm talking about was referred to in the meeting. It's where the stff have their office and staff room at the moment. To be fair, i think they need and deserve both, but the plans for the move downstairs include taking this area over anyway, so I imagine they are to be relocated.
Isobel
Posted by: Isobel Durrant at November 12, 2006 3:26 PM
Have lift engineers been consulted?
Here in Hove we were told by the Council that a lift would be impossible and the Library must close forthwith.
That proved to be utter nonsense.
Also the Disability Discrimination Act is not designed to close down libraries but to ensure that every effort is made to sort out problems.
Local government is using it to close down libraries rather than make the necessary adjustments.
Posted by: Christopher Hawtree at November 13, 2006 10:11 AM
hi isobel and tim
the service suggested for all users of bringing down books is exactly the service offered to users with disabilities at present, except at present they have the assistance of experienced dedicated ref librarians which would not be the case if the plans go ahead.
julie
Posted by: julie speechley at November 16, 2006 2:59 PM