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December 11, 2006
Essex libraries
Essex are boasting that they have improved efficiency and how beneficial this will be.
I think the jury needs to keep watching the evidence before it is quite convinced. The figures for 2005-6 show that in Essex book lending declined by 7% in one year. It was, I believe the second worst performance of any county council. (Hampshire was worst!)
It is fine to talk about RFID and lots more reading groups-- but the heart of the matter is whether the general public (even the horrid middle class parts of it) - find the libraries to be truly useful. And as they keep telling us, that depends upon the diversity and quality of the book collections. The lending figure implies that this is not an efficient authority.
Efficiency in the public sector is much more difficult to achieve than in commerce: it requires very clear specification of the service one is trying to deliver. Resources must be stringently applied to achieving the core aims of the service and the results must show that one has. Essex haven't achieved that yet- but they appear well organised, so perhaps they could.
Posted by Perkins at December 11, 2006 11:32 AM
Comments
Although Essex is well-organised and should be contgratulated on many of its online services, things are far from perfect. Following hot on the heels of a decision to stop providing magazines in Essex Libraries comes the news that Essex Libraries intend to make the weekly mobile library service fortnightly, and will stop providing a mobile library service to those communities less than 2 miles from a Library. The rationale for these cuts in public service is to save £100 million pounds on the County Council's budget over the next three years. If Essex County Council is really so short of cash they should realise that dishing out free champagne at Library events while cutting the service is sending out the wrong signals. (Champagne reception held at Chelmsford Library on 16 November).
Posted by: Martyn at December 14, 2006 11:53 PM
The library should not waste its money on
(a) pop music
(b) Film DVDs
(c) computer services.
These are NOT suitable items for a LIBRARY. The money should be spent on BOOKS.
A J Edwards
Posted by: A J Edwards at February 5, 2007 9:37 AM
Sorry but I just have to comment even though it is a long time since the last post but I work in an essex library and totally disagree that money should only be spent on books. What sort of age do you think this is? A library is a public service offering information, books, audio visual items, free computer use, plus lots more. We would lose so many customers if we only offered books. Regarding magazines, essex libraries still purchase a good selection of magazines and newspapers so i'm not sure where that comment came from. All this combined with a quick and simple RFID self service system, essex libraries staff are now free to deal with more enquiries and assist members of the public other than looking like an old style post office stuck behind a counter stamping books.
Posted by: LibraryWorker at September 20, 2008 6:09 PM
I don't think anyone has ever suggested that library funds should be spent only on books. What is always said is that not enough of it is spent on books and since funds are not infinite, priorities need changing so that book spend can be increased. It is, as is often said, a question of balance, but the balance in so many places has been wrong for a long time and does need to be shifted.
Posted by: perkins at September 20, 2008 7:57 PM