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January 11, 2007
What do people want from their public library service?
The Government are about to produce yet another version of their library policy in the shape of new and different "standards" for library authorites
I have followed the process of the development of these with as much attention as one can from outside the room in the corridor. So far, there has been no comprehensive or professional attempt, that I can discern, to ask the public what they think.
There have been a number of consultations- but all with people who have an employment interest in the service or even among some rather limited questionnaires among library users-- but no comprehensive attempt to find out what people want..
An anthropologist (or even a market research company) posed this question would concentrate a lot of effort finding out the views of people who once did use the service but no longer do. It is among this group that the problems come out most clearly. I have seen none of that.
The last standards, useful in some ways, because they did at least give managers something to work towards, were incomprehensible to most people, and mostly they were neither achieved nor was much progress over the several years they were in place.
I hope this is a useful exercise, but when I hear of union members being paid to attend consultation meetings to decide what the standards are, I do begin to wonder. The people responsible for doing this work are the MLA and (ho, ho) Price waterhouse Cooper-- who obviously did manage to get the next contract!!
John Delane, in 1854, called the officials of Government "delicious young men" -- they haven't changed, have they?
Posted by Tim Coates at January 11, 2007 11:32 AM
Comments
Of course I remember: and now as you say it's time for you and your colleagues in CILIP to make waves with the Institute and tell them you are not happy with the way they conduct their affairs. It is time for sweeping change within CILIP-- the public depends upon you all to bring it about. Tim
Posted by: Tim at January 11, 2007 3:03 PM
Things are moving I think. 87% of Hampshire library workers have voted in favour of strike action against the cuts; CILIP is promising a "position statement on staffing in public libraries".
Posted by: Tom Roper at January 11, 2007 5:18 PM
What do they want to achieve? Have they made an expression of their aims? The danger is that there will be a one day strike and then nothing more. I think there needs to be a long term plan
It is perfectly sensible for local authorities to need library experts to provide and manage their library services, and the object should be for the profession to re-establish its credibility, not just to seek job preservation. There needs to be an offer of reform to make this useful, I think
The public would respond with great sympathy if this was about improving and sustaining public libraries. If it is just moaning about jobs in council offices, it will be pathetic and derisible.
Posted by: Tim at January 11, 2007 5:52 PM
As for public comments, have the results of the PLUS survey, conducted last autumn, become available yet? Forms in every library. They were being much filled in at Hove.
Posted by: Christopher Hawtree at January 12, 2007 8:58 AM
I'm really looking forward to reading CILIP's 'position statement' on staffing in public libraries.
We must hope they will include a reference to the fact that many library authorities are recruiting managers for front line services from retail book selling, with no library qualifications (at least on paper) or even experience...In fact 'library qualifications desirable, but not essential' is fast becoming a standard mantra for HR when drafting job adverts!
Over to you, CILIP!
PS What DO we pay our membership subs for?
Posted by: Verity Penglais at January 12, 2007 9:27 AM
Verity
What do you think the appropriate training to be a public librarian these days should comprise? and what would you look for in a recruit? If you want to write a guest blog you would be most welcome. Tim
Posted by: Tim at January 12, 2007 8:12 PM