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March 13, 2007
Bookshops and libraries
One of the arguments that has been used over the years, to explain why libraries are not used for borrowing books as much as they used to be has been that book shops have spread everywhere.
Of course it was never true-- not only have books shops not spread everywhere, in fact in the past 10 years they have hardly spread at all- and they certainly never spread to many of the 3,000 places in which there are public libraries-- but it was simply was never an argument that made sense. If we have a generation of people who enjoy reading and we presented them with clean attractive well-stocked public libraries, they would have used them. Instead we offered them dirty old dumps with a few dirty dog eared hardbacks that no one bothered to steal and nobody wanted them
I raise this only because it is sad tonight to hear more news of bookshop closures as Waterstone's face the ghoulish bank manager of reality. I expect therefore librarians and the minister to whoop with delight saying this provides the opportunity for library book lending to grow again
Librarians make every excuse in the world to explain why less people like libraries-- but they are just sad excuses for bad management. I was told today that I am somehow responsible for professional librarians going on strike in Hampshire, because of a report I wrote 4 years ago of which the council took no notice. What did I have to say about it?" I was asked.
"Ha Ha", I said -- "it's all just an excuse."
More serious comment about Waterstone's future on Richard Charkin's blog. I share the fears he expresses.
Posted by Tim Coates at March 13, 2007 10:10 PM
Comments
Happy World Poetry Day 2007!
--- TWiN would like to recommend that any poets, poetry organisations or event organisers who would like to show their support for World Poetry Day go immediately to the UNESCO website in order to register their organisation, prizes or websites.
The more support that we can give to this concept the better it will be for the profile of poetry and poets worldwide and it should also be of benefit to campaigns to promote literacy.
World Poetry Day is on March 21, and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999.
The purpose of the day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements.
SOURCE : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Poetry_Day
You too can help to promote World Poetry Day.
To register please visit the UNESCO World Poetry page at :
http://www.unesco.org/poetry
There are currently no MySpace sites in this list so get out there and be one of the first.
Let us all work together to provide support for genuine education through the promotion of poetry, reading, writing, books, libraries and literacy in our own communities and throughout our world.
TWiN
Third Wednesday in Northfields
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SOURCE: www.myspace.com/twinpoetry
Posted by: TWiN at March 21, 2007 7:22 AM