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April 27, 2007
Publishing News
I was unusually blunt in this comment to Publishing News. Somebody has to speak plainly.
Posted by Perkins at 1:18 PM | Comments (0)
Difficulties in Dorset
This article in the Dorset Echo raises more questions than it answers. Has nobody told the councillors that they have a legal obligation to provide public libraries out of the taxes raised from the public?
Posted by Perkins at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2007
CILIP describes MLA "Blueprint" as "All froth and no substance"
I have been sent the following secret note, which shows the civil war in the library profession. CILIP is the librarians professional body. MLA is the body which is supposed to make public library policy and is comprised of professional librarians who have been given jobs in the Government office.
My correspondent believes this shows that John Dolan, the chief policy maker is the next person who should resign. I can't say I disagree, but there are lots of others like Mark Wood and David Lammy who need to be replaced, too. So do Bob McKee and Guy Daines.
CILIP have not been much use to anyone in the public library sector for a long long time. It is time their "Chartered Status" was removed and their right to "accredit" people who work in the public library service was ended. They have made no effective response to the criticisms made of them by the Select Committee in 2005. -- Mind you, nor have the DCMS or MLA.
The practice of councils paying membership fees for CILIP directly out of council tax is iniquitous.
(For those unfamiliar with the jargon, PLG means the "public library group" of CILIP which has lots of other groups like those of university and professional librarians.)
No wonder the library service is in such a state---
To: Chairs and Secretaries of CILIP Branches & Groups
I attach details about the MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives Council) consultation on the "Blueprint" for public libraries in England they have recently issued. The Public Libraries Group will be putting together the response on behalf of CILIP and they have asked me to
gather in comments from Branches and Groups. As responses have to be with MLA by the end of May we are askuing for such comments to be sent by Branches and Groups by Friday 18 May 2007. As the timescale is short we will understand if the comments are from individual committee members rather than formal Branch or Committee views.
BLUEPRINT FOR EXCELLENCE: PUBLIC LIBRARIES 2008-2011
The MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives Council) is undertaking a consultation exercise on the future vision and roles of the public library service in England. The Public Libraries Group of CILIP is putting together a response on behalf of CILIP and has asked me to canvass the opinion and views of Branches and Groups to input into that process.
The "Blueprint" has already been discussed at the Policy Development Committee and the Past President, Martin Molloy, also addressed the topic at the CILIP Council meeting on 4 April. In addition Bob McKee and Guy Daines have discussed the matter with John Dolan, who is leading the consultation exercise at MLA.
It is clear that the "Blueprint" as it stands still needs a great deal of work on it to make it fit for purpose as the overarching document providing the vision and direction of travel for public libraries following the end of the current stage of Framework for the Future in 2008. However it is an opportunity to help shape the future of the public library service in England by providing the positive but critical feedback on "Blueprint" necessary to develop an effective vision for
the future.
You will find the relevant minute from the Policy Development Committee set out below. You will find full documentation relating to the "Blueprint" on the MLA website at:
http://www.mla.gov.uk/webdav/harmonise?Page/@id=73&Document/@id=18382&Se
ction[@stateId_eq_left_hand_root]/@id=4332
(you will need to scroll down the page to find it).
The response form (aimed at individual members of the public) asks a number of questions you may wish to bear in mind:
* What do you think is the main purpose of the public library?
* What are the key roles of the public library?
* What are the key challenges for improvement?
* What are the essential elements for success?
* What will excellence in public libraries look like? For people, communities and funders?
* What should be the key actions and outcomes 2008-11?
Minute from the Policy Development Committee Meeting on 28 March 2007
Blueprint for Excellence - Public Libraries 2008-2011
The recently announced A Blueprint for Excellence - Public Libraries 2008-2011 was considered. It was noted that the Public Libraries Group would be responsible for putting together the response on behalf of CILIP, and that Eric Davies and Guy Daines would be meeting Pamela Tulloch (the new Chair of PLG) to discuss this and policy development
more generally within the public libraries sector. However the document was regarded as so important that the Committee felt it would be useful to discuss it and pass on their observations to PLG - it would also prove useful to the Chief Executive in future planned meetings with the
MLA.
Although members were aware that the Blueprint was the start of thinking about what should happen after the current stage of Framework comes to an end in 2008, and that it was important to be constructive and positive in approach, there were serious reservations expressed
about the Blueprint as it stood . Amongst the points made in a wide ranging discussion were:
* The document contains a great deal of froth and but little of substance.
* The wording of the propositions is badly drafted.
* The document fails to acknowledge the value of the skills and competences required of professional library staff - this must be the key concern of CILIP.
* The general approach is too silo-based and there is little recognition of the importance of partnership across library sectors currently illustrated by greater interest in joint use libraries and the development of access schemes
* There needs to be a stronger emphasis on the contribution libraries make to learning and a more rigorous use of terminology if libraries are to win the respect of others engaged in this area.
* A significant omission within the document is the contribution public libraries make at local level. Public libraries have a demonstrable impact on economic regeneration. The document makes no mention of this.
* There is no mention or consideration of the contribution of public libraries to the Shared Priorities agreed between what is now DCLG (Department of Communities and the Local Government) and the Local Government Association
* The coverage of funding is thin, and where national funding is proposed it is for a national development programme and not for the provision of services by local authorities. Nor is the context set of efficiency savings, the need to live within limited means and the importance of sharing
* The document makes no mention of libraries preserving the national memory.
* The document takes no cognisance of developments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and their respective thinking on the roles and future of public libraries
* There is no evidence of the active engagement of DCMS or alignment with the strategy currently set down in the Framework for the Future policy document.
* The document places too great an emphasis on the provider perspective and not enough on the user's perspective
* There should be explicit exploration of the idea of a "library entitlement" to bring it into line with more general government thinking on public services
Following the discussion it was agreed that:
* The minute on this item would be made available to the Committee in advance of the full minutes so that it could inform the work of PLG and the Chief Executive in his meetings with MLA
* Eric Davies and Guy Daines would arrange a meeting with Pamela Tulloch of PLG to discuss the response to the Blueprint and arrangements to devolve the development of public library policy to the Group more generally
* PLG would be responsible for putting together a response to the Blueprint on behalf of CILIP
Posted by Perkins at 10:13 PM | Comments (12)
April 20, 2007
Chris Batt has resigned
The Chief Executive of the MLA, Chris Batt, has resigned today,
Chris Batt is the person I have most criticised for allowing the emphasis on book collections in public libraries to fall to its present disgraceful level.
Who next?
Posted by Perkins at 4:55 PM | Comments (1)
April 18, 2007
Unhappy times in Hampshire
Almost every hour there are news stories about the library service in Hampshire
- A demonstration by residents
- A bitter complaint by an outgoing senior manager about how the service is being destroyed
- The council has decided to drop the word "librarian" from its description of those who work in the libraries
- The council has delayed a long overdue and agreed review of the service
- Councillor Mrs Snaith, who is supposed to be in charge has complained about journalists reporting the situation
- The ridiculously expensive new library building in Winchester has been further delayed and questions are being asked about cost overruns
- The council has cut the book fund again by another £500k
- Threats of more strikes
- Yinnon Ezra the chief officer in Hampshire has begged staff not to support demonstrations, but has himself been put on the board of--- wait for it---- the MLA!! He's the one who says that books in libraries are a thing of the past !
- Another councillor has told everyone that "books these days can be downloaded from the internet anyhow" (Which is not true, in case anyone believes her)
I am sent some of the correspondence that passes between the residents in Hampshire who are very well informed about all these events. Their information appears to come both from councillors and librarians working in Hampshire library service.
They are astonished at the extent to which councillors are not informed of the activities of the senior officers and the factual information of the performance figures; and they certainly believe that the 15 month delay in the library scrutiny review by councillors has been caused by Ward and Ezra who wished to see through their ridiculous changes in the libraries before the council could stop them. Of course councillors would deny that-- but then they aren't actually aware of what is going on.
Whatever else is true, the published figures show that Hampshire has spent huge amounts of money but it has been so misspent that the book collections are decimated and book lending slashed; and there has been no increase in the use of the county library service over the five years all this has gone on. No increase at all-- when the so called strategy was to get people to use the libraries for other things than books. It doesn't work - it never will. It never will.
The public in Hampshire aren't stupid. They know that libraries are for books. No silly council officer is going to persuade them otherwise; and if it is broadcast, as it it is, that libraries no longer have useful up to date collections then the public won't bother to use them. Why would they? The whole thing is obvious.
Oh dear, oh dear.
Posted by Perkins at 7:50 PM | Comments (1)
£575,000 -- for another teenage library project
£575.000 is a lot of money for a project of this kind. I hope someone from the Reading Agency will respond to this and say how much of the money has been spent on books.
Those who conceive these projects would do well to pay a visit to either HMV or Borders- or even a fashion shop.
The key elements, as always, are to have the right items available, make the place clean smart and attractive, and to have staff who look as if they will be able to answer your questions and to be open..
To call a library a "bar" - is plain pathetic and to call people "book pushers" - is plain awful; as Susan says below in her comment about David Lammy- it is all so patronising. -- and £575,000 is a lot of money.
The library service in Derbyshire is jolly nice and cheerful, but they would do well to look at the stock (as I have done) -- and someone else would tell them that they would have been better spending this money on books.
Everybody is supposed to love the Reading Agency-- but frankly they appear to me like a do-gooding agency which takes money to appear worthy to those who give out money. They should do better than this. Still, they are all MBE's and OBE's so who am I?
Posted by Perkins at 8:44 AM | Comments (2)
April 15, 2007
David Lammy calls for rock bands in our public libraries
David Lammy's view about teenage boys is pretty clear from this article about rock bands in public libraries
Mr Lammy doesn't yet have teenage children of his own but he may find, as we did, that bringing them up in this country and trying to keep a basic attachment to sensible culture, civilisation and literature and away from an overpowerful peer pressure of a drug and alcohol bound world is a very hard thing for parents to do.
Performances of rock music are not likely to persuade young people that public libraries are essentially useful. Nor, in my view, are those who organise and promote them worthy candidates for ministerial awards. The Minister for the Arts in the Department of Culture, which is the role Mr Lammy is supposed to play, might think differently about these things later in his own life. Governments should keep out of issues they (and their civil servants evidently) don't understand (like public libraries!)
I suppose Mr Lammy's press office which organises his public relations have chosen the moment opening of the London International Book Fair to make this statement in order to show how much he disdains the idea of books in libraries. Or the people who work there are just as hopeless as they seem.
Posted by Perkins at 9:34 AM | Comments (1)
April 14, 2007
Slashing in Walsall
There is a chapter in Lord Denning's report on the affair of John Profumo and Christine Keeler entitled: "The cutting and slashing" which tells of drug dealing and violence in Notting Hill in the 1960's
But this article is about the libraries in Walsall.
Posted by Perkins at 9:46 AM | Comments (3)
Marketing and promotion of libraries and reference works
It is often said that public libraries should promote themselves more effectively than they do. I normally disagree and say that there is abundant and high quality promotion of books - and information channels-- and that libraries should concentrate on their role which is to have the items in stock that are always being talked about. Almost every tv, radio and newspaper item every single day, relates to books in one way or another--- good book stores market themselves by having a reputation for being the place you can find these things; libraries should simply do the same.
However there is an exception to this in the matter of reference works, which has been a discussion point on this site in the past few days. Few people know that in the last year or so public libraries have done deals with several major reference publishers to offer important works free online to library users. These include such items as The Oxford English Dictionary; The Dictionary of National Biography; The Times Newspaper Archive and many other works of international importance. Moreover, few people know what these works contain and therefore do not realise and are not aware of the worlds they open up.
The free availability of these sources should be being promoted, heavily and strongly by their publishers. I strongly urge the officials of the library service to insist that part of the terms of agreement they have with Oxford University Press and others should include national promotion of the availability and content of their publications.. it is the same idea as Waterstone's doing a deal on front list promotion, but rather more dignified, worthy and worthwhile. Such marketing effort would in its turn increase the reputation and awareness of the public library service in a proper manner.
Any bookseller will tell you that these academic publishers are amenable to sensible negotiation over these matters. It might not be so silly to hire someone from Blackwells or Foyles to conduct the discussion.
Posted by Perkins at 8:48 AM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2007
"Bogged down in superficiality"
Is a correct description of the quality of thinking, made by a Dr Hamish Meldrum. Three cheers for him.
Posted by Perkins at 9:25 PM | Comments (0)
When the libraries have no books left - or eventually when they close
This is how sad and wistful will become the writers
Posted by Perkins at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2007
Off with their heads
I am a fan of Alice in Wonderland and also of Henry 8. Moreover I live in expectation of violent treatment from the manipulators of government. However a threat of decapitation - and a photo of it happening -- has come from a most unexpected source!
Posted by Perkins at 10:08 PM | Comments (1)
Kurt Vonnegut
died today-- which is so sad.
For me he was a complete hero and drove my life off the rails of being sensible at a very early age.. To hand is a copy of "Slapstick" which starts "This is the closest I will ever come to writing an autobiography. I have called it "slapstick" because it is grotesque....like the comedies of Laurel and Hardy... and the fundamental joke with Laurel and Hardy was that they did their best with every test. And so on" Most of the paragraphs in that book end with the sentence "and so on" or "hi ho". In other books he said "so it goes"
He was a brilliant perceiver and so often I prayed that he would win the Nobel Prize so that the world would become a little more like the world he saw. But he didn't.
My wife met him once and said "he smoked like a bonfire in drizzle" which was a lovely thing to say. You see.
I hope Pan make a fortune out of selling his books. It can only make the world a better place
the other title for "slapstick" is "lonesome no more". so it goes
Posted by Perkins at 7:58 PM | Comments (1)
"Spamming" members of the public
I've just been sent a letter from a councillor in Southwark in which she admits, apparently without regret or apology, that at least one of those members of the public who have been campaigning to save a library have had their email addresses "spammed" by the council
If you haven't come across the expression it means that the the email which is sent never arrives at the address to which it was intended. It is blocked. The recipient never knows that an email has been sent to them. The writer is effectively banned from making their points
Is this a proper consequence of "the digital age" of which is supposed to be so democratic?
Gleeful politicians will wish me to reveal that the Councillor who has written this is Lorraine Zuletta. Ms Zuletta is a "Liberal Democrat" and the library she is so needlessly closing is the world famous "Newington Reference Library". If Lorraine Zuletta were to seek a dictionary in the reference library quickly before she closes it, she will be able to look up the words "liberal" and "democrat" and perhaps learn what they mean. After she has closed the library the residents of this famous part of South London will no longer have such facility.
As it happens that the campaigner who is victim of this rude, obnoxious and anti-social behaviour has sent me copies of most of what she sent to the council and, for what it is worth, I can confirm to Southwark council that every word she writes is common sense, sensible, well reasoned and extremely worth reading and she is right in what she says.
Somebody should be very ashamed. I wonder how widespread this practice is? Perhaps you or I are victims of the same Orwellian behaviour. One's freedom to speak has most definitely been curtailed.
Newspaper alert for London Borough of Southwark -- I have the offending (and offensive) email if any journalist wishes it. I shall not charge a naval fee for passing it on. The only price will be that you are required to mention the name of the councillor and her cabinet colleagues-- but you could ask them yourselves, and indeed the Liberal Democrat party policy, on their views on "spamming" their constituents.
Posted by Perkins at 6:30 PM | Comments (0)
Consultations a go-go
Blow me over but the MLA have launched yet another consultation document to send out to weary chief librarians
This one is about the same subject that the last three have been about in the past six months viz "What shall we do all day long?"
I am told that the press offices in not only DCMS and MLA, but also No 10 Downing street all read this blog before their elevenses.. The shame is that they never take on board any of the messages.
Consultation is not a subsitute for a determined effort to understand what the public wants from its libraries and until they do comprehensive market research on "use and attitude to the service" they have no sensible basis for any of the "performance measures" or "library standards" or "blueprints for the future" or anything else upon which they send out these consultations.. Nor is a "consultation" conducted on the MLA website a useful or valid exercise for doing anything (and neither is bringing coach loads of librarians to their office)
Goodness knows how often one has to say this. But perhaps if the Prime Minister is reading this he can explain it to Andrew Stevens, John Dolan, Sue Wilkinson, Chris Batt and Sarah Wilkie as they stand round the office kettle trying to think what set of questions to send out next. You would think that politicians at least understood the value of trying to assess what the people in the country were thinking-- and would realise that the MLA website is not the means with which to do it
Posted by Perkins at 9:25 AM | Comments (2)
April 11, 2007
More on the future of reference books in libraries
Many thanks to Jenny Walker and John Dove at Xrefer for this entry:
"Reference has always been about meeting the dual objectives of finding facts and getting context. The web has exploded with a myriad ways to find facts (sometimes with lots of 'wish-they-were-facts' thrown in), but getting authoritative context and making sense of what you've found elsewhere--that is still at a premium. It represents a business opportunity for those who do it well.
Top publishers and top aggregators like Xrefer, among others, are continually inventing new ways to make compelling exploration of context online. In Xreferplus a user can not only ask about extensive data on Armenia , but can also ask for a table of data comparing Armenia with each of its neighbours. Or compare in multiple columns events in Australian history related to military events with those related to the aircraft industry. You could do the same in a physical book only by flipping back-and-forth between chapters.
In the physical world a significant percentage of a library's floor-space, shelf-space, and staffing is devoted to the reference function which offers the library visitor a welcoming place to get oriented, start their access to the whole library, come back to get oriented on the landscape of a field of interest-all things which improve significantly their use of the library as a whole.
Those who are assembling the digital library resources to equip their communities or institutions are recognizing that a significant portion of their expenditure needs to be on the reference component as well--and that well-organized and presented reference content, integrated into their other online resources (and those of the web) will significantly improve their patrons use of all the other online resources.
Yes, the market for reference is shifting. Print has its role for some resources, but there is both use and revenue to be gained by making the resources available online as well. Lorraine Estelle, the Collections Team Manager for JISC reported in ‘EPS Focus Report: The Future of Reference Publishing’, October, 2005, Electronic Publishing Services, London :
‘Reference works are very popular with our community with online reference resources at the top in terms of the number of institutions subscribing to particular types of resources. Strong reference brands tend to attract high levels of subscribers. . . .’
At Xrefer we have a strong demand for new content from our library customers. For example, public libraries in England are frequently requesting more and more bi-linguals given the changing population mix in their communities, so we will be adding a Polish-English bi-lingual. Last year we added a UK-USA bi-lingual, ‘Divided by a Common Language’. And we'll soon be announcing a reference collection available online of 10,000 biographies of cricketing legends from Wisden. (Thank you, Richard Charkin, for introducing us to Wisden.)
We've recently completed changes to our publishing process so that we can now economically repurpose many of those reference titles that Tim Coates mentions are ‘only available in book form’ and give them both accessibility to online users and valuable revenue for the publishers. "
Posted by Perkins at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)
Librarians to make hospital appointments
No one in government is trying to make libraries into better libraries, but immense efforts are being made to train librarians to help people make hospital appointments.
They should sell ice cream in libraries, too. Why not? and hot dogs and groceries? and why not make them into betting shops? Police stations? Lifeboat launch ramps? Sell petrol? make WMD? say prayers? train soldiers? Why not?
Posted by Perkins at 9:23 AM | Comments (2)
April 10, 2007
Socialist Worker
The Socialist Worker has a long piece about the state of the library service
Posted by Perkins at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)
April 9, 2007
Savings and efficiencies
Those who read this and work in the councils where I have worked will know that we can generally identify £0.5m- £1m in each authorityand more of money which could be spent in a more effective way. The process of identification means simply asking "if we stopped this activity would the public notice ?" That question produces a list of many items which are not as efficient as they could be. It doesn't mean major instant changes, but points to a gradual but defined process (with an eye to the public interest) of changing the way that money is spent. I always advocate that those savings should be spent on more books; longer hours and better buildings and facilities.
In larger councils that amount can be several million pounds and it is why for six or seven years I have been saying that there is something of the order of £200m across the UK in the library service of inefficient expenditure which needs to be re-directed. The Audit Commission echoed my view four years ago; I detailed it in a report "Who's in Charge?" three years ago; the Culture Select Committee placed proper emphasis on it two years ago.
Two years ago consultants PKF were employed by the government identified that the "procurement" aspect of this wastage amounted to £30m and suggested many "quick wins" for achieving it. I thought that estimate was low and had been the subject of dilution by those who commissioned the work, but nevertheless, much they said was sensible;. Following their work further consultants, Price Waterhouse Cooper, were given a multi stage project intended to pursue and achieve all those efficiencies
Therefore I was surprised- nay breathtaken- to read this in the Bookseller magazine this week:
"The MLA says it is on track to achieve £1m savings by local authorities by end April 2009, in line with the first phase of the "Better Stock, Better Libraries" programme drafted by Price Waterhouse Coopers and budgeted to cost £1.2m."
This is incredible. There is no sign of the councils they identify will achieve this saving - which, if only spread across the 150 councils of England would amount to an average of £7,000 in each.
These people in the MLA and their committees and steering groups and the DCMS and those political leaders to whom they report should be dismissed tomorrow. They are a joke and they have by malicious and repetitive negligence destroyed the public libraries of this country. They are worth nothing less than total contempt and derision.
Posted by Perkins at 8:09 PM | Comments (0)
The Reformation of Democracy
In the fifteenth century Europe was "Christendom". Most of the continent, aside from those edges which had been infiltrated by Muslims or Russians or Northeners, was united in its common understanding of the values of Christianity and the leadership from Rome. There was more common purpose in Christendom than in the nationalism of the large and small states of which it was comprised. That status had been created over a thousand years.
Throughout that century and the next cries for "Reformation" revealed the flawed and corrupt power structures that hid behind this blackmail of virtue and piety. Academics, revolutionaries and eventually leaders of states, responding to both obvious dissemblings and horrors and, at certain moments, to particular events, people and pressures, set aside the basis of religious leadership and slowly created first Humanism and then eventually Democracy based in individual and conjoined nations.
Now we see the values of democracy have become flawed in the same way as those of Christendom. The preaching of leaders drunk with their own power has become sanctimonious and discredited. The official operations are self serving and hidden from the public
It is time now for the Reformation of Democracy with a new common virtue and purpose.
The Reformation of the 1400 and 1500's coincided with the Renaissance and pursuit of better understanding of the past. I see no harm in that occurring again.
Posted by Perkins at 9:19 AM | Comments (0)
April 7, 2007
Juan Marse
I am just reporting my finding of a book by the Spanish author Juan Marse, of whom, I regret I had not heard before.
This is "Shanghai Nights" translated by Nick Caistor in paperback published by Vintage: ISBN 9780 0 099 464372
Much enjoyed and I shall seek out more.
Posted by Perkins at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)
April 6, 2007
Reference books in libraries
I am always being told by librarians that reference books in libraries are in decline and needed less and that they have cut the budget for buying them.
It's a while since I stood behind the counter of a bookshop, so while these comments have surprised me I have refrained from commenting.
I'm also told by the same people that English publishers are not good at helping people for whom English is not their first language. I know that statement is rubbish - but I am also as keen as anyone to make sure that our libraries provide for many languages and readers of many countries of origin.
Old enough to trust my own instincts, I realise I should have been more confident in my initial respons and I was reminded of the fierce competition and high quality fuelled by enormous demand for dictionaries by Richard Charkin's item about this subject the other day. Why do I not see ELT dictionaries--- and all the others- in public libraries all over the country?
Reference books are not finished nor dying. Some of the market may have shifted (I can't see a lot of point in keeping a whole bay full of regional Yellow Pages these days, if space is short) but there is an abundance of high quality published reference material, only available in book form, which should be on the reference shelves.
Like so many things in public libraries, the ignorant assumption that people no longer use them has become a self intitiated prophesy of decline.
Posted by Perkins at 8:56 AM | Comments (11)
April 4, 2007
"Open" means "Closed" in Wiltshire
On this site we have ministers saying "up" when they mean "down" and chairman of quangoes saying "down" when they mean "up"
Here in this article in their local paper the cheery librarians of Wiltshire tell us that they are going to be open and full of exciting events over the Easter weekend. But, being surprised (and prepared to be delighted) to find a library service that stays open at Bank Holidays, I asked them to confirm.
"No we are not open on the Bank holiday at Easter" they confirm from the library office. "closed" then-- not "open" at all.
Are there any libraries open over the bank holiday weekend?
Posted by Perkins at 9:54 AM | Comments (7)
April 3, 2007
DCMS Throws Book at Lammy
is the headline in tonight's London Evening Standard. The diarist of that newspaper writes:
"Has Culture Minister David Lammy quietly been relieved of his responsibilities for maintaining public libraries? (This paper) has frequently pointed out the Labour MP for Tottenham's deficiencies in this regard, not least when last year he was forced to admit he had misled Parliament on the subject.
He told MP's the number of books in libraries was going up when in fact it was going down by 20 miliion books. Now rumours reach (us) that Lammy's department, Culture, Media and Sport, will no longer set policy on standards of public libraries but the responsibility will fall instead to Ruth Kelly's Department of Local Government. "There is no current policy and policy for the future will be determined at some point in the next two years, in line with the Government white paper on communities" says my source. When (we) call Lammy's office (we are) directed to a DCMS spokesman. He says "There has been no downgrading of Lammy's responsibilities with regards to libraries. Libraries are funded by local government"
Whomever funds libraries, the law says that the Minister in charge of them (from whichever deaprtment) is responsible for "superintending" the library service and ensuring that it is "comprehensive", "efffcient" and "improving". (and he is empowered by the same law to obtain information from councils in order to fulfil this role)
One of the strange features of the the public library service is that people who operate it say those words are not sufficiently clear for them to know what they are supposed to do. I should think anyone else would would find them perfectly straightforward (even my cat probably)
Perhaps if the DCMS and Mr Lammy don't understand such difficult words, someone in another Department will. The Minister's recent habit of telling Parliament that he doesn't know how councils are performing because he doesn't have the information makes it sound as if he is not familiar with what he has been asked to do.
Posted by Perkins at 7:20 PM | Comments (0)
April 2, 2007
Libraries strike in Wigan because they have been asked to open at weekends
The article below is from "Managing Information" which is a civil service website clearly confused by the behaviour of their colleagues
Here is the same story http://www.wiganonline.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2217982§ionid=66 in plain language in the Wigan Observer.
I suppose these people all expect to be able to go to the pub on a Sunday
This is the same profession of librarians who, all over the country are pleading that we need more of them.
"Colleagues" is the new word for "comrades" , brothers.
2 April 2007
Disruption To Wigan Borough's Library Services
Disturbing news is coming out of Wigan. There will be some disruption to services at Wigan Borough's libraries on Tuesday 3rd April due to industrial action by library staff who are members of the trade union Unison.
The dispute appears to revolve around the desire to extend library opening hours in the evening and at weekends - times when there is popular demand for longer opening hours to suit user work patterns.
The action means that most libraries will close on Tuesday 3rd April.
Recently, the editor visited Wigan's libraries, which have been handed over to Wigan Leisure and Culture (charitable) Trust to manage, and was very impressed by what he saw. Staff morale appeared to be high, the libraries seem to have high quality stock, and there was an air of vibrancy and dynamism about the service. A feature on Wigan's library service will appear in the May issue of Managing Informaiton magazine.
A member of Unison's local branch has agreed to talk to Managing Informaiton magazine on Tuesday 3rd April, meanwhile we have received the statement below from the Wian Leisure and Culture Trust. We will update this story when we have talked to the Unison spokesperson.
WIGAN LIBRARY SERVICE STATEMENT:
In response to customer demand, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust wants to introduce more flexible opening hours at some libraries. This will result in some (not all) libraries opening for extra hours at weekends and evenings where there is strong public demand.
In order for the proposals to work fairly, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust has opted to invest in a more flexible workforce, resulting in a change in the terms of working conditions for all library staff from April 2007 onwards.
Unison and staff representatives have been consulted throughout the process to ensure the changes have a minimum impact on staff. A fair package for staff has been developed. Discussions have been ongoing for a period of 18 months.
Rodney Hill, Chief Executive of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, said, "We are very disappointed by this action. Over the last few years we have made great strides to improve the library service and our staff have played a major role in our success. The implementation of new terms and conditions is an investment by the Trust because we believe passionately that it will improve access to libraries for people across our borough.
"It is important to reiterate that we have consulted with staff and Unison throughout the process and we have worked very closely with the small number of staff who could be financially worse off. A high percentage of our staff will be either better off or at least on equal pay from April. We have also conducted research to quantify the affect on staff and many will only be asked to work one, or maybe two Sundays per year at most. We will also ensure that the staff rota is as flexible as possible."
Jacqui Boardman, Chair of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust's Board, said, "Our understanding is that in some areas there is strong demand for public libraries to be open at times different to their traditional opening hours. Up until the last two years Wigan Borough's library service, like many across the country, was in decline. However, due to all the positive steps we have taken, library usage levels and the flexibility of library services has improved immeasurably. The move to introduce more flexible opening times, is the next logical step, and fits with the changing lifestyle of the public."
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust's new vision for libraries has been implemented with great success. The five year vision has resulted in an increase in visitor numbers of 9% over the last four years. A public libraries user survey, covering all of the borough's sixteen libraries, found that 94.4% of library users were satisfied with the library service overall.
One of the key elements of the vision was the need for more flexible opening hours, such as evenings and some weekends, where there was strong public demand. The user survey also found that 92.6% of users approved of the move towards more flexible opening hours for the borough's libraries.
Other elements of the vision have included:
* a new 'Explore' brand for all libraries to make them more welcoming places to visit;
* the refurbishment of two major libraries - Ashton and Golborne;
* a new library in Platt Bridge as part of the Platt Bridge Community First project;
* improved book, CD and DVD stock;
* new ICT equipment to improve free Internet access;
* improved marketing of all library services;
* and a new programme of events and activities for people of all ages.
Library customers are being advised to contact 01942 827627 or visit www.wlct.org to find out what services are available. Customers are also being advised that this number should also be used to renew items if library facilities are closed. Items can be renewed or reserved online via the website.
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Posted by Perkins at 11:02 PM | Comments (5)
April 1, 2007
Removing problems
If you have followed the news of the strike of librarians in Hampshire you will have seen that it is mainly the professional librarians in the service whose jobs have been affected by cuts in the budget.
From the point of view of the public there are observations that are important.
- firstly most of the public and indeed most people in councils don't realise that there is a marked distinction between "professional librarians" and other people who work in the public library service. Even most councillors or directors of councils don't know this. In a typical library service about 20%-30% of the staff are designated "professionals" or "librarians"
- quite often the person with whom the public deals in the library is not a professional librarian. Therefore when the public give high approval ratings --as they do-- to the staff in the libraries they are not talking about professional librarians, neccessarily, but they think they are.
I think it would remove an obstacle that prevents modernising the library service if the "profession" would stop making this distinction in every possible sense. Library services should stop referring to jobs which ones which only a "librarian" can do. There should be no more demarcation.
This doesn't mean a lack of respect for the qualification or experience that trained librarians have; on the contrary. It means that experience can be as usefully obtained in doing the work and can be as valuable to the public when it is. It means that jobs and tasks should be given to the person most able to carry them out, and not on the basis of a paper qualfication.
If this doesn't happen there will be more situations like that in Hampshire -- all over the country. This is not just, in my view a sensible move from the public viewpoint, but also from the perspective of the profession. At the moment they are the obvious target of budget cuts, like British officers in the Crimean war-- they might be proud of the fine plumes on their hats- but they are visible and easy to aim at.
Let us hear no more that "in this library we leave weeding the stock to "the librarian" when they are in". Everybody who works in a library is a librarian and they are professional.
Posted by Perkins at 10:35 AM | Comments (7)