The Good Library Blog

Culture Secretary warned over library cuts

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE of Library and Information Professionals has warned Culture Secretary, James Purnell, about the implications of neglecting local council cuts to library budgets and staff. The letter comes after CILIP wrote to six councils in Cumbria, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent and Northumberland, asking for more information about planned cuts to the service.
The letter says that many local communities are being ill-served by what amounts to a “postcode lottery” where council commitment to the service varies widely across the country. Commenting on the letter, Bob McKee, CILIP Chief Executive, said: “A number of public libraries are planning drastic reductions in the number of professional staff they employ, and some are even planning to hand over control of library services to community groups without any professional expertise at all. We hear talk about improved customer service and greater community management, but this is just spin-doctoring to cover up the reality of budget cuts and job losses. The truth is that, without adequate professional expertise, the quality of service will be reduced and the future of the service put at risk.”
Cuts already outlined this year include Hampshire's reduction of professional staff by a quarter and reduction of the book fund by £250,000, Kent's plans to replace over 40 professional staff with volunteers and Gloucestershire's plans to merge libraries with other services. However, a number of authorities beyond the ones CILIP has written to are also planning cuts.
Culture Ministers, including the current incumbent, Margaret Hodge, have often played down their power to intervene in failing authorities, but CILIP is urging Purnell and Hodge to use that power if required. McKee said: “We'll certainly be referring any Public Library Authority which we believe to be in breach of its statutory responsibilities to the Secretary of State for investigation.”
Guy Daines, CILIP's Director of Policy and Advocacy, added: “It is a statutory responsibility of the Government under the terms of the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act to superintend the service and ensure that a comprehensive and efficient standard is maintained. We have a new set of Ministers, so we need to debate and make these points again.”
Daines told PN that a decision had not yet been reached on whether to refer a library authority to the Government: “We are obtaining more information, asking some very critical questions and, if we decide it is unacceptable, we will act.” He emphasised that their concern is more than an attempt to protect CILIP members: “It's about the quality of the service being provided. But it is true that a professional librarian brings to the job a knowledge of the library's resources and how these resources fit the needs of the local community, as well as training and teaching skills for both staff and users.”
CILIP is also asking the Audit Commission to take the availability of professional expertise into account when reviewing the library service as part of its Comprehensive Performance Assessment of local councils.
Ian Snowley, CILIP President, added to the concern, blaming a culture in some councils of “make the cuts but don't make them show” for causing staff cuts. “Local people care about their library but all too often politicians pay lip service while cutting back on library provision. It's time to campaign vigorously for the value of libraries in society and for the importance of ensuring that local people in every community get the professional standard of library service which they deserve and to which they're entitled.”