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September 23, 2007
Community, Democracy, Brighton and Hove
How often do we hear pious Government statements that libraries lie at the heart of local democracy and community? How often are we told that the immense expenditure on libraries like the new one in Brighton show the great commitment of everybody involved to the public library service?
The library supply world is agog with excitement at the renewal of the Brighton supply contract. But the truth is that the unique supply arrangement that Brighton operates does not in itself add sufficiently to the quality of the stock for the very simple reason that far too little of the of the money available is spent on books. Book stocks and opening hours are underfunded but here is still far too much money spent on process, management and administration.
The heart of the matter lies far far away in the management of the service by the council as this authoritative letter from Christopher Hawtree to the Brighton Argus explains.
The councillors have to identify their customer priorities more clearly and be much more resolute in the pursuit of them. That is their part of the bargain which provided the funds for the new building.
Just in case anyone has forgotten - the new public library in Brighton cost £14m. Not only did the council forget to allocate any of that money for new books, but they jolly nearly forgot to set aside anything for bookshelves upon which to put them.
Posted by Tim Coates at September 23, 2007 10:40 AM
Comments
Perhaps you could describe a little more about the unique Brighton bok-supply system whose renewal is causing such bated breath in the cut and thrust of the book-supply world?
Meanwhile, close on the heels of my letter on Friday comes one by a Councillor who is going to pursue the Sunday opening. All eyes are on Brighton and Hove.
Here is the letter. Around the country people should keep libraries to the fore in local papers.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/letters/argusletters/display.var.1709943.0.sunday_promise.php
Posted by: Christopher Hawtree at September 24, 2007 5:10 PM
Christopher
I know that the people who operate the supply to Brighton read this blog most days-- I'll leave it to them, if they wish to.
I should say that I know that many commercial operators and most local government officers, while avid daily readers, are, for perfectly sensible reasons, not willing to put their names on here. I don't blame you-- and you are welcome to post anonymous entries: you will find you can just invent an email address; as long as it has @ in it somewhere and com, it will go through. My only reservation is that I will vet the entries.
Posted by: Tim at September 24, 2007 5:27 PM