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September 28, 2007
Middle Class Housewives
It is irritating to see on another blog a derogatory comment that libraries that I work on will be designed to appeal to 'middle class housewives' . The comment is made by a woman whom I know to work in a library but whose class and marital status are of no interest to me-- but I can't understand the criticism. I wouldn't identify such a group but I would hate to think that they of all people felt excluded.
Do you want to say it on here? Or have I misunderstood? It is very akin to comments that have been heard elsewhere - that we should not be spending money creating libraries for middle class people. That is real rubbish.
Read Susan Hill's piece yesterday about Wilkie Collins
Posted by Tim Coates at September 28, 2007 11:39 PM
Comments
Tim,
the comment was on my blog, and I have responded to your comment there. I don't know if the comnmenter will respond
The short form answer is that such criticism is a mirror of those criticising libraries being made into 'yoof centres.'
*No-one* should feel excluded from a library. The concern is that some design choices do just that.
Some design choices can seem to say 'this place is just for certain people who already like reading. You might *come* to like reading, but not here you won't.'
Some design choices of course say the opposite- 'you might like reading, but this isn't just about your stuffy old books you know. perhaps you should just move on.'
For what it's worth I don't think coffee shops and the like are redolent of the 'middle classes' much less housewives.
Good library design should be about welcoming spaces, well displayed collections and accessible staff.
Posted by: Pete at October 1, 2007 9:18 AM