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September 29, 2007
Reading classes
In a discussion with very senior managers of a department of Government- let me call it the Department of Local Affairs- in order deliberately to hide it-- we were talking about the role of books in libraries.
These are important responsible people who do listen to my advocacy and they are taking brave actions to make improvements, for which I salute them. I was being asked to explain the distinction between 'new books', 'backlist books which are new' and 'old books' - which they could not readily understand until we talked about specific titles.
It emerged that of the three managers present, one never read anything, one had only ever read one book when he was at school and the third didn't read, but his child had recently, under pressure, read the one same book as the second had read and enjoyed twenty five years ago.
It is not surprising that they have no instinctive idea why other people would want to use a library for reading books. It is something which is just not part of their lives- nor the lives of their own children. To them people who read are slightly eccentric, slightly suspect. The fact that it is done privately is rather odd and worrying and not a 'community activity'
If our society is divided into two classes -they are not along the old lines of economic well being and prospects- they are a division between people who read and people who don't-- and they can come from any circumstance.
When these people talk about making a library accessible and useful to all people, therefore, they assume that means filling it full of other activities than reading.
But it doesn't. We shouldn't emphasise the divide between readers and non readers- we should, if just for the sake of future generations-- show that we believe that reading and the pleasure and pursuit of understanding it brings is an honourable activity- not a shady and embarrasing one of which we are slightly ashamed.
All this does, however, show me at least, how important it is that those who are responsible for the leadership of the public library service, and authors and publishers, too, must give such great stress to the importance of books and reading as being the heart of what a public library offers. We must demonstrate to those people that our values are worthwhile and are not to be dismissed.
In simple terms that is why a Minister for the Arts or a spokesperson for the DCMS must NOT say 'libraries are about much more than lending books' - if they are to be advocates for the public library service.
Posted by Tim Coates at September 29, 2007 9:36 AM
Comments
Spot on, Tim! Libraries are about reading and, despite what everyone claims for the internet, reading for a concerted amount of time still means BOOKS.
From what you say, and from my own experience, our library policies are clearly being formulated by people who don't read books.
In my own county, there's a library scrutiny process going on, presided over by a panel of county councillors. How many of them belong to their local library? NONE. I did hear one heartening thing this week, though (in The Times on Friday). Apparently, for the wealthy or wannabe-wealthy, it's now 'old hat' to put in a home-cinema or a gym at your house - the new must-have is a private library packed with books, and designed with mahogany paneling, old desks, comfortable chairs, reading lamps etc. In fact very like all the stuff that's being ripped out of old public libraries in order to make way for artwork 'installations', Big Brother style sofas, back-breakingly low shelving, rows of computer terminals, and space for tai chi classes.
Posted by: Amanda Field at September 29, 2007 11:11 AM
Books, books, books! Thank you, God (or in this case, Amanda...). It's just so lovely to hear someone say that, firstly libraries and reading equals books and, secondly, Tim, that government is full of non-literate jerks (please note I did not say illiterate). Can't we just cut to the chase, burn Ridgmount Street to the ground and then overthrow the Government? OK, not much chance of that, but it's better that than sit back while our libraries (except for the private libraries of the rich and famous) are gutted or turned into clones of the Big Brother house.
You know, I actually worked in a real private library once. I suppose I'm one of the very few who can say that. It remains one of the great experiences of my life and I wouldn't mind seeing that style - the style apparently being ripped out for artwork installations - returning and being retained. And to hell with anyone who tells me I'm being politically incorrect! I know what it felt like to be inside a private library. It was magnificent, and I'll be damned before I'll ever apologise for saying so!
Posted by: James Christie at October 12, 2007 2:03 PM