The Good Library Blog

Tim
are we to take it that the planned refurbishment and move of ref services to the ground floor has been abandoned, and that the 'temp' closure to allow this to happen has become permanent?

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Public/NewsArticle.aspx?articleId=25572

No it is exactly this move to which everyone objects. The large, beautiful and historic reference library which recently held as many as 25,000 reference works, mostly, on open access is being closed.

The proposed arrangement is for a small number of the more in-demand titles to be available in the Learning room at the back of the ground floor and the remainder would only be available if requested.

The extremely expert staff are being let go and the study room facility in the upstairs room will be lost.

It is very rare to see such a wonderful collection of outstanding reference work gathered as one sees in the library. It shows what complete nonsense is the presumption that 'information is now on the internet' and the serendipitous discovery of extraordinarily fascinating encycoplediae is a joy to browse.

References libraries have become a victim of the idiocy that prevails - and we are poorer for their loss.

I recorded my visit to the campaign public meeting last year where you would be hard pressed to find a more articulate and well informed, but diverse, group. I would be happy if the government of the country were put in the hands of the 'Save Newington Reference library campaign' and their friends at LLL- the libraries group for London. They are are a parliament that shames the one we have

Tim,
thanks for the clarification.

The 'everything is on the net' argument was used at bangor to argue for the 'letting go' of their subject librarians- it's a common argument.

It is a shame that a simpler solution to DDA issues, such as a lift, is not available- or hasn't been tried.

Pete

That's right. What has particularly incensed the residents is that there were several perfectly possible and affordable ways of providing lift access, but the council failed to grasp any of them and got tangled in its own shoe laces.

It has been a very good example of councillors and officers playing 'let's run a three legged race'- and all falling over

DDA requires that you do you best to make facilities accessible to all. However, once you have closed them, as will have happened next Sunday- then to reopen them brings into force the full requirement of the Act.. .. in other words lots of possible solutions will be lost by closing on Sunday. It is a disaster

This is terrible news.

And of course once the reference books have to be requested, use will go down and in due course they will be discarded.

Here in Hove, the lack of a lift was used as an excuse to try to close down the Library but great resistance led to one being installed. Perfectly possible, no big deal.

It is continually dismaying that people have to battle to save what should all along be appreciated as a part of civic life.

This myth about "it's all on the net"! Even here, at home, I have shelves and shelves of books, none of whose contents are are on the internet. This very lunchtime I was able to use a few of them to write a piece way beyond the reach of Google.

Dear Tim

Could you please put contact details for the Save Newington Reference Library campaign on the blog? They sound as if they deserve a great deal of support.

Tim,
Just for the record. My son-in-law, who is american,did his post grad studies in London. As an impoverished student, living on the Walworth Road - Newington Reference Library was a life line.
I have passed onto him, the glad tidings, that the library, is to be closed down. He was FURIOUS!
Why, why,why?
It is a disgrace........

Peg

I love you even more for saying that- people don't know we have known each other since we were four years old ! --

Can you get your son in law to ask Mr Bush to Nuke Southwark Town Hall -- I can give him the coordinates

Campaign Group for Newington Reference Library
c/o 53 Cuddington House,Deacon Way, London SE17 1SR
newingtonlibrarycampaign@gmail.com
The number of reference items 20000. 8000 public accessible, 12000 in store.
'White van man', now Mayor of Southwark Cllr Bob Skelly holds a special place in the scheme of things for his work on Overview and Scrutiny when we tried to get Cllr Zuleta's decision called in.