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December 31, 2007
The Independent
There is an article about the state of public libraries in the Independent today
There have been a lot more than 40 closures-- you only have to look at the LISU estimates to see that. But otherwise what is said is fair, apart the utterings from the spokespersons of SYRUP, who have got to do better than whinge like a Trades Union.
Posted by Perkins at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2007
Chaos in Lambeth
Regular readers of this blog will know that by putting 'Lambeth' in the Search Box in the right hand tramline, they will find that the London Borough of Lambeth has the worst performance and record of all library services in the country if not the world. They have also seen that Lambeth Council embarked on a thorough review of the service 18 months ago, which, to everyone's surprise- given the help that was on offer to them- failed to address or understand any of the problems, let alone set about solving them.
Now the Christmas post reveals the following from an internal council memorandum - scapegoats and all.
From: Symonds,Garath
Sent: 27 December 2007 10:53
To: ALL
Cc: Overall,Robert; Ellerby,Julian
Subject: Libraries, Archives and Arts Service
Dear colleagues
Following recent discussions with senior management and our cabinet portfolio holder, I have agreed to look at the re-organisation of the Library service in some more detail. I am keen that the re-organisation is really right for our citizens, our staff and for the service as a whole; we will take the opportunity to step back and reflect and to ensure that the staffing structure best delivers the objectives outlined in the strategic review that was agreed by Cabinet in June 2007.
Having delivered a transformed service in my previous role in the Lambeth I also want to see if the lessons I have learnt are useful in how we go forward. I am still convinced that we need a reorganisation of the Libraries, Archives and Arts Service but as part of a strategic re-alignment of the Cultural Services Division. I am suspending the current re-organisation; this means that any planned interviews are also suspended and any matters resulting from this decision will be considered on a case by case basis.
I also want to inform you that Lesley Ray (Head of Service) will be leaving the council on the 21st December; Lesley was due to retire in the summer of 2008 but feels that the service would benefit from new leadership and a fresh perspective. I would like to thank Lesley for her hard work and commitment to Lambeth Council and wish her luck in the future. Katherine Pedley (Deputy Head of Service) is also leaving the council on the 21st December; Katherine had always planned to leave when the reorganisation was completed and the work that she has done in supporting the re-organisation is really helpful in moving us forward.
I will want to discuss with you how we move forward. I will establish an interim leadership team in the New Year. If you have any questions in the mean time then please contact me.
Thank you for your patience.
Regards
Garath Symonds
Divisional Director - Cultural Services
Environment, Culture & Community Safety
London Borough of Lambeth
Phone: 020 7926 2893
Fax: 020 7926 2486
Email: gsymonds@lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
Lambeth's Cultural Services: Delivering quality, tackling inequality
Posted by Perkins at 11:37 AM | Comments (2)
December 23, 2007
Just a small black cat
2007 was the year in which I, Perkins, just a small black library cat, took over this blog. Some other cats joined in- mainly James from Hove.
Otherwise not much progress has been made. Lots of people went and some more people came. Lots of books went from libraries and only a few came back. The Government stopped publishing statistics that could be used against them.
It has been a year of events that made no difference and actions that brought no change:-
- Chris Batt retired early in from being ceo of the MLA. There could have been many reasons. Mark Wood will shortly follow.
- "Better Stock Better Libraries" drew another load of taxpayers money and died
- "Blueprint for the future" flopped
- "More or less library standards" disappeared
- "Impact measures" sunk
- 'Framework for the Future" died and so did any attempt to follow it
- "Love Libraries" gave up trying and evaporated.
- The MLA, itself, was shredded and sent to Birmingham
- The ACL failed (to do anything!)
- The SCL gave up.
- The Department of culture confused the Olympic Games with public libraries.
- David Lammy went and was replaced to no avail by Margaret Hodge
- 135 libraries closed
- Her Majesty's Conservative opposition lost interest in libraries.
- The scrutiny committee on libraries in Hampshire went into its third year without saying anything. So did their equivalent in Lambeth and the one in Lancashire and doubltess many others.
- Nobody understood what the Audit Commission meant;
- The department of local government went silent.
- Yinnon Ezra questioned the need for Fiction in libraries
- Book stocks in public libraries and the purchasing of them fell again
- Book Lending fell.
- The Publishers Association lost interest
- The Liberal Democrats never had any interest.
- The LLDA was closed down several times (by this blog!)
- The Smith Institute initiative was prevented from doing anything by the MLA
- CILIP became SYRUP.
- CILIP annual conference voted to end the profession in public libraries-
- The MLA board sunk and was replaced by an admiral in a rowing boat- to no effect.
Very sadly Katherine Rushton left the Bookseller and much worse, Philip Pettifor died of cancer in February.
The only good things were the emergence of John Whelan from Lambeth and Henry Higgins in Hillingdon- and the programme for Hillingdon libraries they have started; and a cat taking over this blog.
Merry Christmas: the Turkey is in the Fridge and everyone is asleep. I shall just curl up and have a rest now. Your obedient servant, Perkins.
Posted by Perkins at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
How to promote 'roundedness'
This circular has just been seen as it passes from the "MLA" ! -- From the cook in the canteen, one supposes.:
-Are museums, libraries and archives relevant to business?
We are just over half way through a study of relations between the cultural sector and the business world, and we'd like to invite you to come and kick our thinking around.
For the past few months MLA London has been working on a piece of research looking at the relationships between museums, libraries and archives and business. We’re beginning now to make sense of our findings, and have constructed a website so we can talk them through with the sector. We’re trying to get people’s reactions to our propositions through a combination of blogs, discussion boards and questions
We've interviewed dozens of people, gathered many hours of opinion and observation and piled it all into a big database with everything else we can lay our hands on. All that remains is to make sense of it all, over the next month or six weeks, and distil it into a small sharp report that's difficult to ignore. That's where we would like to invite you to join in. Over the next month we're going to publish our work in progress, post questions, sketches, maps and summaries and generally think out loud in front of everyone. Please come along, add comments and join the discussion. You can find us at:
http://mlal.sparknow.net/
and the latest news and thinking is always in the blog at:
http://mlal.sparknow.net/blog/
These are some of the topics that we will need to cover:
* who is responsible for bringing museums, libraries and archives to business?
* how to make people prize information quality?
* how to encourage people to stop, think and discover?
* how to cement relations between cultural institutions and the new networks that spring up around us?
* how to promote roundedness as an ideal for workers and businesses
and many more. If you care about museums, libraries, archives, business or modern working life, please come and join in!
best wishes,
Will, Ellen and Victoria.
The Knowledge Transfer Programme is a research project for MLA London, supported by the LDA and carried out by sparknow.
Ellen Collins
Research and Policy Assistant
MLA London
Fourth Floor
53-56 Great Sutton Street
London EC1V 0DG
Direct line: 020 7549 1705
Posted by Perkins at 12:45 PM | Comments (2)
Ice Hockey
Are there any lending libraries that are fee libraries? A library system that charges a fee to borrow books?
I want to read a particular book, "Shorthanded: the Untold Story of the Seals", a history book of North America's National Hockey League in the late 1960's and early 1970's. I do not want to purchase this book.
My local public library does not purchase many books with the subject Ice Hockey. I asked the library to borrow this book from another library.
I received an e-mail message this past weekend telling me that libraries who own this book are not willing to lend it out.
I have never heard of a lending library that charges a fee, but because I am not willing to buy this book, I will not be able to read it unless I can find another way to borrow it from a library. Thank you, James
Posted by Perkins at 6:25 AM | Comments (3)
December 16, 2007
More from Hillingdon
Word from Hillingdon is that two months after opening visitor numbers are 80% above last year and book issues are 70% above.
Even better than that, the local people are asking the council to put yet more books in. Nothing could be more heart warming
Well done Henry Higgins.. Go with the flow, you have been right all the way. You alone
Posted by Perkins at 2:49 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2007
Missing the obvious
This sign was spotted outside a Hertfordshire library:
* Free Internet
* DVDs
* Bestsellers
* Music
* Information
* Newspapers
* Magazines
* Children's activities
Posted by Perkins at 10:24 PM | Comments (1)
December 13, 2007
A vision in Waltham Forest
Caroline writes
"Anyone wanting to see the future of libraries as per the Blairite vision, (consultants and all) should check out the scandal brewing in Waltham Forest over the loss or destruction of 250,000 books.
Books you won't find on the at the newly 'refurbished', strangely shelf-free (though there are djs and fish!) borough Central library? Hmmm... How about Wind in the Willows, the Hobbit, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Swallows and Amazons, The Owl Service, Tom's Midnight Garden, The Borrowers, The Family from One End Street, Finn Family Moonmintroll, Emil and the Detectives, The Once and Future King, Far from the Madding Crowd, Cold Comfort Farm, The Odyssey, Ulysses, Paradise Lost, The Waste Land, Lyrical Ballads, ANYTHING by Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Hororwitz....
(in case anyone is wondering this list is not particularly my personal favourites, but is drawn from award winning childrens book lists and recommendations from famous children's authors about what children should read.)
See www.stjamesstlibrary.wordpress.com"
Posted by Perkins at 2:40 PM | Comments (1)
December 11, 2007
The enemy makes their position clear- in Buckinghamshire
This silly article has appeared in the 'Bucks Herald' -- and follows many other acts of a hostile nature in Buckinghamshire
'The role of libraries in Buckinghamshire will have to completely change if they are going to survive in future- according to a report at a Bucks County Council meeting.
The Culture and Learning service has been tasked by Councillor Margaret Dewar, portfolio holder for community services, to produce a new vision for the library servic through to 2017 and in a report to Bucks County Council at a meeting on November 22, Cllr Wendy Mallen said one increasingly popular strategy was to redefine the library as a 'one stop shop' .
This would mean developing the library as a place on the High Street with council services including a job centre, creche and coffee shop.
This idea has been successfully used in Hampshire, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Birmingham where buildings have been rebranded as Cultural Centres or Ideas Stores.
Cllr Mallen said over the past 10 years the number of books available for reference or lending had declined by 10 percent. This decline in the quality of the book stock had had a predictable effect on the use of libraries.
The council was unable to compete with cheap book shops encouraging people to buy copies of books online and Cllr Mallen said that if current trends continue, libraries would have no books to lend well before the end of the century.
One way the service believes it can encourage book lending is by taking libraries out into the community with the new Bucks communities mobile, or supermobile as it has become known.
The supermobile provides a full branch library on wheels service to seven of the eight communities where branch libraries were closed at the end of 2006.
The vehicle is 40ft in length and provides a six day week service including Sundays visiting each community for three half days per fortnight including one weekend visit.
It has a shelf stock of over 2,800 items including adult and junior books, magazines, large print, DVD's spoken word CD's and tapes and graphic novels
Bucks Free Press Wednesday 5 Dec 2007
Posted by Perkins at 9:05 PM | Comments (0)
December 9, 2007
Somali Books
Mantra Lingua publishes over 100 titles in English and Somali. Check the website at www.mantralingua.com
Frances Lincoln also publishes a beautiful story about a young Somali boy finding his way in his new home country. It is called 'The Colour of Home' by Mary Hoffman.
Frances Lincoln is also publishing the first young adult novel with a Somali heroine in June 08. I'm the author so if you need any info, please get in touch. Na'ima.
Posted by Perkins at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)
December 8, 2007
A library called Perkins
It's true- and it's in America
Posted by Perkins at 6:40 AM | Comments (0)
December 7, 2007
Ted Hughes writes
"There has been a catastrophic quiet destruction of the public libraries throughout Britain that few people seem to know about".
Sadly, he wrote that in 1997- and no one heard, or has understood or listened to what he said. (il y a dix ans)
Who are Mrs Mansion Polish or Mr Photo Booth, our ministers, or Admiral Rowing Boat ? We have a library service managed by mere mushrooms who live in a literary darkness and upon whom manure should be poured. (Champignons dans la nuit plus profonde)
Posted by Perkins at 10:30 PM | Comments (0)
France
The French Government have acknowledged that reading levels improve if public library opening hours are longer.
This is the kind of simple, honest, understanding that would be useful for us, too. Even a minister, or the MLA could say it, without fuss or being accused of 'telling local authorities what to do'.
It is such an obvious idea that even a mouse would understand. Even a French mouse (un souris)
Posted by Perkins at 7:28 AM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2007
Gentleman seeks software
I have a library consisting of 30,000 books / reports. I like to run my Library under a best Software Management. Please how and where I can have my desired Software. Your kind advice in this regard is highly appreciated. Hope you will be pleased enough to provide and inform me with necessary guidelines with softare cost.
Thanking you the best and hoping to have a nice email reply from you at the soonest.
With regards,
(name and email address held at the cattery)
Posted by Perkins at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)
An unhappy library supplier writes
With the new CBC contract the discounts on offer will soar, I know this for a fact. You now have the 'Big Two' Library suppliers/wholesalers winning all contracts as all contracts are so heavily weighted on price.
I also know no library suppler would be embarrassed if any form of exposure came about as the trouble with Libraries in general is they do not know just how good a deal they are getting. I work for a supplier and know that servicing is heavily subsidised by the supplier, so if you think by going searching for better discounts from the publisher you will save money I can guarantee this is not the case as the gain in discount will never cover the cost in labour.
The time taken to complete these ludicrously long-winded tenders means all suppliers will offer the best deal they possibly can. Basically you have two choices, stick with what you have got, which believe me is an exceptionally good deal and going to be even better with this contract, or go to the publishers and service your own stock, I would not recommend the latter!
And then our library supplier comes in again ( evidently breathless from his lessons in spelling, business studies and grammar)
You are obviously not a business person. Let me spell it our for you, to loose suppliers means in the end you end up with one major supplier, which is certainly what is happening in the UK and will get more and more so. What happens when this one super supplier has forced all others out of the market, no more big discounts or indeed a decent level of service
I would love to see a library dealing with thousands of suppliers and publishers seeing as they seem to strugle dealing with two or three, and take it from someone that knows, you will deal with thousands of accounts if you drop library suppliers
Posted by Perkins at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)