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September 10, 2008
Why do library managers persist in saying that 'books are elite and only appeal to intellectuals' ?
You would have thought that the people who run libraries would see that part of their role in society to encourage the reading of books. There may be others who believe, wrongly, that books are only for the elite classes, but that librarians would be the ones pointing out how stupid it is to say that.
In my town the library service is about, this blog has been told, to announce that libraries should be modelled on airport lounges with all the layers of anxiety that they inspire-- but books? 'No, not really-- the people who ask for more books are just intellectuals and snobs' -- or some such tripe, was the answer
What about children? What about older people who love to read a good novel? What about other people who were children once and will be older people one day? What about people who want a travel guide for Grimsby?
Why do people like this get to be appointed to run libraries? My local libraries? Why doesn't he go and run an aiport? When I asked the local councillor this question, she said " We appointed him because he is well connected" - oh really. That's a good reason. Like a dog to a lampost.
The former head of the LLDA, like the head of the MLA and doubltess the head of the DCMS, SCL ,ACL etc etc all wonder why they get such a bad report in the newspapers. The answer is that when they are asked 'Should public libraries have more books?' They never ever say 'Yes, they should'
While they continue to behave so stupidly they will continue to be mocked in the press. Journalists, most of whom are delighted to have their work published in books, get it- but library managers evidently don't. They understand the values of published work- why can't library managers do the same?
Posted by Perkins at September 10, 2008 3:31 PM
Comments
Do they really say so?? Recently I was in Bangalore (India) to attend a workshop on Business Excellence. And I was the lone Librarian in the program. In the closing speech of the workshop, the Director of the Institute was talking about the importance of Information - knowledge, etc. etc. and the way the present day managers should be using it. While his speech he went a bit off-beat and passed a comment on Librarians - he said Librarians who sit in the midst of Information - surrounded by books and various other information - would claim that they are most knowledgeable people.
I couldn't resist it and just told him that I work as a Librarian and I ve never claimed that I am very much knowledgeable - in fact we people only help or facilitate people in becoming more knowledgeable. He did cut a sorry figure - but this is the preception of most people at the highest level have about a Librarian.
I then went to see the institutes library to judge how well they have maintained theirs. I could see most of the books heaped on the ground - Library locked without anyone to man it. These are the people who really dont allow Librarians and Library to work the way it should be working and expect the best out of it. Many a time it so happens that the people who never step into the Library pass such negative comments.
Library in any organisation has to built by the users. In most of the cases, we have as our supervisors, people from other fields (non-librarians).
In spite of Knowledge and Information being the power of any organisation, Librarians - the custodians or facilitators, putting in lots of efforts are considered mere ministerial staffs.
Posted by: Suresh D Nair at September 14, 2008 6:14 PM