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October 31, 2008
Why don't the library industry advocate the need for more books in libraries?
The story of the LISU figures in which LISU themselves pointed out that purchasing of books for public libraries has fallen significantly yet again has been out all week. For some reason LISU issued their press release but embargoed the actual document, which will be available next week. However that means that the story will continue to run in the trade press for a while longer.
Campaigners and authors like Alan Gibbons, Christopher Hawtree, ourselves and others will all comment that this is bad news, so will most of the journalists and editors who see it.
But where is any comment from the MLA? Do they think this is ok? What about the DCMS-- don't they have any guidance to offer councils? They have plenty to say about 'libraries not being about books' CILIP seem unable to put out a straightforward message- on the one hand Bob McKee blames the budget process, Caroline Moss-Gibbons says that libraries should not be book warehouses and individual members of CILIP say that libraries are more about outreach than books. The Society of Chief Librarians talk about everything else a library could possible do except stock books. The Reading Agency say nothing. The National Literacy Trust make no comment. Publishers and The Publishers Association are silent.
Is there any wonder that a finance officer in a local council assumes that nobody minds if he cuts the book fund again?
We say public libraries need more books and more expenditure on books. Simple; they have been gravely neglected for too long. But why don't others say the same thing? Who is paid to 'advocate' for public libraries and where are they? Where, for goodness sake, are Andy Burnham and Barbara Follett, the Ministers? Where, one might ask, are the words of Andrew Motion?
Do the people who run our public library service believe that books are no longer important enough to fight for?
Posted by Perkins at 9:03 AM | Comments (2)
October 30, 2008
The DCMS - Really concentrating their efforts where it matters
The DCMS cannot find time to see library users' groups, ministers don't have the time to meet children's authors, civil servants don't know how to find out what the public want from libraries
But the DCMS has not cut itself off entirely from the rest of humanity- today they found time to give a special honour - to a hairdresser
They have a become a laughing stock - I can't imagine that any council would for one second listen to what they have to say about libraries. Who pays these people? I wish they would stop. Does no one in Number 10 keep an eye on these things?
Posted by Perkins at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2008
A working conference in Hampshire
I believe that the Minister's review of public libraries is neither going to address the correct issues nor will it create genuine lasting and positive change. It can't do either-- the right people aren't involved; they haven't got the information they need and the agenda that has been set is the wrong one.
I'm not just saying this to pour scorn on the DCMS, I'm saying it because I seek endlessly the forum or the mechanism that will bring improvement. It's about who manages the service and who can actually change what happens and persuading them to do the right things.
That is why I am so pleased that Hampshire County Council and their leader have picked up the challenge I made them. I genuinely believe Ken Thornber understood what I was saying when we talked on Sunday. And here is his statement (and mine) on the Hampshire County Council website. I want this to be the big turning point, this will produce the leadership and form the task force which is needed. This will be the group that will at last provide the resource that other councils need and to whom they can turn.
Here is Benedicte Page's story in The Bookseller. It all started with the writing of the report 'Who's in Charge?'
Posted by Perkins at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
The library figures still tell a sad story
Here is a good piece by Alison Flood in the Guardian.
It is interesting to look back at the figures for individual councils over recent years. There have been several which have briefly increased their expenditure on stock and it nearly always has the effect of increasing book issues. Yet few of them can keep it up in a sustained way. That is why the real issue is long term planning of the allocation of the funds. Very few councils, up until now, have experienced serious long term cuts in overall spending, as Bob Mckee implies in his quote-- he just needs to look at the data properly.
One serious matter that should emerge when the full tables are published, is the extent of fall in book buying in the libraries in London. Aside from a handful of councils the remainder seem almost to have given up on buying books. That is very worrying.
Posted by Perkins at 10:40 PM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2008
Barbara Follett can't find time for her review, but the leader of Hampshire County Council can
The BBC broadcast a programme from The Discovery Centre in Hampshire yesterday.
I was honoured to be invited and even more impressed that Ken Thornber, who is the leader of the council came to talk about the work on public libraries that his council has undertaken and achieved in the past few years. There was much talk of books and book collections and I was absolutely taken by all that I saw.
Miranda McKearnie and Yinnon Ezra were also on the programme. The ministers both Burnham and Follett had both declined.
For me it was a turning point in a long and often painful public argument. I don't want to talk publicly about many of the battlefield atrocities that have occurred in this time, I want to put them behind us.
If leaders of councils are going to get involved then, suddenly, we have the means in our hands to solve the problems of the public library service- that, to me, was the point. We can get to a position from which we don't have to complain, we can actually make changes.
The suggestion was made that we should hold a working session of several leaders and hope that will produce an agenda for action. Today Hampshire CC have put out a press release to say that is what they intend to do. It is very good news, I believe. I am full of hope.
No surprise that on the same day I receive a letter from Mrs Follett's secretary to say that she can't find any time to talk about the dcms review of libraries !
Posted by Perkins at 6:24 PM | Comments (5)
Close the libraries to save the jobs of the staff.
Here is a story in the South Yorkshire Star that brings the whole public library service into disrepute.
I wonder what Roy Clare and Andy Burnham would have to say about this -- and the people of Doncaster--- but nobody seems terribly worried about them.
Posted by Perkins at 10:38 AM | Comments (1)
Abigail Luthman is the 'Chair of CILIP in Sussex'
and on Sunday she posted this on the public site: 'Lis Pub Libs' :
'Those of you not channel surfing with a hangover on a wet Sunday lunchtime may have missed The Politics Show on BBC One which had a lengthy broadcast from Winchester Discovery Centre featuring Tim Coates, Miranda McKearney, Yinnon Ezra and a Hampshire councillor whose name escapes me.
In response to the Andy Burnham review announcement this segment was convened in essence it appeared to rehash the usual stereotypes with the usual suspects, Miranda providing the most enthusiasm and examples of outreach programming etc. A pre-recorded segment from Dorset further drummed in the elderly white user image and showed volunteers being trained to take over running community libraries.
I’m glad we’re garnering attention, but ultimately it felt lazy and old.'
Thanks so much Abigail. The BBC spent 3 days researching, filming and trying to find guests.They invited speakers from CILIP, the DCMS, the MLA and all your friends. They invited a couple of Ministers, too. None of the paid offcials could be bothered to turn up. No minister would come. But I went down early on Sunday morning to do my bit for public libraries. The BBC don't pay for these things, you just do them. They take all day, but it's worth it. That's what Miranda believes, too and so does Yinnon Ezra. I thought the BBC film was very good, it touched on all the significant issues and the presenter, I thought, had the right questions.
The politician whose name you didn't bother to research was Ken Thornber, who is the leader of Hampshire County Council. He, too, had a long way to come, but while you sit at home sneering with a rural hangover, he wanted to come, properly briefed and prepared, to state his belief in what he and his colleagues have done for the public library service in Hampshire. I don't know of another leader in any council who would have done that. As you might know they have been through several difficult years of debate and argument to get to where they are. I salute them for that, it has been very very tough, but their work has been worthwhile and the occasion was an opportunity to say so. Many of the most senior officers of the council were there, too. They have profound commitment to what they are doing. I might be old, thank you, but I'm not lazy and the others are neither of these two.
Posted by Perkins at 9:56 AM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2008
Brighton and Hove
Kolly Kibber writes:
"There is consternation in Brighton over its proposed Library Plan for the next three years.
Among other things, this was to include “member and stakeholder consultation”. A report has been prepared for the Council’s Cabinet Culture meeting on the 28th of this month (October), and it suggests that this consultation went ahead as scheduled in September. However, people were not consulted until October 1st, when the disabled group, among others, complained that they were not being allowed enough time to consult in their turn. A new deadline was given all round: November 13th.
However, the Plan is being submitted for passing by the Lead Councillor for Culture, David Smith, at the meeting on October 28th. This renders meaningless residents’ submissions - including those by local MPs.
The Plan should be pulled from the agenda pending consideration of these submissions. As matters stand, such maladministration can only make the Plan appear tainted in the eyes of the Scrutiny panel and the Full Council when it reaches them in due course."
Posted by Perkins at 9:00 PM | Comments (2)
October 24, 2008
This is the 24th national review of public libraries in 10 years
The public library world in the UK is one never ending review. Almost every week a council calls for a full review of its public library service, there are many going at present. The one in Brighton is fiercely fought.
Since 1998 the national reviews and ministerial initiatives (each arising from another review) have included at least
-1. 'Due for Renewal' - the Audit Commission
-2. "The people's network"
-3. The Introduction of Annual Library Plans
-4. The Local Government Act instigates Best Value Reviews
-5. The introduction of 20 national library standards
-6. The 2000 Culture Select Committee which called for the creation of the MLA
-7. The revision of the standards to 10 Public Library Service Standards
-8. 'Building Better Libraries' Review and Recommendations from the Audit Commission
-9. 'Framework for the Future of Libraries launched by Tessa Blackstone
-10. Annual LIbrary Plans withdrawn in favour of Annual Position Statements
-11. Public LIbraries included in the Audit Commission Culture Block
-12. The 2004 Culture Select Committee criticises the DCMS for having too many reviews and 'too much chopping and changing'
-13. Andrew Mackintosh launches an efficiency review with the PKF report
-14. First Price Waterhouse report from the MLA recommends 6 regional distribution centres
-15. The Second Price Waterhouse report launches 'Better Stock Better libraries"
-16. David Lammy launches 'Love Libraries'
-17. The MLA conducts a national consultation on Impact measures
-18. David Lammy announces heritage lottery funding for public libraries
-19. The MLA announces new action plan at Smith Institute seminar- the 24 hour library
-20. The MLA launches 'Blueprint for the future'
-21. The Department of Local Govt replaces library standards with one national measure
-22. The MLA closes its regional offices and launches 'The New MLA'
-23 Lynn Brown, MP, announces a parliamentary review of libraries funded by CILIP for £40,000
-(in the same week as these two, Unison, a trade union announces a review of public libraries)
and finally - 24. Andy Burnham announces a DCMS review of libraries
Laugh you might, but we live in democracy in which moving ministers from post to pillar is part of the way governments appear to have to work. That is normal and won't change. Therefore it falls to a senior civil servant: a Permanent Secretary of any integrity and common sense, to understand why nearly all these reviews have failed to make any effective change and to make sure that a new review is a worthwhile endeavour. We deserve better management of government than this. It is ludicrous and should not be tolerated.
Posted by Perkins at 5:40 PM | Comments (1)
Why do we always get the wrong person to be Minister of Libraries?
Here is another article in The Guardian about Andy Burnham.
Posted by Perkins at 9:38 AM | Comments (0)
October 23, 2008
Postman Pat delivers the message
in this article in the (famous) Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
John Cunliffe has followed the matter of libraries closely.
The problem with chief librarians or, 'heads of cultural services' like the one quoted from Bradford is that they never know their own figures, they never speak from a basis of fact. However Perkins knows that
- In the past ten years lending of books in Bradford libraries has fallen by 53.8% ; that is one of the most dramatic declines and the figure continues to go down each year There are several authorities which experienced no fall at all in that time
- At just 3.2 loans per person, the libraries rank among the poorest for the usefulness of their book collections. Some authorities achieve a rate of 3 times this figure
- Bradford is one of the largest metropolitan councils in the country, larger than Manchester, and although the situation has improved since, in 2005-6, the council spent just 3% of its libraries budget on books. Surprising to find almost anything in the libraries when management behaves like that
- The Chief Librarian, notwithstanding all this, has plenty of time to spend on national committees. He is even in charge of the forthcoming review of the gathering of CIPFA figures. He needs to be.
Many years ago I worked in Bradford and the library service was a haven. It is not that any longer, as John Cunliffe knows extremely well . It is a disgrace. But I don't imagine for one second that The Minister in this news story was told the figures, or knew how to ask for them.
Why doesn't Andy Burnham invite John to join the 'review board'.
Posted by Perkins at 10:05 AM | Comments (3)
October 20, 2008
DCMS review of public libraries
Confirmation has been received that, for the DCMS review of public libraries
- There will be no one responsible for running the public library service on the review board; there are no councillors nor directors of council departments, nor heads of cultural services; there are no ministers and no elected people at all. There is no one who is speaks for library users, nor even for the staff who operate libraries, nor librarians. There is no reader or author or publisher. There is, for example, no senior figure with experience of delivering multi- site service to the public either commercial or from government. There is no one who simply speaks for the public. The members of the steering group are all people who earn their living by staying in favour with the Minister
- There is no consultation with the public prior to writing the review and no attempt to obtain their views.
Does all this matter? Yes it matters a huge amount. This is a £1.2bn public operation of which the core service has declined dramatically in usefulness in the past 10 years. Book lending to adults is down by 45% in that time. There is a large coherent public voice crying out that the fundamental books, reading and study that should be being offered are not being- and that voice will not be heard in this review.
The people who will be heard and who are on the so-called 'board' of the review are
Claudia Kenyatta (Deputy Director, Culture, DCMS) (Chair),
Roy Clare (chief executive of the MLA),
Mike Thorne (Chair of the Minister's advisory council on libraries and vice chancellor of the 'University of Eastern England')
Jill Finney (Strategic Marketing Director Briotish Library),
Paul Raynes (Local Government Association manager),
Frances MacLeod (DCMS) and
Craig Westwood (DCMS)
In my edition of the story by Hans Christian Anderson the advisers to the Emperor all told him that his new clothes were the finest in the world. It took a small black cat to tell him he was a fool with nothing on. No one else dared. But when the cat did point out the daftness of the matter, everyone laughed and the Emperor got cross.
Posted by Perkins at 8:31 PM | Comments (0)
Warwickshire
Here is another report about the proposals for Warwickshire library service.
I do appeal to anyone who may be able to contact the county council to take up the offer of having an independent look at this review and its conclusions. There should be no need for the kinds of actions being hinted at. I would beg them, too, not to get into a position from which it is hard to withdraw if there are other ways forward.
Posted by Perkins at 5:21 PM | Comments (0)
October 19, 2008
Discouraging
The jungle drums are beating over the weekend. It seems that following the widespread bad publicity for the Minister Andrew Burnham a decision has been taken to review the public libraries review.
According to one quite good source, senior people in No 10 Downing Street have told the DCMS to change its plan. The review needs to be more about books and reading in libraries. The objects and workstreams, which have already been issued are to be withdrawn.
The civil servant in charge is to be replaced by 'The lady from the department that deals with terrorist attacks' .
Nobody appears to know what the reasons for the review were in the first place.
This is all very discouraging. There is a need for certainty and clarity- and this time the lead that is given needs to be in the right direction-- as number 10 seems to be saying, too.
We have to start from the public view, not the view of those who have been earning their money from the industry of public libraries for too long already.
Posted by Perkins at 12:01 AM | Comments (2)
October 16, 2008
A poor speech by the Minister
I was in a library yesterday in the home counties. This is one of those built in the past fifteen years within a large shopping centre, probably as a condition of the approval of the development. This is by no means a wealthy area and the library catered for many languages and offered some social security support. The space is good and bright, and I sat and read agreeably for much of the afternoon. The whole place had a friendly atmosphere and was a fine place to be. Co-location of libraries is not a new idea.
One corner of the space was devoted to desks for individual private study and later in the afternoon, when the schools came out, it was well used by students doing their homework.
This area carried a sign which advised people not to leave bags and their work on the desks when they left. It also declared the '2 rules of the library' - no eating or drinking anywhere; and no phone conversations. The sign urged library users to respect other users and explained simply that that was the reason for the rules.
One sensed that this was the polite and reasonable way that the librarian maintained a high standard - and it worked. Normally, one felt, people would give that respect; occasionally someone might test the limits, but the sign was there for anyone to point to. You could say that by that sign and by their own behaviour, the library staff had created an authority for the community and everyone benefited.
I reflected then how stupid Andy Burnham had been to make his speech following the press releases if the Society of Chief Librarians, urging councils to question the value of exactly these two rules. They competely undermined the hard earned and thought-about sense of community in this library. What they said was none of their business and raised a subject which didn't need to be aired.
Posted by Perkins at 8:27 AM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2008
Closing the libraries on the Wirral
Here is the local press report, which goes along the lines 'We have negelected our buildings so badly that no one wants to use them. So now we plan to close them down, what else can we do? Please pay £100k for the information. '
For £10k Perkins would have told them how to keep them open. Frank Field is the local MP and an old friend. If you need a hand, Frank, I'm here.
Posted by Perkins at 10:52 AM | Comments (5)
October 14, 2008
About the new public library review
Readers of this blog have seen and experienced enough reviews of the public library service both nationally and in their local councils to know they are almost always a sham. As I write that senetence I cast my mind back to the many moments of hope we have had that at last someone would listen, be wise and be sensible, but it never happens.
Even the famous Select Committee hearings of 2004-5 which appeared to have produced a good report were, disgracefully, turned into a quagmire of inaction and excuse by the DCMS and MLA.
So what can be said this time? - well, there are a few meagre words of advice to throw on to the pile and they consist basically of a list of people and groups whose voices should be heard, but never normally are.
Firstly listen to the public. In a professional way they can be divided up into groupings to help make that practical- by age, by background, users, lapsed users, non users-- all these groups have an interest and a view about what they believe a public library service is useful for both for themselves and for the community at large.
Secondly listen to front line staff. We can be sure that CILIP and all the turgid quangoes, agencies and committees who feature on this blog so often will present endless evidence, but they never include the honest views of those people who work at the counters of the libraries or who spend their days with library readers or computer users. These are not the 'professional' staff but they have really important views about their customers and, indeed, about their management.
Thirdly discuss the subject calmly and at length with the people in invididual councils who are REALLY responsible for managing the service, viz, the portfolio councillors, the directors and the senior cultural officers.. We don't want the official council position on why they should be given more funds, we want the humdrum detail -- what training is given to new portfolio holders? what information do Ward councillors need? What are the real issues within a council operation? How do you buy stock to meet back list and front list needs? How big should the book fund be? How do you face and handle a budget cut without reducing the service to the public? How do you build a staff roster that includes evenings and Sundays? What would be a useful role for the MLA? the DCMS? what should the audit commission inspect? what information would help the public to participate? What information should replace the CIPFA data? How should we do local market research in a cost effective way? How do you listen constructively to library users? how do you keep the local press in the picture and not alienate them? How is the money spent and what are the possibilities for redirecting it? What should be talked about in a local council review of libraries? How do you find out the local need? How do we plan for the future if the demograhic characteristics are changing? Can we do a better job for younger people? and older people?
This review could be an opportunity for the Minister and his or her staff, truly, to get an understanding of and a meaningful relationship with local councils in a way they just do not do at present. That would be a good outcome. If the Ministerial team just experienced the workings of half a dozen councils, that would be a real step forward.
Conducted in this way we would find that the 'wicked issues' are not about mobile phones or even coffee bars, but they are about staff training, what books and journals to stock, reference books,opening hours, the state of the buildings, cleaning toilets, plastic jackets, management structures, needlessly expensive library management systems, demaracation between 'professional' and 'non-professional' staff over management, the role of councillors, the realities of working across councils and with consortia, and a host of other important topics that currently are off the radar. If the review contemplated these matters with a tight focus on 'what the people want' -- then we might get some decent improvements.
From what I read, though, this is not the review that has been called for.
Here, published the next day, are Terms of Reference of the review and Laura Swaffield's views of them
Posted by Perkins at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2008
New Statesman
There are 2 interesting pieces in the New Statesman, one about the history of the Booker Prize and the other is a flattering mention for Perkins' blog -- for which, much thanks.
Posted by Perkins at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2008
One voice from Hackney
There is one piece in The Telegraph from a journalist in Hackney supporting Andy Burnham's move for louder libraries. It is followed by the same damning comments as have appeared in all the newspapers. Opinion, at least, as it is expressed in the written press, is emphatically against Mr Burnham and they find no innocence in what he has said.
It is interesting, though, that the one voice comes from Hackney. The horrible truth, as she explains, and we have often said on this blog, is that in several of the Inner London Boroughs the public library service has been so poor for so long that people no longer know what a public library is. To resurrect it, if you don't know how, does look like a forlorn enterprise. That is the shameful point we have already reached because Mr Burnham's intiative is by no means a new one, the leaders of the library community have been treading this path for 20 years or more and they have already done immense damage. It is very sad to read - but true
Victoria Coren also writes in The Observer today on the same subject. Her experience is in a way rather similar, but her view and her conclusion are very different.
Huge number of comments on both these two articles. That is very pleasing. Philip Pettifor urged those of us who campaign to keep the matter in the public eye. 'Once they silence you, they will finish the whole thing off.' he said, before he died.
Posted by Perkins at 11:45 AM | Comments (9)
October 11, 2008
Bob McKee versus the Press!
Here is Bob McKee's report on all the national press today. Bob believes that the national press doesn't understand the public library service.
No wonder those inside the public library camp cannot give the public the service they want. No wonder book lending to adults from public libraries has fallen by 45% in 10 years. No wonder that nearly all the library authorities spend less than 2% of their funds on books for children. Bob and his cronies just cannot understand that the public sees it in a different way to the way they do.
Bob, the newspapers are telling you what people in the country think. Not only are the articles of the past few weeks written by senior journalists and leader writers, but there is no doubt that the supporting comments indicate that they are carrying the view of large numbers of the public, probably a substantial majority.
That view is beginning to be reflected in the way councillors think and the frustrations they express; they are dismayed that CILIP has failed to keep up with the times and provide any leadership to library management; they are fed up with the SCL interfering in politics. These councillors and senior council officers have a difficult job of running the public library service and they look for practical relevant help-- not conferences at which everyone indulges in a pub crawl and fawning to Ministers
You and the rest would help yourselves and the public you serve if you would begin to admit that this view you are hearing from the newspapers is not only important, but it prevails. The belief is that you don't hear or seek to listen to what the public says. If you don't start something will break -- and it is unlikely to be public opinion
Posted by Perkins at 9:13 PM | Comments (1)
Oh dear: Poor planning in Hampshire County Council
From Kate:
'Just when I thought the library situation could not get worse it has. The latest turn is the upgrade of their IT system: it will take 3 months and there will be no catalogue available and today the website is off air. We pay quite highly for having rundown premises, poor book stock ,space being given to PCs and general decline in standards and I fear that it is only going to get worse, all I can say is Thank God for Amazon'
Margaret Dewar and Yinnon Ezra have only spent £25m and eight years so far on the great library recovery plan!! After all these years of declamation, the mercy is that there are still only 2 Discovery Centres, thank goodness!
Posted by Perkins at 8:28 PM | Comments (1)
Consultation before conclusion
Here is a piece from today's Daily Express about Andrew Burnham's review of public libraries.
There is one technical point about this review that needs to be made. Mr Burnham has said that he expects to report on his findings next April and THEN offer them for public consultation.
The most fundamental problem with the management of the library service is that all these reviews and inititiatives are conducted without any proper understanding of what the public use libraries for and feel about them. In ten years no proper fundamental market research of the kind any large organisation serving the public needs has been conducted.
If there is to be a review it should START with a large and professionally managed public consultation on the current service which is not pre-tainted by proposals for action. THEN a review intended to address the problems and issues that arise in that research could provide management in local councils with a firm basis upon which to make their own individual plans.
To be honest I thought this is what Roy Clare and the MLA were going to announce, but if they did, such a proposal seems to have been pushed away by Burnham's Blast. That is one of the reasons I find the Minister's announcement so frustrating. The other is that, in my view, any ministerial statement on libraries should be fundamentally about the need for the collections of books and reading material to improve, as the Express quotes. To me, that is the leadership call that is so badly needed and is so long overdue
Posted by Perkins at 7:16 PM | Comments (0)
Library profession lobbies to close down the MLA
The 'All Party Parliamentary Group' on public libraries is not in any way a body endorsed either by Parliament or by Government. These types of committees are lobby groups normally funded by companies, trades unions or special interest groups of some kind and the nomenclature 'All party group' is misleading as it implies a neutrality which is generally not true. Lyn Brown has no governmental responsibility for public libraries in any way. She does have a government job, but not connected with libraries, as far as I can see.
In fact this group who come together to talk about public libraries are paid for by CILIP, the professional body of librarians, which is a quasi trades union looking after the personal interests of its several thousand members.
Indeed Lyn Brown in her feisty speech on Thursday declared openly that she has been given a budget to mount this campaign and she intends to spend it. The campaign whch she spelled out lucidly, is to close down the MLA and her budget comes from CILIP. Nothing could be clearer. This is special interest of a very particular kind. The 'review' of which she talks, will declaim the particular trade union view of library 'professionals' -- and it will, deceptively, carry the endorsement of an 'all party parliamentary group.
Don't be fooled! Not, I am, proud to say, that readers of this blog would be.
I and others could bribe a group of MP's to say that libraries should have more books in. It's just that we already pay our taxes and we hope, in a democracy, that our MP's will say it anyhow. And we can't afford to pay lobby money.
Of course, as in all these matters, I may be completely wrong, and if so, I apologise.
Posted by Perkins at 1:10 PM | Comments (1)
'Who is this Burnham Knucklehead?'
The Guardian has another big piece this morning and lots of comments to go with it already.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/11/britishidentity?commentpage=1
It's pretty clear what The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, the Camden New Journal and their readers all think, now of Mr Burnham and The Society of Chief Librarians etc. Burn'em is the imperative verb for the people, not the books.
Since 1997 we have had about 12 Ministers in the DCMS and not one of them has said ' Good collections of books and other reading and reference material and quiet, clean, safe space for dignified study are what is needed in Public Libraries, for people of all ages, circumstances and backgrounds. That is what makes them useful -and that is their contribution to the local community' We keep hoping. Until it happens it is left to a small, sleepy black cat to keep saying it for them.
Posted by Perkins at 10:25 AM | Comments (1)
October 10, 2008
'Burnham is to Library as Iceland is to Bank'
Even in these troubled times the major national newspapers and broadcasters have gone out of their way to condemn the thinking behind Andy Burnham's speech at the library conference this week. If he troubles to read them, they might give him pause for thought.
Last week The Times and this week The Independent, both in serious editorial pieces, were crystal clear in their damnation. Today it is the turn of The Guardian to pour ridicule on what the hapless Minister and his speech writer said and draw comparison with the financial crisis
The only people who seem to agree with Mr Burnham's odd view of public libraries are Roy Clare of the MLA, The Society of Chief Librarians and Michael Clarke and Flick Rae in Camden. That makes about 14 people in the whole country. Barbarians is the description the Guardian uses.
Posted by Perkins at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)
Conservative Councils
Very pleasing to see Ed Vaizey, the Conservative shadow minister endorsing the work in Hillingdon.
'The Government has launched a review, to be led by new Culture Minister Barbara Follett, into the future of libraries. This will look at how they can be made more relevant to modern life. Andy Burnham apparently wants libraries to be more like coffee shops with other services on offer. The Independent disagrees with this approach arguing that "old-fashioned library remains a welcome repository of calm" and that the suggested changes would mean some of the most conducive places for reading would be lost.
We certainly welcome the review, and believe that it is important that libraries adapt and change to provide services that are relevant to their local communities. There are many success stories, such as in Conservative-controlled Hillingdon, of local authorities renewing their library service while not dispensing with the essential ethos of libraries.
If any other Tory councils would like the same guidance as was given to Hillingdon, it is on offer from this site.
Posted by Perkins at 4:25 PM | Comments (3)
Warwickshire libraries face the axeman
Here is the story in the Coventry Telegraph.
Where is the Minister to help sort this out now? Where is CILIP to explain how the service could be run? Where is the MLA to provide its famously non existent help to councils about 'best practice'? Where is the regional MLA to provide local guidance? Where are the political leaders who will defend the branch libraries?
If only someone would ask for help-- it is perfectly possible to improve the Warwickshire library services without this kind of action.
It is worth fighting because once these libraries are closed, no remedy will ever open them again
Posted by Perkins at 3:21 PM | Comments (3)
In the Bay
If ever you cannot have a holiday, you only have to read this
'The sheep spread out into a fan. They were just clear of the summer colony before the first sleeper turned over and lifted a drowsy head; their cry sounded in the dreams of little children...who lifted their arms to drag down, to cuddle the darling little woolly lambs of sleep.
Then the first inhabitant appeared; it was the Burnells' cat Florrie, sitting on the gatepost, far too early as usual, looking for their milk-girl. When she saw the old sheep-dog she sprang up quickly, arched her back, drew in her tabby head, and seemed to give a little fastidious shiver. "Ugh! What a coarse, revolting creature!" said Florrie. But the old sheep-dog, not looking up, waggled past, flinging out his legs from side to side. Only one of his ears twitched to prove that he saw, and thought her a silly young female.
The breeze of morning lifted in the bush and the smell of leaves and wet black earth mingled with the sharp smell of the sea. Myriads of birds were singing. A goldfinch flew over the shepherd's head and, perching on the tiptop of a spray, it turned to the sun, ruffling its small breast feathers. And now they had passed the fisherman's hut, passed the charred-looking little whare where Leila the milk-girl lived with her old Gran.
The sheep strayed over a yellow swamp and Wag, the sheep-dog, padded after, rounded them up and headed them for the steeper, narrower rocky pass that led out of Crescent Bay and towards Daylight Cove.'
It is by Katherine Mansfield - and this morning is dedicated to the library campaigners in Brighton, Hove and Rottingdean, to offer to the councillor who might never have read it.
Posted by Perkins at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
More letters in the Camden New Journal
For the third week running the people of the borough are complaining loudly about the nutcase plans devsied for public libraries by Michael Clarke and Councillor Flick Rae
Mrs Rae (who is a nice person) is not answering Perkins' invitations for a meeting!
Posted by Perkins at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
Insulting library users, librarians, authors, publishers, quangoes and fish and chip shops
From a library user this morning
"We are all desperate for each new Minister to know what a library is supposed to be, Perkins, but this one has been quicker than most to show that she doesn't.
"Everyone has the right to first-class libraries, wherever they live. No-one should have to put up with a lacklustre service, inward-looking and appealing only to its 'regulars'," says Mrs Follett in almost her first statement.
This starts off all right, but then insults her entire customer-base: we long-suffering 'regulars'.
Worse than that, it looks as if she is going to make the same mistake as her recent predecessors, by ignoring what the actual users want, and acquiescing to the likes of Sue MacKenzie who hope to convert our libraries into something else, with the distorted aim of attracting any visitors at any cost (a past Minister having decided that visits were a better measure of chief librarian’s kudos than lending books).
We regular book-borrowers don’t seem to get the same respect that other “minority groups” get these days. It’s ironic that one of the few institutions that has to be “communal”, by definition, is in danger of being abandoned by a governing party which once wanted almost everything to be provided by State authorities.'
Yesterday was a day for insulting people. In this piece recorded in the Daily Mirror, the Minister was incredibly rude about the people who work in libraries.
And in this piece on the dcms website he was incredibly rude about the British Publishing industry when he says
'Learning, literacy and the written word will always be the heartbeat of the service, but there’s much that can be done in addition to make them come alive for generations to come. There are some incredibly interesting things going on in our public libraries, far removed from the stereotype of dusty books and silence, that we should celebrate'
Suddenly, too, Lyn Brown MP announced that she, too was to hold a review into public libraries, by being extraordinarily damning about the MLA and calling for it 'to be disbanded as a prototype that could not prove fit for our current purpose'
I suppose you could add that someone was very rude about fish and chip shops, too- but we didn't mean it.
Posted by Perkins at 6:37 AM | Comments (0)
October 9, 2008
Laugh with Lambeth
Here is the Evening Standard report about the Lambeth Library walk that came up last week.
Posted by Perkins at 9:51 PM | Comments (0)
October 7, 2008
A new minister
In case you haven't spotted it the Bookseller reports and the DCMS website confirms
'Barbara Follett has been appointed the minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, taking over from Margaret Hodge. Follett, who is MP for Stevenage, is married to bestselling novelist Ken Follett.
Andy Burnham's role as secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport has been unaffected by Gordon Brown's Cabinet reshuffle. '
Let us hope this is good news. The advice of this blog to new ministers has always been-- use your position to show leadership and insist that libraries are about books and reading, foremost. Listen to your experience and instinct and don't listen to the Society of Chief Librarians, who are only interested in their honours.
Your officers will tell you that you have no power-- but that is not a correct assessment. You are in a tremendously influential position; what you say matters enormously. Say 'Books' .
Good luck.
(and, by the way, the last two ministers were briefed completely wrongly on the figures for the public library service and both of them made fools of themselves within a few weeks, one in Parliament and the other in The Observer. Be wary of the man with the numbers, he's a an oaf)
Posted by Perkins at 9:01 AM | Comments (0)
October 4, 2008
The destruction of British public lending libraries
CIPFA figures reveal that in the ten years from 1996/7 to 2006/7 lending of books by public libraries to the adult population in the UK fell from 8.2 books each year per person to 4.5 books each year. This is a fall of 45%
(During that period funding of public libraries rose by 7% above the rate of inflation)
In 2004 The National Literacy Trust quoted Richard Morrison :
"More people than ever are reading for pleasure: 65% (according to a survey in June 04) compared with 55% in 1979. But now most prefer to buy their own books, rather than borrow. There are many reasons behind this change ranging from frustration at the petty bureaucracy of library borrowing to the booktrade's adoption of Hollywood's marketing techniques to the simple fact that many bookshops are open when libraries are shut."
Whatever the intention of 'Framework for the Future' and its attempts to broaden the appeal of public libraries, at no point did anyone in Government or in the population ask that our public libraries reduce the service of lending books; but they have. It would have been, and still is, perfectly possible to modernise libraries so that they participate in this national growth in and enjoyment of reading and to eliminate these 'petty bureaucracies' and practices which act as an impediment to popularity. But no, instead, this destruction of one of the great library lending services has been entirely and deliberately brought about under the leadership of those Chief Librarians who decided in private conclave to advocate and undertake it. It was they who decided to play down the role of lending books in libraries. They are the ones who constantly proclaim that libraries are 'no longer just about books' and so-saying focus their attention on other activities. They accounted to no one while it was being done. They had no right to do it and it was wrong. It needs to be reversed.
This is what The Minister, Andy Burnham, and Roy Clare of the MLA should tell the annual libraries conference next week. We have been victims of a sad breach of trust and the wisdom of that trust has to be questioned. They should call for an urgent change of direction, as I do.
Posted by Perkins at 9:29 AM | Comments (1)
October 3, 2008
Fringe Meeting in Liverpool
Everyone who is in Liverpool for the Annual Library Conference next week is welcome to a meeting on Wednesday 8th October at 5pm at the Premier Inn Hotel on Albert Dock, not far from the conference hotel
Tim Coates will propose what he believes councils and library authorities need to do to improve their reputation and the use of their public libraries. He will also discuss the work that has been undertaken by and is in progress in the London Borough of Hillingdon and other councils. He welcomes all views and the opportunity to discuss all these matters.
Posted by Perkins at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
Greenwich plans to close its libraries
The Evening Standard last night reported that the London Borough of Greenwich has drawn up plans to close some of its libraries.
Greenwich is already the second meanest council among the boroughs of inner London for its funding of the library service. Because of the way it is managed it is also the inner London borough in which book lending from public libraries has declined more than in any other. The number of loans to adults is less than half of the number it was just ten years ago.
The Bookseller reported that last year over 70 public libraries closed across the country. This looks like the start of a new wave.
Residents of Greenwich will draw strength from the experienced campaign groups across London, who are familiar with the tactics to employ.
The first thing to do is to name the councillors who sit on the cabinet of the council. The decision is theirs.
Here is a piece on the same subject on another site
One wonders who the council officers were who prepared these proposals. Councillors can give direction, but they don't analyse detail- somebody else has done that.
Posted by Perkins at 9:27 AM | Comments (1)
October 2, 2008
Camden New Journal prints more letters about libraries
This week's paper contains most of another page of letters objecting to the plan to turn public libraries into fish and chip shops.
This brings forth a word about the London Libraries Development Agency (the LLDA). This was a quango invented in London about 5 years ago which was a waste of money from the day it started. Public libraries in London, in general, have become irrelevant to two generations. Only a few boroughs out of the 32, have begun now to address all the reasons why this is true.
The LLDA, latterly under the direction of Michael Clarke, Lynn Brown MP and then Councillor Flick Rae, failed utterly to diagnose problems, admit that there were issues and then deal with them. Of all the many wastages of money and effort by this government over the last ten years in the field of public libraries, this was one of the obvious ones. It had no policy, no purpose and no direction. It achieved little except considerable expenditure of public funds.
Minutes of the meetings of the Society of Chief Librarians (see below) reveal that quietly without admission, this public body has been allowed to fade away.
However residents of Camden learn to their horror that Councillor Rae has had the nerve to appoint Michael Clarke as head of the library service in Camden. One wonders if this is legal, but as these letters show, it is certainly a disaster.
And, by the way, if anyone deserves an honour for their work on public libraries, it is not any Chief Librarian (see below) , but it is Alan Templeton, the author of the first letter in this week's set.
Posted by Perkins at 9:33 PM | Comments (0)
Perkins is to be honoured
At last here is good news in these gloomy times.
Minutes of the regular meetings of the Society of Chief Librarians reveal that not only is the society and its chair in constant contact with the Honours secretary of the DCMS (did you know there was such a person?) - but that the committee will also undertake to write the necessary citation for approval.
The pursuit of Honours for Chief Librarians and other worthies is deemed to be the main priority and a 'standing item for the agenda'
Perkins feels certain that, if this is what working in the public library service is all about, she will soon be the recipient of a major award. Which only leaves the practical question of how does a small black cat curtsey?
(Thank you to the esteemed reader who has sent me the minutes of the SCL meetings. I laughed from beginning to end! Remind me - who is paying for all this, and why?)
Posted by Perkins at 8:57 PM | Comments (0)
October 1, 2008
Librarygate: The phantom libraries of Lambeth and the Audit Commission
Readers of this blog will know that however bad your own library service is there is nothing so bad as that of the London Borough of Lambeth.. Moreover after laughable and long reviews during which nothing was achieved except miles of meaningless ink dribbled onto acres of paper, the service never got better nor looked as if it would.
Indeed the elevation of the chief Finance Officer of Lambeth to the heights of the 'Better Stock Better Libraries' Project Board of the MLA served only to turn to spotlight of incompetent management onto both bodies at the same time. Last year the Audit Commission presented a prize to Lambeth in recognition of something to do with their public libraries-- rock bands or something.
Nevertheless tonight's story in the South London Press exceeds all others for inanity-- do not be surprised by anything you read. This is the same Lambeth (and the same Audit Commission) about which we have written so often. Search for them both in the box to your right.
The truth behind this story is that Lambeth council have known for 6 years that the opening hours of the public libraries in the borough fall short of any standard that has been set by a long way. Instead of tackling the problem in the normal human way (by opening the libraries for longer), they have evaded the issue, made excuses to their residents, blamed the government and everyone in it and managed the situation in the most appalling manner possible. Let's hope their hopelessness is made public and humiliates all those involved.
Posted by Perkins at 6:15 PM | Comments (2)
Camden New Journal
The Camden New Journal is a terrific local free paper. It is worthy of the area in which it operates.
Here is the letters page in response to the recent articles about the council's new plan for libraries.
Posted by Perkins at 8:42 AM | Comments (0)