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October 28, 2008
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 October 28, 2008 9:56 AM