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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 October 31, 2008 9:03 AM
Comments
Actually, it's Caroline Moss-Gibbons. Moss Evans was the late, great, general secretary of the TGWU.
You see, though you may despise librarians, we do have our uses, not least as fact checkers.
Posted by: Tom Roper at November 4, 2008 8:45 AM
Thanks Tom and apologies to Caroline. I shall change the entry
I don't despise librarians at all but I urge better management of public libraries and wish librarians would embrace the subject more openly and fully. I am for ever offering to discuss the subject and no one will. Can you help bring about a dialogue?
Posted by: Tim Coates at November 4, 2008 10:29 AM