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December 26, 2009
"Political Correctness"
For a television programme I have been asked to compile ridiculous examples of political correctness in the public library service.
An example would be the library service who closed several libraries claiming they needed the money to fund an outreach programme. Another would be the national prize given to a library service for holding rock concerts in their libraries.
Submissions would be most welcome
Very happy Christmas and New Year to all visitors to this blog. From the comments made here and on other campaigners' websites and in the press, I think we have saved over 200 libraries from closure in the past two or three years. Councillors now think twice, and twice again, before proposing closures. Many managers of quangoes, national ministries and councils have lost their jobs because of the comments made. What we need to do now is to restore the book collections to the quality that is needed.
Posted by Perkins at December 26, 2009 10:20 AM
Comments
Yes, it can all sometimes feel dispiriting - such as the time this fall when I asked a Brighton and Hove councillor a Public Question about music libraries, and, by way of a reply, was challenged to a duel.
What I very much hope is that henceforth we can see a return to the word reader rather than that patronising, appallingly mercantile one of "customer".
Public libraries should be a refuge from the forces of the mall.
If, however, public libraries are allowed to dwindle, then we could see a rise of private- membership libraries around the country. People who have built up good libraries of their own could feel inspired to bequeath them to join them with other collectors'for the benefit of people who are have had more than enough of the public authorities' patronsising and ignorant attitude.
At first it seemed a bit of a joke when a councillor challenged me to a duel in Brighton and Hove, but he more I think about it, the more I realise that such an attitude is the one which which brought Fascism into being.
We have to be vigiliant. Liberty - being able to browse books at will - cannot be taken for granted.
Posted by: Christopher Hawtree at December 27, 2009 11:59 PM
If we can include "dumbing down" as a branch of PC, I wince with pain when I see yet another library service has invented its own "simple" categories for its non-fiction. I agree browsing is a pleasure, but do we need to negotiate an obstacle-course just to find a book they've hidden somewhere?
In the interest of dragging from the streets the imagined Great Unread, even well-labelled Dewey-ordered shelves are thought by management to be too off-putting ... just as are "walls of books".
Posted by: No Brain at December 28, 2009 2:30 PM