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July 24, 2010
The library in which I work
From Aidan Smith in response to a previous piece about 'library access points'
I cannot speak for the libraries in the rest of the country but the library in which I work (south Manchester), provides so much more than just it's books. In this area, the library is a fundamental part of a community with many half-way houses, homeless shelters, drug and alcohol rehab units, shelters for victims of spousal abuse (I think you get the idea).
To marginalise the quality of the service in areas like this one is to take away from the people who need it most the opportunity for autodidactic education, advice on benefits, immigration and unemployment issues, as well as regular contact with their M.P. and councillors. The library also creates a feeling of community which can be so easily compromised in areas high in street crime and unemployment.
Also, I wonder if Mr Cameron would be prepared to work eight days straight, accept verbal abuse, threats of violence, mop the bathroom, clean-up vomit and eject male-prostitutes from the toilet , all while his union tries to secure him a permanent contract (in keeping with employment law). Admittedly, these are not all daily occurances but things my colegues and I have done. I love my job and know there are much harder ones but I don't think we would see many people do these things cheerfully and for no remuneration.
Something tells me that this policy may be more viable in Oxford or Cambridge and tory la-la-land than for the majority of areas in the country.
Posted by Perkins at July 24, 2010 12:42 PM