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July 11, 2010
Turnips
I see that the Society of Chief Librarians has pledged that they will provide digital access to half a million people who don't have it, over the next two years. Or something like that
I'm sure that if the Government said that everyone ought to eat more turnips (if they haven't said it already) the Society of Chief Librarians would promise that the public libraries of England will play their part in providing free turnips for everyone who wants them
One day, perhaps, the Society will realise that the public library service doesn't belong to them and before they devote their energy and our funding to whatever initiative happens to be passing by on the bus, they need to balance their priorities and be clear what it is we pay them to do.
And even then, they might respond, as they have been asked so often, to the plea from people and parliament, to the request that they devote a bit more time and money to putting books in libraries-- which is what most people actually want them to do. Or opening the ones that are closed, or cutting their overhead costs -- or any of the things that are really important to improvement of the public library service.
Even those of us with short memories can recall that a few months ago the SCL announced that a library card can be used in any library in the country. This puzzled everybody, especially those who tried to see if it was true. This is called 'promising the whatever comes to mind in order to get a headline'
No one denies that people need to learn how to use computers. But people also need to have books to read and looking in my local libraries you would hardly believe that that is much of a priority at all these days. There are other ways (and other precious budgets) to teach all kinds of things. Librarians are only so good at teaching; teachers are better, . The balance is wrong.
Posted by Perkins at July 11, 2010 7:45 PM
Comments
The man in the street would expect Librarians to defend the importance of books. It is very strange that they do not. They have lost their way.
Posted by: Shirley Burnham at July 14, 2010 5:32 AM
Shirley, I think you will find that many librarians are now so fearful of losing their jobs that they dare not put their head above the parapet and speak out!!!!
Posted by: ex librarian at July 19, 2010 6:39 AM
Dear ex-Librarian : those who represent the profession should have been verbal LONG before this crisis came to a head. Chartered Librarians have kept very quiet about the value of those in the front line when they had countless opportunities to show solidarity. Senior ones, when asked to cut their budget, targeted the front line, terrifying Library Assistants for years (who don't, correct me if I'm wrong, have superb pensions, decent redundancy terms etc) Front line staff were not attacked by some invisible enemy, but in many cases by their own Service. The 'Terror' has now spread and everyone is caught up in it. It is time to unite, stick out tens of thousands of heads above the parapet and challenge the philistines to cut them all off, if they dare. Otherwise they will just lop here, lop there, with impunity.
Posted by: Shirley Burnham at July 26, 2010 7:48 AM
Dear Shirley, Few 'librarians' are 'Senior'. 'Senior Management' in my experience, implement whatever policies appeal to the politicians because they are ambitious, caring more about their careers than the service.
When I was a librarian, myself and my colleagues valued library assistants highly. A large number of us were made redundant because we did not agree with the direction in which senior managers were taking the service. We were replaced by non-professionals.
The need to find further employment means I have to be careful about being 'verbal' because I need references. There are very few jobs for Chartered Librarians.
However I do agree with you that it is time to unite, BUT unite around which group? We need one massive campaign to have most impact.
By the way, I greatly admire all the work you have done and continue to do.
Posted by: ex-librarian at July 29, 2010 8:50 AM
Dear Shirley and ex-librarian,
I don't have to be careful about being 'verbal.' I AM willing to stick my head up and stick it to the service, and in light of your comments above I am seriously wondering if we literally should march, if not on London, around London? I've been saying something along these lines for years and now wonder if this really is the only solution. One thing I can guarantee - leave it to the robot ant boys in power and all you'll get is ever more woolly maunderings. Not only that, I have little doubt that libraries will be first in line for those savage public spending cuts (aren't they always?) brought to you by the same wonderful people who brought us a new Culture Secretary every 18 months or so, so it may well be that if we do nothing now, irreparable damage to the library service will take place VERY soon!
Seriously, any ideas about whom to unite around and when? I wouldn't even be above dressing up as Batman and scaling the Houses of Parliament...
Posted by: James Christie at July 30, 2010 3:08 PM