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January 2, 2012
Despair about public libraries in England
I was brought up, educated, as a scientist. At the time I was at school children were encouraged to declare a preference for either science or arts at the age of about fourteen- and being able at that age at mathematics and physics - I easily chose science because those were the subjects in which I got my best marks.
I only really discovered reading for myself when I left school early and went to work as an apprentice in a northern city. To be honest I was lonely and too young to have been sent to work in what was a tough environment. I hid in the evenings, because I was unable to be social.
I went to the library and brought home piles of hardback books, most of which I had no idea at all what they would be. That started a life long compulsion. Even though I then took two degrees in scientific subjects and initially worked in telecomnmunications, my solace and my comfort were then and are now reading. I am also obsessive about music. i don't know why these two pleasures came to matter so much, but they have
I went to bookselling because, curiously, at that time, it presented the opporunity to do both two things I enjoy - reading and being analytical.
My interest in libraries came the same way- I have always believed they could be so much better - if they are thought about properly and operated correctly
But they aren't- and after a decade of trying to say how easily they could be improved, I have more or less given up. I understand why they aren't improved, but the reasons are now untacklable. I don't think anything can save them. The problems aren't really about money - they are actually much easier than an absence of funding. They are, as Philip Pullman recently said, about stupidity.
The real failure I believe, and have said many times, is to understand what libraries are for. And if those responsible for them don't have a clear and correct view of that ,there is no chance of rescue or redemption.
I can't see anything more that can be done, The library service in England will collapse, slowly and painfully. Some people will be able to have ready access to an abundance of literature that they do not know about, as I did; and many people won't.
We won't be a happier or better society- we won't. And I hate to leave behind a problem unsolved - especially when I have found the solution - and yet failed to persuade people to listen to it.
There are other things to do now.
Posted by Perkins at January 2, 2012 8:23 PM
Comments
You are very vague about what you think is wrong with libraries that you believe is irremediable. Can you point me to where you have said what you think is wrong with our understanding of what they are for?
Posted by: Elizabeth at January 3, 2012 10:56 AM
If you have ideas why not share them now with people who don't have enough information but are concerned.
Posted by: Cliff Hope (@cliffjim) at January 3, 2012 11:41 AM