by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Library numbers down - UNISON response
On the day that GCSE results came out, UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector union, has been warning that falling footfall in libraries is a worrying trend, sparked off by service cuts and closures, that will hit students of tomorrow hard.
The union called on local people to get behind their libraries, or risk losing the service, which is not protected by ring-fenced funding, and is seen as a soft target for cuts.
Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said: “Libraries are a fantastic local service. They give people free access to education and support, including the young and elderly, provide a hub for communities, and help millions of people to discover the joy of reading. Many young people getting their GCSE results today would have used their local library to study.
“It is worrying to see library footfall going down, but many councils have been under-investing in this vital service for years. Spending on new books, and the total book stock has fallen by more than 15% over the last ten years.
“Libraries are set to be hit by massive cuts, following the Comprehensive Spending Review. Many councils are already drawing up plans to close libraries down, to replace trained staff with volunteers or to stop providing mobile library services altogether.
“Running local libraries into the ground will have a devastating impact on local communities. UNISON is reiterating its call for local people to get behind their library service. The union is also calling on the government to put a statutory duty onto local councils, setting out the library service they have to provide. Well trained librarians, as well as investment in books, is crucial to making libraries attractive places for people to visit.”
However, having recently dealt with a local library in regards to finding a particular book, an antique that, according to people in the know, is in the collection of the library concerned with the librarian having absolutely no idea about the book and the persona was not very helpful either.
While talking to them I then ran the name and details of the book through a Internet search engine and found the entire book for download as a PDF from Google Books.
Is it therefore surprising that people are not using libraries? Some while back I tried to use the computers at a local library and was told that, without a passport, I was not permitted to do so and that in very rude terms. I was not going to try too take the PCs with me and neither was I trying to travel abroad via the computer.
This is just aside from the fact that, in all truth and honesty, no one in the UK is permitted to ask to see your passport bar a police officer or an immigration officer. In addition to that the Department of Works and Pension, when you apply for benefits, for instance, as means of ID. But the library for using a computer – NO.
The local councils who run the libraries must ensure that the librarians are not little Hitlers for otherwise people will leave and find another way to get their books and there are already online services about that even lend books.
There are two issues here and we need to get the balance right...
© 2010
