| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:New Book Donations to Brentford Library are being refused WHY??? | |
| Posted by: | Hazel Dakers | |
| Date/Time: | 25/09/10 14:25:00 |
A friend once sent me a tremendous article - amazingly I think it was in Readers Digest! - about Bill Gates being inspired by his local library as a child and helped by the librarian. Public libraries grew out of the old working mens institutes - places for people to learn who did not have formal education and wanted to self-educate. Eventually the Penny Rate was added to the local rates (now replaced by Council Tax) to pay for public libraries for all. Over the last 30 years they have been squeezed and squeezed. Laing have obviously taken over the running of Hounslow Libraries because they believe it to be a viable business proposition. I have no problem with this if we the public receive the quality of service that we need and are willing to pay for - important point whether we are willing to pay more council tax for a better service. However regardless of the senior management behind public libraries I believe that we are best served by well qualified staff. Are you aware that the Local Studies Dept of Chiswick Library which serves the whole of the Eastern end of the Borough is only open two days a week thanks to volunteers, one of whom is the retired Local Studies Librarian? Staff in this area were slashed quite some years ago, just when local and family history were becoming phenomenally growing hobbies keeping retirees off the streets and mentally active! Hazel Dakers |