| Topic: | Re:Save the libraries | |
| Posted by: | Hazel Dakers | |
| Date/Time: | 15/01/11 00:51:00 |
| It was perfectly obvious that after 4 years of maintaining council tax at its existing levels, a fifth such year promised that services would slide and the users of those services suffer. A modest increase in Council Tax after holding it for several years, could have saved a great many services and prevented the quality of life for Hounslow residents from deteriorating. Traditionally the most popular local services in the UK have been rubbish collection and libraries.Originally funded by a Penny Rate they were created to primarily benefit those for whom times were hard. Often they grew out of Working Men's Institutes. There are plenty of people for whom this hardship is real now and yet public libraries are seen as easy prey by local politicians seeking to hold down Council Tax despite the central government cutbacks. This is irresponsible of Hounslow Council. Google will lead the searcher to a plethora of unmonitored sites on most topics sought. Any fool can put up a website purporting to inform on any topic whether or not the site owner has knowledge or not. By contrast a public library with a professionally selected range of stock will have chosen their books and other information media to take into account the standing of the authors and editors ie for their credibility. I expanded my range of reading from the ages of about 10-14 with the guidance of the local Children's Librarian. My own children were guided in their early project homeworks by a Children's Librarian. Sadly, such posts rarely exist now. Our public libraries have been systematically weakened over the last 20 years or so. Whereas every branch would have a professionally qualified librarian in charge and a similarly qualified children's librarian focusing on the children's library, now it is rare for such qualified staff to be based in branches. Library managers may come from any background. When the users are lucky, their branch staff may have taken paraprofessional qualifications such as NVQs and the requisite training. Sadly this is all too rare. Professional posts have dwindled to those of managers of the overall service usually based at the Central Library or a sub headquarters. What has Hounslow done about this? In past downturns, the unemployed have been able to check the vacancies advertisements in newspapers at the local library. People of all ages have used the library as a starting point for planning a career or a new career. Aspirant entrepreneurs have made their first steps in research towards starting up businesses at the local library. Children have been encouraged to read for fun - not all of whom would have the money for books at home. Older people are kept young in spirit by researching the history of their families or their localities in the Local Studies Library - so reducing the local GPs lists! People with disabilities or small children for whom travel is difficult have been able to walk to their local branch - in cities at any rate. Is there really no particular need for these activities now? Is it surprising that the consultation chart entitled stock transactions indicate low demand for Local Studies? Two sites, one kept open largely by volunteers twice a week. The other at the Central Library manned by a library assistant. The two departments in the care of a single qualified and paid local studies librarian. Older people tend to use Local Studies and many older people need their library facilities an easy walk from home - like mothers with young children. Is it surprising that Felthan, Hounslow and Chiswick fare well in the charts? They have always been supplied with greater resources than any of the other libraries. Time to give the others a decent share of resources and just see how the charts change! However, not one of these does as well as Brentford - in terms of overall satisfaction. Brentford tops them all yet remains on the list threatened with closure. Gone are the days when local councillors like Thomas Layton were proud to create high quality and much needed services to the community. Our current councillors should feel shame for so recklessly destroying services that have taken 100 years and more to develop. Bring back that Penny Rate (or its modern equivalent) properly ring-fenced to maintain our public libraries! Hazel Dakers |