public library closures in the UK that is. As I understand, despite parliamentary select committees and numerous initiatives, costs of the library service keep rising, while book stocks are decreasing and the public are becoming disenchanted with their public libraries, and the result has been lots of library closures. This article in the Times last week said the age of the public library is over…and Tim Coates of the Good Library Blog and a report a couple of years ago on what was wrong with public library management puts the blame of library management and professional librarians. Is there anyone doing any research on this situation?
am i the only one interested in this?
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October 30, 2006 at 09:10
sorry, forgot to post the links:
Good Library Blog Tim Coates
http://www.goodlibraryguide.com/blog/
The personal library: now theres an idea (Times article)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-2421353,00.html
October 30, 2006 at 20:52
I don’t think you’re the only one interested in this, Fran. I think there are still communities where public libraries are thriving and much valued by their users, but there are others where the libraries are struggling… Maintaining our relevance and usefulness to our communities is something that all sectors of librarianship need to be considering, and not just public libraries. We can’t take our roles and positions for granted.
I’m sure there are no simple answers, and I definitely think this is something that not only needs research, but action! Any comments from others? What do you think we should be doing? Thanks for the post.
October 31, 2006 at 01:39
You’re not the only one interested–it’s been covered in LISNews, for example–but it’s distinctly a UK story. What CW says is right, to be sure, and always has been right–but I’m not sure how librarians in the U.S. or Australia or Singapore are going to do much about the UK library scene. (My opinion of Coates’ operation shall remain my own, particularly since I try to maintain civil language on the web–and because I don’t know enough about UK libraries.)
October 31, 2006 at 08:03
i think it would make a fascinating case study. is the problem that the changes in last ten years re internet have just been too much for public libraries to cope with? What weight should be placed on the relationship between local authorities and professional bodies in this situation? What about the situation where costs keep rising but the system still cant keep up with the needs of its user base? I read the report Tim Coates did on public libraries, Who’s in charge and found it very interesting from a management perspective..As a history major Im a bit more sanguine about change…if libraries disappear in their current form well thats another interesting thing to study:) Personally I have never had access to all the sources I would like, going back to the Alexandria debacle….
http://www.bede.org.uk/library.htm