The future of public libraries was the topic of ABC Radio National’s Bookshow program on Thursday 12 June. You can download the audio or listen to the program for the next couple of weeks.

Here’s their outline:

Public libraries in New South Wales have threatened to charge for services if they don’t get more funding. Library users continually say they want more books and more book-based programs, but would a fee-for-service be too high a price to pay for improved resources?

During the course of this week The Book Show asked for your thoughts on public libraries and why they are important - and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response. The majority view has been that libraries are an incredibly valuable community resource, that they deserve better treatment from government - and that forcing library users to pay for services would be a retrograde step.

Guests

Jan Richards - Secretary of the country NSW branch of Public Libraries Australia and also library manager for Central West libraries NSW, based in Orange.

Andrew Finegan - performer and librarian at two libraries: the Darwin City Council library and the Northern Territory Library.

Jill Bartholemeusz - librarian at the Athenaeum subscription library in Melbourne.

Audrey Semons - member of the Great Lakes library friends group, NSW.

Jan, Andrew and Jill did a great job, with a conversation that ranged over paying for best sellers, librarians’ qualifications, the role of libraries in childrens’ lives and functional literacy.