Libraries have been all over the news recently and, inevitably, it's bad news. In these tough economic times, the Coalition Government will not be making funding available to keep many public libraries operating in the future.
There are numerous news sources covering the finer points of the cuts and what they might mean, in particularly stark detail here for example, but the below map of potential public library closures provides a quick overview of the sad scale of the threat.
View Public Library Closures in the UK in a larger map
There's wide coverage online of the inevitable and essential protests too, with author Phillip Pullman, amongst others, taking up the fight, and I particularly liked this impressive act from the residents of Stony Stratford which displays a quiet, dignified defiance.
I expect it's also the inspiration for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), Save Our Libraries Day, a call to the general public to unite on the 5th February and check-out as many books from their local public library as possible in protest at the Government's proposed actions.
Quite apart from David Cameron's insult to library professionals in believing they can adequately be replaced by un-paid volunteers, I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that libraries not only act as a civilising beacon in our society but also provide a focal point for the local community and most importantly, as stated in CILIP's Guidelines on Public Library Provision, provide "equality of opportunity".
I guess it's a particularly emotive subject for me, reflected as it is in my own personal workplace battle to salvage the Institute's library collection - a battle which still remains somewhat in the balance - and which is coming to a head over the next couple of weeks.
Although my persistent argument for maintaining the physical library in-house for Members has fallen on death ears, I still hope that the collection will be donated en masse to a suitable recipient and we'll be able to supply online access to a vast wealth of material going forwards instead.
It hasn't made a day spent clearing out unwanted stock any easier however, and I'd be lying if I didn't feel the weight of history bearing down upon me - since 1889 this learned society has had a library and I'm the man on watch when it's lost.
There's a certain poignancy therefore to the small protest I will be making by borrowing books from my local library on Saturday. Perhaps in some way it will make up for a certain helplessness I've felt at work.
Either way, I feel the need to backup the promise I made to myself when deciding to join the Labour Party at the end of last year. Rather than simply donating my few pounds a month, I'll be taking positive action in the best way I know how.....by reading books.
There are numerous news sources covering the finer points of the cuts and what they might mean, in particularly stark detail here for example, but the below map of potential public library closures provides a quick overview of the sad scale of the threat.
View Public Library Closures in the UK in a larger map
There's wide coverage online of the inevitable and essential protests too, with author Phillip Pullman, amongst others, taking up the fight, and I particularly liked this impressive act from the residents of Stony Stratford which displays a quiet, dignified defiance.
I expect it's also the inspiration for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), Save Our Libraries Day, a call to the general public to unite on the 5th February and check-out as many books from their local public library as possible in protest at the Government's proposed actions.
Quite apart from David Cameron's insult to library professionals in believing they can adequately be replaced by un-paid volunteers, I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that libraries not only act as a civilising beacon in our society but also provide a focal point for the local community and most importantly, as stated in CILIP's Guidelines on Public Library Provision, provide "equality of opportunity".
***
I guess it's a particularly emotive subject for me, reflected as it is in my own personal workplace battle to salvage the Institute's library collection - a battle which still remains somewhat in the balance - and which is coming to a head over the next couple of weeks.
Although my persistent argument for maintaining the physical library in-house for Members has fallen on death ears, I still hope that the collection will be donated en masse to a suitable recipient and we'll be able to supply online access to a vast wealth of material going forwards instead.
It hasn't made a day spent clearing out unwanted stock any easier however, and I'd be lying if I didn't feel the weight of history bearing down upon me - since 1889 this learned society has had a library and I'm the man on watch when it's lost.
There's a certain poignancy therefore to the small protest I will be making by borrowing books from my local library on Saturday. Perhaps in some way it will make up for a certain helplessness I've felt at work.
Either way, I feel the need to backup the promise I made to myself when deciding to join the Labour Party at the end of last year. Rather than simply donating my few pounds a month, I'll be taking positive action in the best way I know how.....by reading books.
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