Gloucester libraries on channel 4 news

It was with some interest I saw Friends of Gloucester Libraries was on channel 4 news. The news discussed The High Court issues an injunction against Gloucestershire County Council over library closures. I did also get to see the delightful conservative leader Mark Hawthorne complaining about it.

The decline of the British public library.........

Its pretty sad to see that our elected representative rarely listening to their constituency (but hardly surprising). Therefore, it was sad to read that the good work that Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries. Seems that the 42% cut in the Library budget is been steamrollered through. The response to these closures by some (tory) councillors beggers belief when they were confronted by the effect they would have on a rural community to a :-

“I have read with interest. I do not intend to reply in detail”

Hopefully there maybe some way around this, but it seems not.

By the way, I would like to add to Gary Green's post, when he says the following:-

I’m.....upset about Gloucestershire – I have seen the campaign grow since the first day Johanna Anderson (Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries) highlighted the plans that had been announced on the This Is Gloucestershire site (August 2010, I think) and I have seen the many of the ups and downs. In fact, seeing what was going on in Gloucestershire played an important part in my joining Voices For The Library.

I know this is no consolation for Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries campaigners and all involved, but I have great admiration for all they have tried to do. They deserved so much better than this result.

Jo and the rest have done a fantastic job in attempting to stop the closures. Its cold comfort none the less.

Good Library blog.....missing the point.....as usual

I'm always interested in what Tim Coates Good library blog says. Sometimes I will agree with him, but not very often. But as I'm often to quote F.Scott Fitzgerald statement:-

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.

So I read with interest the post If these libraries were any good councils wouldn't be closing them

The piece is just full of so many defiecencies and sweeping generalisations. His statements such as thus:-

If they were all as good as the good ones then councils and councillors wouldn't think of closing them.

Sorry? So councillors are closing these libraries because they are rubbish then? Councillors are just nice people with no political agenda? Sorry, a councillor usually becomes a councillor for political reasons Mr Coates (not all the times, but they do have a political agenda).

He then proceeds to blame public library closures on librarians saying:-

public libraries, they have an awful lot to answer for, and instead of looking in my direction, it would be better if they faced and tackled their own problems.

So, lets look at these two points again. Councillors are nice people, just trying to get rid of the crud in the local area? So when Johanna Bo Anderson's Blog pointed out in a post entitled Librarians Gagged that was not the councillors trying to stop freedom of speech? Or how about this post here, where three middle aged librarians where physically accosted for being on library property, because they were protesting against there terms and conditions that were being pushed on them?

His second point that libraries (and librarians I assume) have created this problem because we are only interested in digital formats rather than books an buildings is rubbish. Sorry Tim, some users want digital formats as well as books. He also seems to indicate that librarians have done nothing to help themselves but follow a policy of futerism, not caring about reading and books etc and therefore are deserving of losing there roles. Well, sorry Tim many librarians (who don't work in public libraries) are trying to stop the cultural vandalism of the present government with advocacy sites like Voices for the Library.

Christ, I left a comment on his post, but he has yet to answer. Oh well, thats a change?

Advocacy in full effect

In my previous post I commented on The Observer article. Well seems the comment section has been pretty busy. In this section people like Phil Bradley , SimonXIX and IJClark responding some of the critics and queries about libraries and closures. Adocacy in full effect.

Voices for the Library gets beyond the echo chamber

After going to the Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event, and listening to what both Ned and Jo talked about getting beyond the echo. At the talk Jo discussed that Voices of the library she volunteers on was getting some press coverage. Well, seems this weekend thats proven Without libraries, we will lose a mark of our civilisation in the observer, in which they are quoted.
But then, as Jo knows the only reason an academic librarian tries to keep public libraries open is like, turkeys at christmas, as someone told her once.

Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event part.4 (conclusion)

So. How was the evening? Well, pretty damn good. I came away from the event feeling totally revitalised and feeling pretty glad what I do. Meeting people like Gary Green, Phil Bradley, Laura, Jo bo Anderson and Bethan Ruddock actually did make feel embarrassed at how little I have done in comparison. It might just push me to do more.
BUT. In response to Ned and Laura, I do say this. Both seemed to be critical of the echo chamber. The echo chamber has its problems. Agreed. But without that echo chamber how would those two groups from the evening of come together. Also echo chambers can act as a meme to users (which I think is a good thing?)
Finally, I should point out Laura has put up a post on the event here.

Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event part.1

This evening I went to Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏. I got there in good time and meet Gary Green and Jo Bo Anderson (apologies for my directions the previous night). We started on time and were presented to the people who worked at City Business Library (whose name I could not remember). All very nice.
Anyhow, the event started with Bethan Ruddock and Jo Bo Anderson. It was suppose to start with Ned and Laura Woods were supposed to start the event, bit Ned was in traffic from Leeds with a 3 month old child (I think most people would call that hell).
Bethan and Jo discussed there work on Voices for the Library which is trying to put public libraries on the map. It started on twitter with a hashtag of #pling. A group of librarians felt that public librarians were under attack and started using social media to contact each other. The group started on twitter and discussed the website and had it up by September of this year. They felt the need for speed to get there message out. They did this all via social media (whoops, repetition). Anyhow, it was mentioned this was the first time four of the group had been together in the same physical area.
Voices for the Library wanted to discuss positive stories of the public libraries. Voices for the Library used facebook and Flickr to get users on board.
Voices of the library sent major press release to all news organisations. Left comments with email on blog post, newspaper organisations etc. They have attempted to use the website so people can say how well we, as libraries are doing. So its shows how a successful campaign can be done via the social media.
There profile has increased and they are getting more hits and attention. They've contacted Unison who have sent out 40000 members about libraries.
Both Bethan and Jo discussed problems of Voices of the library whether it should be affiliated etc. The problem of money. The problem of time. The problem of not meeting in person.
Jo talked about reaching beyond groups you expect to reach and that she'll be talking to the WI (womens institute and not game console) the following day.
The successes as they see it is more press coverage. More people who are not librarians discussing there experiences of libraries and why we needed them.
This is just a brief synopsis. But one final thing. Gary Green mentioned he was the only member of Voices of the library who worked in public libraries, He was glad to have support from fellow professionals.
Both Bethan and Jo are passionate about libraries and it was really an awe inspiring presentation.
I'm now going to listen to the opening first day of the ashes. Oh my life is this.

How to arrange going to an event

I will going to the Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ tonight.
I thought I'd point out a few things you should do before going to an event.

1. Make sure you have a place booked for the event.
2. Make sure you know where the event is. Check maps and transportationon how to get there.
3. Make sure you get the day right. Which I didn't when I walked to City Business Library last night.

Oh well. At least I know where it is now.

Librarians as activist

I've just been read Johanna Bo Anderson's blog post entitled Librarians Gagged. In the piece she discusses how in Gloucester she has started a website entitled Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries so as to stop a 43% cut in Library funding and closure of possibly up to 11 libraries.

Jo then write:-

Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries took part in a protest rally today with hundreds of other people protesting against brutal public sector cuts. A young lady who I had never met before approached me and said “My dad says your campaign website is great and everything but he says that maybe you should not say on it that you are a librarian.“ She is the third person to have individually advised me to stop telling the press that I am a librarian as it may seem as if I am running this group in self-interest. Well let me tell you something I AM A LIBRARIAN AND I AM PROUD, proud to be speaking up for libraries, library users and public library staff. In all three incidences I heard myself saying apologetically “But I am an academic librarian not a public librarian. If public libraries die, I still have my job“

What? So do we sit idly by and keep quite so a few of us MAY keep our jobs? Or do we organise ourselves in to a community of 'library activist' and show we think are jobs are still relevant to society? Jo and others are willing to use the own time, resources and attention to the cause. Jo is even a founding member of the Voices for the Library.

We need people like Jo and Lauren Smith to underline that many people still use public libraries. Once there closed there never coming back.