tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post2312709116913711206..comments2024-01-30T07:41:20.885+00:00Comments on Broken Barnet: Quite significant changes: or, Barnet library services cut to shreds, staff sacked - Merry Xmas from your Tory councillorsMrs Angryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-36901462979051998242016-12-13T23:23:38.868+00:002016-12-13T23:23:38.868+00:00Well, 'Rational Man', the data you offer a...Well, 'Rational Man', the data you offer as evidence only shows a relatively small decrease in use. Measured against the huge cuts in funding, staffing, and promotion of libraries all as part of a deliberate policy intended to downgrade the service, I think it shows remarkable consistency in the level of need that exists of a vital and much loved facility. <br /><br />A library is more than a place to go to borrow books, or access information. It may not be used regularly by the same people; it may be used at different stages of life - but such a space is invaluable, and should be defended from the philistine, senseless strategy of fatally destructive budget cuts. Short term minimal savings are going to be highly expensive in terms of impact on social inclusion, and the educational well being of children. These things may not be easily or quickly assessed in terms of impact, but the damage will be profound, and long lasting.<br />Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-65820557299187848742016-12-12T21:59:42.454+00:002016-12-12T21:59:42.454+00:00Hello,
I am a man of science, so it would be remi...Hello, <br />I am a man of science, so it would be remiss of me not to back up statements with facts. <br />This is data obtained from FOI requests found on Barnet website and on what do they know (an excellent independent website):<br />Annual visistor:<br />2011 - 146250<br />2012 - 135163<br />2013 - 137825<br />2014 - 133850<br />2015 - 130986<br /><br />Annual loans:<br />2010 - 130592<br />2011 - 134462<br />2012 - 131326<br />2013 - 126896<br />2014 - 125156<br /><br />The request was made in 2015 so that year wasn't included. Of cousre these stats don't take into account use of the digital library. <br /><br />Mrs Angry, I respect you a little more for the fact that you used to work in libraries. Your opinions would indeed be well informed. I would also point out, I have worked in libraries also - and still do. <br />I have noticed the difference in people I actually have to serve over the years. The queue someday would go out the door, now barely 5 or 6 people per hour. <br /><br />It is unfortunate that our targets for the library now are instead of increasing loan amounts, simply to maintain them from the previous year - something we rarely manage. Rational Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17832059069660493623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-19897171221258427222016-12-09T14:35:44.117+00:002016-12-09T14:35:44.117+00:00Rational man has bought the lie. It is is no way t...Rational man has bought the lie. It is is no way the same situation as Woolworths. Woolworths was a business. Its loss was sad, but other businesses have arisen to take its place. <br /><br />Libraries are a public service, developed over many years in the days when it was generally recognised that provision of such a service was good for individuals, good for the community, and good for the country.<br /><br />The library service in Barnet, staffed by trained and dedicated professionals, is being replaced by self-service book cafeterias staffed by security cameras. <br /><br />Certainly it is true that patterns of reading, studying and library use are changing, but rather than seeking to respond creatively, Barnet has taken advantage of this to mount an ideologically motivated attack on the community. jd2387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-76501579342835467412016-12-08T23:13:21.276+00:002016-12-08T23:13:21.276+00:00For someone who uses the name 'Rational Man...For someone who uses the name 'Rational Man', Rational Man - well, one might expect a comment that was evidence based, and objective. Yours, I'm afraid, is neither. 'No one uses libraries': patently untrue. <br /><br />I worked in a public library for several years, in this borough, when the service was beacon standard, assessed as excellent value for money: properly resourced, with an adequate range of professional staff and a wonderful book stock. Since then the service has been deliberately run down, and starved of investment, which naturally prevents the change and innovation you demand, and leads to a deterioration in standards, so some loss of use - but not to the degree you imply. <br /><br />Libraries are not some sort of indulgence, irrelevant and outdated: they need to evolve, but with proper funding, and expansion in service, not a programme of devastating cuts. People rely more on libraries now than ever, and the social and educational value is both incalculable, and irreplaceable.Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-81088025573526748892016-12-08T19:25:42.339+00:002016-12-08T19:25:42.339+00:00Like many things, the bottom line is use it or los...Like many things, the bottom line is use it or lose it. If you look at FOI requests, visitor figures in the last few years have decreased dramatically, income has gone down significantly, loans and membership has decreased by an staggering amount. Most people have never set foot inside a library nowadays, and this is the reason why austerity measures hits them the hardest and usually first ahead of all other council departments. Instead of bemoaning the situation we are in and trying to assign blame to politicians and their (admittedly questionable decisions) The questions should be, how did we get here? And unfortunately the answer is - no one uses libraries anymore and staff in the libraries are so against any change or innovation that encourages the library service to compete in the modern world, that they have stagnated and fell behind. <br />It is a similar situation to woolworths in the early 00's - no-one went in woolworths, their profits fell, the business went under and they announced that stores would be closed. The public reaction was to shout and get angry about a national treasure being lost...if you wanted it that bad, you should have used it.<br />Any parent would see parallels in toddlers - you try to take a toy away from a toddler that he/she hasn't been playing with or showed any interest in for days away, they will throw a strop about it - cry, scream, bang their fists etc. not because they want the toy, but because you are taking it away. Give it back to them, they might hold it for a bit afterwards as the tears dry up....then put it down and forget about it again. Rational Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17832059069660493623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-50521238851815946432016-12-08T10:29:03.904+00:002016-12-08T10:29:03.904+00:00Well, it is true to say I did feel utterly sickene...Well, it is true to say I did feel utterly sickened. I don't think any of the councillors present really understand what the impact of these cuts will be. And the Tories simply do not care. But even if you reduce the arguments to one of economic reason, none of this makes any sense: they wilfully chuck money at Capita and any expenditure they take a fancy to. And the real reason for the cuts is not austerity, of course, but ideological: they loathe the idea of public services, free at the point of use, and want to destroy them. Doing a pretty good job so far.Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6371203489316363738.post-43950441896216151582016-12-07T21:49:55.995+00:002016-12-07T21:49:55.995+00:00This is very similar to what happens at any commit...This is very similar to what happens at any committee meeting when a resident speaks about issues that he/she is concerned about: The Tories were absolutely uninterested and did not engage with him in any way. Not one councillor, when invited to do so by the Chair, had any question for him. <br /><br />Money is the new god and if your concerns stand in the way of this god, your 3 minutes are just so they can pretend they have listened and considered your views.<br /><br />You might as well have your tongue cut out. The quicker you vacate the public speaker seat, the easier it is for the Tory councillors to breathe.<br /><br />In fact if you were not present, Mrs Angry, they would breathe better too as you will not be there to document their silent betrayal as they swung their hatchets.<br /><br />Why has no one had the guts to listen to the people?<br /><br />How you sat through the disgraceful Worshipping of the Money God by the sacrificing of the Library Lambs without puking is beyond me. <br /><br />You were a brave woman, Mrs Angry.<br /><br />Mrs Crazynoreply@blogger.com