Forum Topic

Libraries - why can't politicians be straight with people and not treat us like idiots?

According to the article on the main site LBH's new Hounslow Library Strategy intends to "retain our high standards against the background of huge cuts from central government".The council's strategy for "retaining (its) high standards" would appear to include reducing the book fund by either £240,000 or £540,000 (depending on which part of the article you read), cutting back on opening hours and "tiering" the structure by "reducing skills of staff at smaller libraries".I was particularly interested in the last one - how, exactly, does the local authority envisage "reducing the skills" of existing library staff?  Does it propose to chop off their arms so that they will find it more difficult and time-consuming to populate the bookshelves?  Will it be performing a lobotomies to ensure that they forget the skills that they have picked up through years of training and experience?What it means, of course, is that staff of a certain ability will be removed from post and replaced by staff of a lesser ability, on a lower wage.So why not say so?This exercise in spin is a sad indictment of the priorities and demands of the system of adversarial party politics as it operates in this country.Everybody knows that government cuts are the cause of these cuts having to be made, notwithstanding the argument as to whether or not areas other than libraries should take the hit instead, which is for another debate.And yet the local authority feels the need to spin what is essentially a savage cuts package into something bordering on cause for celebration because it is scared that it will get the blame and that the ruling party will lose votes as a result.  All that was missing from the press statement, it would seem, was an audio file comprising a fanfare of trumpets and a virtual slice of party cake.In this age of information technology it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep us "ordinary" people in the dark and to take us for fools, but politicians would seem very slow to cotton on to this.If it is a government cut then say it is a government cut.  We are not stupid.

Phil Andrews ● 5336d12 Comments

Have just popped into Brentford Library (3ish Saturday) to be told you're somewhere else today and won't be there next week. Anything you can say by email?hazel.dakers@blueyonder.co.ukHazel

Hazel Dakers ● 5326d

Tribal gibes are hardly going to enhance the possibility of bringing people together from all groups to discuss Hounslow's libraries or anything else.As for CDs, a young man in Athens pointed out that these are useless for people without the PC or know how to use them. Not everyone has a PC. Not everyone - especially the very old - are able to learn to use one. Is it fair to exclude them from new reading material?

Hazel Dakers ● 5327d

"It is lovely to see former Councillors Phil Andrews, Vanessa Smith and Patricia Nicholas agreeing with one another on this subject."Just one more of your party's magnificent achievements David.

Phil Andrews ● 5327d

It is lovely to see former Councillors Phil Andrews, Vanessa Smith and Patricia Nicholas agreeing with one another on this subject. From what I remember life was not always like that in Brentford and Isleworth.It would be good to see people from various backgrounds coming together to discuss the future of the Hounslow Libray service at a time when the London Borough of Council is facing severe budgetary problems because of the complete mess Blair and Brown made of our public finances. 40 years of previous Labour over-spending and waste in Hounslow has not helped either.Maybe instead of buying books, the Council may have to issue CD's as has been the case in Greece recently.

David Giles ● 5327d

If anyone would like an update on the current strategy and the various proposals they are welcome to visit me at Brentford Library.  I'm there today till 5.30 and Saturday 9.30 - 5.30.  On Mondays and Thursdays I work in Osterley Library where you are also welcome.

Stella C J Hawkins ● 5330d

as Vanessa will remember some years ago as councillors we participated in a lengthy and wide ranging review of Library services.  Reading the press release there seems no mention of the priority which the public gave to the need for more, not fewer, books.  At that time the officers were trying to convince the public that libaries should move into the future and concentrate on IT, study areas, etc.  These are important but the public gave a resounding no to the idea that these were of primary concern.  Books are still what libaries are about and the council should recognise this.  SOunds to me like they are in a financial hole over the contrace let by the previous administration

Patricia Nicholas ● 5333d

"I'm encouraged only by greater use of electronic loans equipment which will enable considerable self service and save on staff time required." Well I'm glad someone is, everytime I have used these self service gadgets something has gone wrong and I had to resort to the old fashioned method of finding a human so they can sort it for me!

Vanessa Smith ● 5334d

I share other writers' concerns about the library service. The numbers of visible chartered librarians has shrunk enormously since we came to Brentford 32 years ago. If now we shall have library assistants and managers with less training than at present this will inevitably cause a drop in service. I'm afraid collections of people's unwanted books are great for the Oxfam bookshops in Chiswick and Ealing but not as library stock. A good deal of the cost of new books goes in processing them which may include some form of protection, labelling/electronic identification and above all cataloguing and classification so that they can be found for people wanting specific authors and titles. This costs!Sadly, whilst staving off unpopular immediate closures,I do not see how they can "retain our highest standards" whilst reducing opening hours, reducing qualified staff and cutting stock purchase. Will anyone be surprised if in a year or two libraries have become less popular for these reasons and so closures can be justified on this basis?I'm encouraged only by greater use of electronic loans equipment which will enable considerable self service and save on staff time required.

Hazel Dakers ● 5334d

No books are being purchased this year at all - the book fund has been frozen so I would be interested to hear how it has been reduced.  I visited Isleworth library this week and it was heart breaking and shocking to see so many empty shelves in the children's library.  What message is this sending to children?  If you are having a clearout please try and donate books to your local library. Some councils have policies refusing donations - I am not sure about Hounslow libraries.  Someone on the forum may know. 

Lena Armstrong ● 5335d

Yes, I have to say I used to pick press releases going out in my name apart too, this is daft. I can't see why on earth a Labour council would try and put a positive spin on something that is patently not of their making, perhaps things have changed somewhat? Either that or the councillor responsible isn't on top of his brief?

Vanessa Smith ● 5335d

I would agree that the press statement was almost certainly written by an officer.  When I was a lead member under the previous administration officers routinely wrote press releases and quotes for me and doing such was usually a sincere attempt to be helpful.However lead members approve and sign off whatever goes out in their name and are ultimately responsible for it.  On countless occasions I altered or even completely rejected material that had been prepared on my behalf which I did not feel was appropriate.  It goes without saying that we all try to present ourselves in the best possible light, but if I was trying to sell you my Rover there would be little point in me trying to convince you that it's a Rolls Royce when you can see it is a Rover.Trying to sell less spending on books, reduced hours and the replacement of trained librarians with Peruvian lavatory attendants as a good news story is just silly.

Phil Andrews ● 5335d

I just wish these statements didn't keep banging on about 'visions', it is clear that this statement purporting to be from Cllr. Grewal was written by some officer. If these people wish to have - or are having 'visions', perhaps a trip to a psychiatrist would be sensible, or maybe consider taking Holy orders. What 'tiering' means is anyone's guess. From what I read I think the £240,000 might refer to this year and the other sum to the year after. Whilst I use the library service and really appreciate it, I do think the refurbs. at Isleworth and Osterley were way, way over the top, although I accept these were probably planned well before the current financial upsets, one member of staff did say to me money could have been saved by not having some "poncey architect" who had 'visions' of the 'industrial' style installed at Isleworth. I doubt many of us go into a library and gaze at the design, I'd have been happy with a coat of paint and a freshen up. I don't understand why the council don't say it like it is and preferably in plain English would be nice. We all know by now things are going to get a lot worse overall and councillors should not accept officer's statements as read, which has clearly been the case here.

Vanessa Smith ● 5335d