Battle stations, everyone! Right? Hm.
I do not support the idea of privatized libraries because I believe that the decisions about information available and services provided needs to be neutral, unbiased, and generally free from corporate sponsorship. However, reading the article didn't get me riled up about a corporation moving in on public libraries so much as it got me riled up about the attitude of some British people towards their libraries.
Many of the comments on the article are intelligent queries or statements about how a private company could run the services cheaper than a city council, or why library workers are being called out for "slack and trainers mentality" (presumably casual--is that it? someone doesn't like my campers?) or what will happen when the coffee shops and other services turn out to be more cost-effective than the book-lending service. But a huge number are complaints that suggest to me the commenters are out of touch with libraries today (possibly because until they were threatened by Americans they didn't have much use for them.)
Americans yet again undermining the culture of what makes Britain British - Haven't you Americans stamped yourselves enough over this shrinking planet?
As a Canadian I'm no stranger to negative views of the USA. But I have to wonder: if UK libraries are for sale, and an American company buys them, is that the American company's fault? Has Britain at that point been forced to comply? I'd hate to see privatized public libraries here or anywhere, but someone has to fund the services. See this map for evidence that Britain isn't bothering.
Others of various ages occupied the library computers to use Facebook (during working hours!)
Why are others not allowed to use Facebook? Because you have Very Important Work to do? If the public library is someone's only means of using the internet, are they just not allowed social networking full stop? Hey, I dislike FB as much as the next privacy-conscious human being, but it seems pretty pushy for you to make that decision for someone else.
Libraries are a unique place of silence, that is their draw...
Modern libraries are not just book-lending services and they are not just big silent study rooms. The world has changed--not just the US, but Britain too, imagine--and many people who want a comfortable silent room actually have it, with internet access, and a clean bathroom off the hall. It's called "home." The many more people who do not have this magic room still want use to the internet, and blow their nose, and clear their throat, and generally move about the place. Get a lot of them together, sometimes forgetting to silence their phone, and the noise kicks up. I'd love a silent library, but humans will be human. Sorry.
I have a unique view of libraries because I am (by the way) a librarian. Instead of popping in now and then to see that it's still just a bit too loud for my Very Important Work, I see it every day. I see that the demands on modern public libraries not coming from middle-class Very Important Work, but all kinds of people seeking entertainment and resources, seeking help to get at information they don't know how to find, needing a place to get together with their friends to study, needing a place to access the internet, and... ahem... needing the toilet. I don't want that privatized, but to suggest this is all uniquely British, or that it's all about silence, is a tad (read: hopelessly) out of touch with the service.
Photo: Shhhhhh! by hugovk on flickr
What a lot of people seem to be forgetting is that most cities have at least one big library with quiet study areas (Newcastle's brand spanking new Central Library certainly does, and haven't they heard of the British Library) so if offering new services gets people into the smaller provincial libraries that struggle to cope, then isn't that a good thing?
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure though that the councils could work out how to do this themselves. If the libraries "rented out" space to Costa etc. then the libraries could fund themselves without needing to be run by large companies.
I'm very much against the idea of privatizing libraries. I believe that the library should be the center of a city. And it should be available to anyone who chooses to use it (rich or poor), and that use should be subsidized by the government and donations, so that it is free for anyones use. Even today, with the internet access at home (for most people), the home can never substitute the value of a library, nor can an office space. I don't see how you can try and make profit off of this unique and valuable service (and products) without destroying it.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of your best (and most important) posts yet. I have no words though--I've typed/deleted/typed/deleted.
ReplyDeleteIcy, you're right: large central city libraries and smaller libraries often have different demands. Subsidizing the smaller libraries with income from the study rooms seems like a viable idea. I don't know if it's ever been proposed, though it's possible it comes into difficulty with the usual library policies about not taking money so as not to make the space unavailable for anyone who wants it regardless of their income.
ReplyDeleteAustin, as soon as they try to make a profit (as a profit-geared company will invariably do) there *is* no way to maintain the integrity of these services because their intention has completely changed from serving the public to serving the company. It seems simple to me, but I suppose desperate times blind people.
Ev, thank you. :) If you do find your words I'd love to hear them!
Icy, I have to revise what I said. If they're renting space to Costa or another coffee company (as you said--it's early, and I made it into something else in my head) that couldn't really go against the policies. And yes, no reason the council couldn't do it by itself. I wonder if they ever will.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the idea of privatizing libraries at all. (I am imagining wall to wall ads and "corporate sponsored" books. Ugh! I don't know what I'd do without our small town library. i have to admit, I sort of enjoy "donating" my late fees.
ReplyDeleteJen, I've given you the Stylish Blogger Award, come by and pick it up.
Jen ... You always make me think. Over here in the states, it's staggering to see how many public libraries are CLOSING. I think the citizens wouldn't have minded at all if a private company stepped in to buy them... Sad...
ReplyDeletePS (Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Been in the writing and [movie-watching] cave.)
Perri, your vision is pretty much it. Sadly the companies that can afford to sponsor couldn't really be trusted to be neutral. Yay money.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot of people "donating" to the library via fees! It seems to work out for everyone. Good stuff.
Anthony, I'm glad I make you think! And it's a hard choice, between a sponsored library and a closed library. Between the two... well, I don't want to choose, actually.
ReplyDeleteNo worries, I haven't been around much either. But if you've been in the writing cave, good for you. Better than the non-writing cave I've been stuck in...