Protests mean libraries are no longer seen as such an easy option for cuts. Photo © John Lubbock
Good crisis: middle and end “And then when we were closed, within literally a day or two – some reports I see suggest the same day – people were putting video stories up on social media (something talked about but rarely seen beforehand) and seeing it as an oppor-
tunity to boost e-books and our digital provision. That’s some very impressive pivoting in service delivery right there. “And now I am seeing a real dedication, both in public and private, from pretty much all library workers I talk to to make sure that when libraries do open, they open safely, with as much regard for the safety of workers as for the public. That is not true in some other countries – one US library service I’m aware of refuses to quarantine books because “no-one can prove they caught the virus from us” for example.
Negative perspective
But these impressive activities did not happen everywhere. For many it was a period of deep confusion: “The chaos and mayhem that characterised the couple of weeks before libraries were closed by Mr Johnson on live TV may well be remembered for years to come. Staff were feeling desperate at the end, and those services who fought hard to stay open despite the safety of their staff may not be remembered well for years to come. Set against this is the involvement of unions in both the Libraries Connected guidance on reopening and in the DCMS taskforce on the recovery of the sector. It may well be that a lesson has been learnt, however temporarily.”
Ian Anstice. June-July 2020
Temporary because he says the latest news on reopening is alarming: “I am
aware that for the first time ever, the decision of library services can literally be physically life and death. That’s never happened in the sector before, so yes, I’m a bit worried. And there are one or two library services – just one or two – that have been very gung-ho about reopening quite early on and I think that is worrying, especially as, at the time of writing, it is both unclear that the pandemic is over and exactly how dangerous contact infec- tion is. One cannot look at even a library book in the same way as normal at the moment. So, if I can scare a few people into rethinking a bit more then it’s my duty to do so. And I think I have.”
Behind the news
“People from all over the sector started, several years ago, sending me information and explanations even if they could not do so publicly. While I started out as a cam- paigner – and people even now can easily see I am no fan of the Johnson Govern- ment – I increasingly work hard to report on all news, print corrections and try to give both points of view. That has won me some very valuable sources and means that people from all sides – some who barely speak to each-other – will talk to me. So I can have a trade unionist email- ing one moment, a chief librarian the next and a supplier the next. I also find Twitter a very useful source of info, and thankfully
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 45
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
