NEWS
Warning over de-professionalisation of the service by lecturer
A LECTURER in Library and Information Studies at UCL has urged Lambeth Council to retain its profes- sional library leadership or risk damaging services for users.
Dr Alice Corble wrote a piece published on the Brixton Buzz website warning politicians in the London Borough of the dangers of de-professionalising libraries. The plans to remove a dedicated Head of Library Service have been revealed in Lambeth Council’s restructuring proposals. Dr Corble’s PhD examined the negative effect of austerity and the de-professionalisation of public libraries and their social value. She said: “My research demonstrates that erod- ing professional library leadership rarely delivers genuine efficiencies.
“Instead, it weakens strategic capacity, undermines long- term service development, diminishes libraries’ ability to advocate effectively within local government, and ultimately reduces the social, educational and democratic value that library services create for their communities. “We would rightly question appointing the head of a public health service without healthcare expertise, or a Director of Children’s Services without professional knowledge of edu- cation, safeguarding and children’s services.
“Libraries are no different. They are a specialist statutory public service whose leadership requires professional exper- tise in librarianship, information management and deep knowledge of local communities.” She goes on to point out that libraries offer local residents a huge range of services, many of which are deemed to be strategic priorities for local authorities. Without professional expertise these adjacent library services can be lost, leaving individuals and communities worse off. “The role of a modern Head of Library Service extends far beyond operational management. Professional library lead- ership enables councils to deliver a wide range of strategic priorities – from literacy, digital inclusion and rehabilita- tion to cultural participation, environmental sustainability and community resilience. “These wider contributions are not incidental; they depend
upon leaders with specialist qualifications, professional exper tise and strategic vision to build partnerships, secure external investment and ensure that libraries contribute meaningfully to broader civic priorities.” She adds: “Professional library leadership is not an admin- istrative luxury; it is a fundamental component of a resilient, innovative and socially valuable statutory library service.”
A new report from ACE on tackling mis/disinformation
ARTS Council England has released a new report into the role of public libraries in tackling mis/disinfor- mation, written by Professors Steven Buchanan and David McMenemy. The report’s executive summary says: “Addressing the
insid ious and disruptive impact of mis/disinformation is an urgent societal challenge, but one not easily addressed due to complexity. There are issues of access and disposition to consider, the former concerning issues of technology and lit- eracy (people’s ability to access and evaluate information), the latter concerning issues of attitude and inclination (people’s predispositions, beliefs and motivations influencing their information behaviours). “Without attention to both, any steps to address mis/ disinformation are at risk of being too reductionist and of limited effect. Public libraries, as trusted community-based civic institutions supporting an informed society, are well positioned to play a key role in addressing mis/disinforma- tion, but prior to this study we lacked insights into library responses and practices.” The survey is the first of its kind and surveyed 372 public library staff in England in order to understand their experience of mis- and dis-information in their communities. It uncov-
6 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
ered ten main findings, including a lack of specific training, a lack of guidance in library services, most felt that they were not successfully addressing mis/disinformation in their com- munity. The report found that “public libraries in England are staffed by an educated and motivated workforce well-posi- tioned to address mis/disinformation, but that most staff are equipped with little more than intent due to various infra- structure limitations.” Delving into potential solutions and services that public libraries could offer, the report suggests four recommendations:
1. A national programme of library staff education and training to address mis/disinformation.
2. A national open access repository of library resources for addressing mis/disinformation.
3. A national partnership agreement for addressing mis/ disinformation.
4. National library policy and operational guidance for addressing mis/disinformation.
l Read the full report at
https://tinyurl.com/yzy8arz2. August-September 2026
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