Comments on: Reading Between The Lines http://www.regencymagazine.co.uk/2009/10/reading-between-the-lines/ The Community Magazine For The Heart Of Our City Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:05:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tim Coates http://www.regencymagazine.co.uk/2009/10/reading-between-the-lines/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Tim Coates Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:36:46 +0000 http://www.regencymagazine.co.uk/?p=298#comment-883 The effort that members of the public have had to make in the past decade to persuade councillors all over the country that good libraries need good book collections has been substantial. We have been through a time when those responsible for the public library service have proclaimed a belief that all books and what is written in them are freely avaiable on the internet and that there is a whole new generation of people who are just not interested in reading, because 'information' is now available electronically. In other words there has been an astonishing amount of nonsense and misunderstanding about why books are important and why and how libraries fill an essential role even in the smallest local communities. This deliberate distortion of reality has led in it turn to a most dramatic reduction in numbers of books in libraries and the emphasis placed by librarians on keeping their collections complete and up to date. Across the country, in a decade we have reduced the numbers of books available for lending in libraries by 20m - out of 100m. In Brighton and Hove there was a time when it was believed that a new library operating as a 'learning centre' would replace the need for libraries and the plans went so far as to have timetabled the closure of Hove library. Councillors in Brighton did not argue to stop this; councillors did not raise public petitions; councillors did not alert local schools and parents and all the local people; Councillors did not write endless letters to the local press and national media and repeatedly raise concerns in council-- it was Christopher Hawtree who alone did all those things. Christopher not only does understand the importance and value of being able to read what others have written, but has committed himself and all his ability, to arguing for the restoration of Brighton's proper public library service. His solitary and brave stand in Hove and then in Brighton is rightly admired, not just in England, but around the world. Among the nonsense which Councillor Smith parades nationally is a sad and shameful disrespect for Mr Hawtree, who is one of his most honourable constituents. A library as large as the new Brighton library could never have enough literature. The suggestion shows an ignorance which ill-becomes a politician among whose responsibilities lies the provision of a library service to his people. Any examination of the way funds allocated for public libraries in Brighton and Hove shows that the small portion allocated for purchase of books is pathetic by any measure. If it happens to exceed the amount spent by other local councils, that is merely a reflection of the even greater shame that falls to them. It is most certainly not a matter for self congratulation of any kind. The Brighton library service has plenty of money and Councillor Smith's job is to see that it spent properly. I would be delighted to show him how to do that and publicly, too. The effort that members of the public have had to make in the past decade to persuade councillors all over the country that good libraries need good book collections has been substantial. We have been through a time when those responsible for the public library service have proclaimed a belief that all books and what is written in them are freely avaiable on the internet and that there is a whole new generation of people who are just not interested in reading, because ‘information’ is now available electronically.

In other words there has been an astonishing amount of nonsense and misunderstanding about why books are important and why and how libraries fill an essential role even in the smallest local communities. This deliberate distortion of reality has led in it turn to a most dramatic reduction in numbers of books in libraries and the emphasis placed by librarians on keeping their collections complete and up to date. Across the country, in a decade we have reduced the numbers of books available for lending in libraries by 20m – out of 100m.

In Brighton and Hove there was a time when it was believed that a new library operating as a ‘learning centre’ would replace the need for libraries and the plans went so far as to have timetabled the closure of Hove library.

Councillors in Brighton did not argue to stop this; councillors did not raise public petitions; councillors did not alert local schools and parents and all the local people; Councillors did not write endless letters to the local press and national media and repeatedly raise concerns in council– it was Christopher Hawtree who alone did all those things. Christopher not only does understand the importance and value of being able to read what others have written, but has committed himself and all his ability, to arguing for the restoration of Brighton’s proper public library service. His solitary and brave stand in Hove and then in Brighton is rightly admired, not just in England, but around the world.

Among the nonsense which Councillor Smith parades nationally is a sad and shameful disrespect for Mr Hawtree, who is one of his most honourable constituents. A library as large as the new Brighton library could never have enough literature. The suggestion shows an ignorance which ill-becomes a politician among whose responsibilities lies the provision of a library service to his people. Any examination of the way funds allocated for public libraries in Brighton and Hove shows that the small portion allocated for purchase of books is pathetic by any measure. If it happens to exceed the amount spent by other local councils, that is merely a reflection of the even greater shame that falls to them. It is most certainly not a matter for self congratulation of any kind. The Brighton library service has plenty of money and Councillor Smith’s job is to see that it spent properly. I would be delighted to show him how to do that and publicly, too.

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