The UK Library Debate.

I'd like to draw your attention to developments in the UK in respect of libraries, recently reported in the media (and the readers'/publishers' blogs, of course).  Let's start with the concept of the library; what is its definition?  The Oxford English Dictionary tells us:

"library

  • noun (pl. libraries) 1 a building or room containing a collection of books and periodicals for use by the public or the members of an institution. 2 a private collection of books. 3 a collection of films, recorded music, etc., organized systematically and kept for research or borrowing: a record library. 4 (also software library) Computing a collection of programs and software packages made generally available.

  — ORIGIN Latin libraria ‘bookshop’, from liber ‘book’."

The Guardian's book blog carried a great round up of these recent developments and links to various commentators, all of whom are on the ball and have something (far more than simply) useful to say.  Here's the quote that caused the debate on our libraries to "Rage, rage against the dying of the light"; it comes from the Head of Leisure Services at Hampshire County Council, the third biggest library service in the country:

"We have to ask whether fiction should remain in libraries when most people buy books."

We have to ask?  Let's go back to definition number 1 from Oxford: "a building or room containing a collection of books and periodicals for use by the public or the members of an institution".  The Guardian article rightly takes up the baton of "public" in respect of public service and its original intentions, and also asks why libraries should only cater for those can already afford to buy their books, forgetting those who can't.

Libraries remain the fuel and heat of the fireplace when it comes to attracting the young to read.  Where the young catch the bite and enthusiasm for reading, it can lead to a voracious appetite for reading.  And that's what we'd like, isn't it?  Do parents need to buy every book?  Of course not; they have the libraries to depend upon to provide the ongoing fuel.  Like fuel for a fire, when spent, a book is also spent and the voracious appetite moves on to the next book, unlikely to re-read the previous at any point in the medium term future.

Is the retired person, living on a pension always able to afford their next read?  Again, of course not.  Steeped in the pursuance of the written word and a good story, they will seek the library service for their succour and stocks of new novels to entertain.

Not all of us can afford to eagerly buy the next copy of a favoured author.  Not all of us can afford to fuel the young, when a talent for reading presents itself.

That's when libraries, a source of public service, come into play.

Between the outliers in this normal distribution chart of reading requirements from our libraries, are we to suspect/assume and support the fact that those who cannot afford to buy books have other outlets for reading material of good quality?  And if they don't, well, bad luck...   That would be a travesty and for all.

The proposal for asking that we should consider taking fiction out of libraries is odd, to say the best.  At the very least, it seems incredibly stupid.  Take fiction books out of the libraries and what are you left with?  The periodicals, DVDs, CDs, the PCs and what exactly, apart from more floor space?  Definition of library, anyone?

Tim Coates has been campaigning online since 2005 about libraries.  He leads the way here.  No other has the passion, energy and force for this subject.

Richard Charkin reported on a poll in The Bookseller on 'Who should run the library service?' which has Tim Coates "Way out in front with 52% of the votes", then he adds; "Followed a long way back by local authorities(21%), librarians (13%), the Government (11%) and the MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the quango charged with leading the transformation of the library service) in last place with not a single vote.  Not a resounding vote of confidence in the responsible institution."

We live in the "now".  It's also time to make changes to our expectations in this world.  Is what we have defunct, or a developing need in passing?  Are libraries about to be dead when it comes to fiction?   I think not, and the Head of Leisure Services at Hampshire County Council needs to hear my thoughts, along with those of many others.

Books are real and real words, as are novels which are based on fiction.  Should stocks at libraries be moving towards only the mnemonics of the digital world, such as DVDs and CDs and PCs and the rest?

"We have to ask whether fiction should remain in libraries when most people buy books" says the Head of Leisure Services at Hampshire County Council.  May I dare to remind the said Head of Leisure Services at Hampshire County Council that it's good to "Know Your Customer" - "KYC" as it's called in the financial services trade in the UK, where regulation applies around the concept.

But even before a regulatory requirement, isn't it good to know your customer to ensure you deliver a product or service that ensures an enduring life for your product or service?  I can only recommend that the Head of Leisure Services at Hampshire County Council reads an article about marketing myopia in Theodore Levitt's book "The Marketing Imagination".  Before "KYC" became a  coin word and way of life, Levitt, in this article, reminded people to ask themselves exactly what business they're in, especially as the greater world develops.  "I'm in railroads."  "No you're not; you're in transport."  "I'm in oil.  No you're not, you're in fuel."

It might be good to embrace the digital age, but people still want to read books and novels in particular.  Digital, when it comes to novels, may relate to developments on the method of delivery, (still mired in an element of controversy - will we, the reading public ever fall for the digital reader as opposed to our hands supporting and rummaging through the paper variety?) -  but it ain't so that the novel, per se, is a dead duck in the waters.

A DVD, a movie/film takes a story and makes it visual, presenting a certain interpretation of a story, aimed at visual needs.  A story in book and novel format allows the reader to read at their own pace and apply their own imagination more.  Reading fiction is different to hearing and viewing fiction.  Coming back to knowing your customer and market - what does the customer enjoy the most?

When suggesting change, it's best to know your customer well.  The first port of call, if not already in place, is to ask them what they want, after reading your current statistics of success or otherwise.

A final thought (with a tribute to Levitt): nothing succeeds and sustains without meeting the customers' needs.  And you have to know them to act upon them...

Comments

[CFR]

Clare,

I find the whole bloody lot of it rather sad. Education? Can the young still read and write as we achieved? The NHS? My father received excellent care in his last days, but I still have some gripes relating to (essentially) his earlier care and delivery of his prognosis (absent, if truth be told, until we approached his last days on this earth). And we read so much in the press these days about others who have not managed to experience that much - what they report is sinful, to the extreme.

I thought the Tories left us with a non-caring, "Me, me, me" society, but it's become worse. Much worse. There seems to be little respect for others. Little thought. Little engagement in your surroundings and with others when it comes to the younger generations.

As for reading and writing, I don't think publishers help either. We say "James's book is over there", but a lack of education in the use of apostrophes (and English grammar) leads to the younger (and not so younger, as a start) generation writing "James' book..." Now I see this format creeping into published novels on an ongoing basis and I'm incensed. Some might argue that it's "use of language" developing, but I remain angry at the easy acceptance of sloppiness and inconsistency. Neither does logic apply. We say one thing and write another; where's the logic in that?

If we are not careful, it will be all down hill from here. And seriously, where the UK was once a power and force in the world, we could lose that status on our inability to commnicate clearly and consistently. English is not top dog; Spanish is the most widely spoken language across the globe. Therefore, why are we so complacent about use of our own language?

LOL and cringe with much feeling: Tony Blair brought Labour into government on a ticket that included "Education, education, education". But the proof of his pudding it that it's all about volumes, with little consideration to the qualitative aspect.

That is spin, an affront and a farce that we cannot afford.

I think it was John Major who coined the phrase "Back to Basics". It seems to me that that's where we now need to go, to reassemble our foundations, values and standards.

If Brown has real balls in his own sphere as well as his team's, (as opposed to just Ed's and that's by name only...), we might experience this. My own jury is out, however... And radical change can only from those who have the courage to seek it.

Roll on the next general election, please, and I hope to see some decent and differing options. Sucking at the middle ground, with no real desire to meet their needs, for a real outcome, leads to the bland leading the bland and no real reason to vote one way or the other. The middle now knows what Blair was about and it ain't happy, to say the least. ("Mirage and Spin" anyone?)

Choice must be real, obvious, and suggest an immediate response - that is delivered on a timely basis. This country has too long been mired in apathy, when it comes to evidencing our own status of democracy. There are many unhappy people; many worried people; many insecure people and it's time their voices are heard and acted upon.

So endeth my rant of the night of Wednesday the 5th of September, 2007.

[Norm]

Libraries without fiction will be followed by libraries without books, cds, DVDs and librarians. Only the Heads of the Leisure Services will remain.

[Clare]

The libraries in this country seem to be in a sad state - rather like the health service and education to some extent. The days of idealism seem to have gone, I think.

[CFR]

Indeed, it is a staggering statement to make. Beggars belief...

[Peter]

"We have to ask whether fiction should remain in libraries when most people buy books."

That's a rather shocking comment, one I half-expect to be revealed to be a hoax. I expect that anyone who would say such a thing probably does not read many books miself or herself.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
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