My Library By Right revisted; SCL ducks out

You will of course have seen blogs and tweets and discussions on the the 'My Library by Right' petition. If you haven't signed it yet, please do. It's currently got 11,279 signatures, which while its an improvement on the 6K I ranted about in my last blog post on the subject still isn't every single member of CILIP! It's still fairly feeble in my opinion, but don't worry - for those of you with a nervous disposition I shan't be swearing in this update. 

It's disappointing that the Society of Chief Librarians has failed miserably to support the campaign. I tweeted them a while ago to ask what they were doing, and their response was basically that they hadn't met to talk about it (quite why they can't use email or video conferencing is a bit beyond me, but there you go), and they were going to have to consider it. Well, now they have. On their website, under the title 'SCL's commitment to library services' they say this:

As a body largely comprising representation from local authorities, SCL recognises that it is for individuals and their local authorities to provide local responses to the My Library By Right campaign.

In other words it's a case of 'Not my problem mate, and it's more than my jobs worth'. There's plenty of very pointless fluff surrounding the statement, which when you consider what they are being asked to support is laughably contradictory. Try this paragraph:

For its part, SCL continues its work on an ambitious programme of innovation to further develop and embed the Universal Offers; supporting our workforce to deliver vibrant library services; building national and local partnerships that enable library services to contribute to relevant policy agenda, particularly those around economic development and health and wellbeing and contributing to the evolution of the Libraries Taskforce.

So how are they going to do that when there aren't any libraries left? These are all very grand eloquent words, but they are backed up by nothing at all. They are not even offering a guide to individuals and local authorities - they have simply washed their hands of the whole situation. There's nothing directly linking to the petition on their website, and the only other reference is from the blog of the President, which says this:

I completely understand that some people would have liked SCL to have signed up to CILIP’s My Library By Right campaign but, as our members know, SCL is not, and never has been, a campaigning body as the great majority of us – the Heads of Library Services across the country – are officers in local authorities, many in politically restricted posts.

This is woeful at best. This is only a political campaign in the very broadest of senses, since the focus is on keeping a strong and powerful library service - a 'vibrant library service' in SCL's own words, to contribute to the wellbeing of communities. Local councils of all colours are cutting libraries; if it was just one political party the SCL may have a point, but they don't. They're not even prepared to say 'it's a good idea, and we're entirely behind it, but can't be any more official than that'. They're not being asked to be a campaigning body - no-one is asking them to go out on the streets and man the barricades (just as well really) they are being asked to support people who ARE campaigning.

Librarians, libraries, and communities are being let down by the SCL refusal to support them.  With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Comments

[Frances Hendrix]

Well Phil, you and I haven't always agreed, and some strong words have passed between us in the past. But you have hit the button on the head with this post. You have spotted the absurd, woolly, pathetic and ludicrous statements and lack of action by SCL.It really is quite shocking. Do they have guaranteed contracts that should their library service be devastated, as in Lancashire etc.,they will retain their senior positions in local government and also their salaries and benefits? Why not be paid by the borrower, that might galvanise them.

I am also cheesed off by comments of Mr Blantern and co; he seems to know little or anything at all about the long years of work so many of us have done to bring our library service into the 21 Century. I have 50 years experience in libraries and was heavily involved in projects such as AACR, machine readable cataloguing, then the wide use of MARC, in automated Inter-lending,in many many conferences, many research reports, including for the (2 different) ministers of DCMS, and so on. I, and many colleagues worked our butts off to improve public libraries. AND this work was supported by some truly superb Chief Librarians in almost all the libraries authorities across the country. LASER (for instance, you will know this term, Mr Blantern wont) did many ground breaking projects to improve and develop automation in libraries. Such as working with Lord Matthew Evans on the Public Library Network, working with JISC, getting numerous grants for research form the EU, and so much more. In ALL these projects and all this work, most of the Chief Librarians were not only supportive but active!! WE would not be where we were 2 years ago without their endeavours, hard work, support and courage.Too many to mention by name, but did include to large extent, Birmingham and John Dolan, Essex, ALL The London Boroughs, Kent,Newcastle, Somerset,Bedfordshire,Lancashire etc etc etc ALL got involved in projects and work to improve public libraries. And now, 'its more than our jobs worth'!

Regarding the signing of the protest, I have emailed ALL my friends and acquaintances and the majority have signed, so this will add to the total. I suggest everyone does the same!!!

Frances

[Barry George MBE]

As usual, Frances hits the nail on the head in supporting this blog and I am saddened by the response of SCL. Having been a chief librarian for over 20 years before retiring in 2010 and served as a regional rep. on the SCL executive I just despair at the lack of real leadership, enthusiasm and commitment of SCL in the present atmosphere of attack on the public library service.

[Frank Daniels]

Members of the SCL don't just fail to support the CILIP campaign; they fail to support the profession of librarianship. They take everything possible from the profession and give nothing back when it matters, as it does right now. I tried to say something along these lines to a previous CEO of CILIP, whose job it was to moniter and deal with such matters, but to no avail, as you yourself may well recall, since I informed you about it. Frances Hendrix gives a very, very correct analysis. Will you publish my comment too?