We’re starting to feel a bit bad at having to break all of this news of cuts in council services, but guess it’s better to know about it than not.
We heard that IWC people have been out in libraries of the Isle of Wight, speaking to ‘customers’ (ie people who use the libraries – you and I) about what they think of said libraries.
At the moment there are only eleven on the Island – Bembridge; Brighstone; Cowes; East Cowes; Freshwater; Lord Louis Library, Newport; Niton; Ryde; Sandown; Shanklin; Ventnor.
Consultation – A legal requirement
When councils want to ‘rationalise’ (ie reduce or close) services or buildings they previously provided, they have to, by law, find out from people that might be affected by these closures, what they think about it – it’s labelled as ‘Consultation’. The theory is that what people say are taken into account when they’re making their decisions.
Looking at the IWC Forward Plan (what the IWC plan to do in the near future), we see “Ref 1091/10: Review of Front Line Services.”
‘Rationalising’
Not that you’d guess it from the title, but this includes looking at ‘rationalising’ the libraries around the Island, or as they word it, “The review will also explore opportunities for bringing services together.” – Errr, like closing places.
Two further pointers to this are that the ‘Society of Chief Librarians’ are listed under the Consultees and that background papers are the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act.
The ‘benefits’ of closing libraries
From the point of view of the IWC, there’s a few benefits from closing libraries – don’t have to pay the staff; can get money for selling off the buildings – that type of thing.
The benefit of losing local libraries for the people of the Isle of Wight are considerably less easy to list.
The Victorians worked hard at building the free public library service across the UK about 150 years ago. They knew how important access to libraries were in encouraging people to read and expand their learning and understanding.
Libraries – part of the community
Libraries are a vital part of any community, perhaps currently underused in some areas, but once removed, it’s highly unlikely that they will ever be reinstated.
It’s hard enough to get many children interested in learning. Removing their local library is hardly going to assist in that. Sure they could travel to get to another library, but with the removal of Student Rider pass, children would have to be pretty determined in their pursuit of reading to make it to these.
Aside from lending books, libraries have increased their offering to the population over the years. Now they also offer the lending of CD. and DVDs.
Vital Internet access
For many, the free access to computers and the Internet that libraries now provide are their only opportunity to get online. Without this access, they will be put the wrong side of the Digital Divide – separating them from future, vital online access.
In researching this story, we’ve found that there’s an online survey of Island library services – this isn’t something that we’ve heard being mentioned by the IWC or their communications department before.
You can do something about it
If you’re keen to keep your library, we suggest that you take the time to fill in the survey to let them know how much you use the libraries.
