What's actually happening is that libraries are expensive bits of capital investment (buildings and books are not free) that also require ongoing maintenance (salaries for staff, roof repairs, utility bills, new book acquisitions). And with a government who are determined to axe public spending to the bone, they're seen as an easy target compared to, say, road repairs, street lights, and fire service. Like parks and recreation, they're optional -- and the users are typically less well-off so less likely to have lobbying muscle.
Longer term, of course, the Tories would love to get rid of public libraries. The public library movement in the 19th century was a key platform for the working class self-improvement/education movement and provided a springboard into public engagement for a lot of annoying bolshie leftie politicians who went on to challenge their natural lords and masters for a share of the pie. Pulling up the ladder behind you is all part and parcel of the Posh Party's platform, so we shouldn't be too surprised by this ...
]]>Greetings from Newark, New Jersey!
I was on the staff at Philcon '06 (and thanks, again, for coming and meeting us and speaking...) and recently moved to within walking distance of Audible's HQ building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Washington_Park).
This is between Newark Public Library's main building and Broad St Station (for the commuter lines on the old Lackawanna RR), in a safe and peaceful neighborhood. Were a group of people to gather there some fine summer day, with picket signs ("Audible Unfair To Rest Of World", maybe) and informational flyers, mayhaps we could bring this to more general notice (especially with an advance press release to the local public TV and radio stations, whose local offices are ~400 meters away)
Anyone up for joining me ? Contributing to the 'picket signs and flyers fund' ?
Yours, Parm
]]>Not quite as convenient for me as buying a pre-burnt MP3-CD from Brilliance or Tantor (my car's radio supports MP3-CDs, so that's easier than hooking my phone up), but pretty darn close.
]]>There's a strong link between those two groups, many of the minimum wage type jobs are in places that don't use IT to deliver them (farm labourers, kitchens, shelf stacking etc). So the people in those jobs don't have much money, nor are they picking up digital skills.
How do you find a job these days? Mainly from online recruitment. How do you claim benefits? New claims are supposed to go online, especially in the Universal Credit areas.
See the problem?
]]>If the people get their act together, the powers that be are helpless.
]]>I DO wish that I could disagree with you and be a little more optimistic...Gods but this has been a Horrible Year so Far for Me! BUT...
Hereabouts in my Ever So Middle Class - former village but absorbed into Metro Land version of the North East- the few survivors of the Public Branch Library network survive as poorly/shabbily clad and Much Reduced Victorian Gentlefolk - those few Branch Libraries that cling to life do so under Much Reduced Hours of Opening, and very much reduced stocks of Books and, amid the Northern Wastelands, the Survivors are SAD to the Nth Degree. Well, CUTS must be made in Local Government mustn’t they?
Oddly enough, many traditional Working Man, Labour Working Class Councils never had much liking for all of this Book Learning Stuff. This did vary from place to place in the U.K. but foreigners DO have trouble understanding just how culturally diverse a modest British Archipelago can be. Hey Ho! Some things don't change...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-21433152
And also...note the proportion of library closures and that this is a hell of a large centre of population...
“Sunderland City Council's cabinet has agreed plans to close nine of the city's 20 libraries.
At a cabinet meeting of Sunderland City Council, held yesterday evening (4th September), senior councillors agreed plans to close nine libraries, in the hopes of saving £850,000 a year.
Many councillors expressed regret at the decision, but said it was a necessary step. Councillor Graeme Miller was quoted in the Sunderland Echo saying: "Nobody becomes a councillor to shut things. The focus should be on the Coalition Government who have cut our funding by £100,000 in the past three years. That’s 25% of our budget gone. We’re not doing this because we want to, we’re doing this because we have to.
"Because of the internet, because of Facebook, because of gadgets, we don’t need libraries in the way we used to when I was 15."
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/sunderland-agrees-library-closures
I can afford to buy whatever I want off the Internet in E Book form. Others? I've had conversations with averagely professional Middle Class Persons who claim that if their wages are cut much more then they too will have recourse to Food Banks! I just haven’t had the heart to tell them that the much advertised Food Banks are nowhere near as easy to gain access to as they might suppose.
Consider this...before ever the Food Bank concept was created Public Libraries were Book Banks for the poor. Still ... Reasons to be Cheerful!!! One ..
At Least... YOUR CREATURE LIVES !!!! ...
On TITTER ..Oh, all Right, " Twitter "
" Charlie Stross @cstross 2 hrs2 hours ago Edinburgh, Scotland
Reminder: IT EXISTS!!! "
So I SEE ...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23154785-the-annihilation-score
Though other 'umble folk Cry in Anguish ...
" I confess I'm kind of puzzled how folks are reviewing or rating a book that is not only not yet published, but not available in ARC yet ...! flag
8 likes • like 8 comments 8 days agoDavid That's nothing. "The Nightmare Stacks" already has two 5-star reviews and that's not due out until next year."
So, The 'umble Folks may soon buy ...
" The Annihilation Score (Laundry Files) Hardcover – 2 Jul 2015 "
From all of the Best Bookshops .... all the Bookshops that survive that is since I'd hate to have to tell you how few High Street bookshops survive in the North East of England.
Oh, well. Not to Worry. Reasons to be Cheerful ...Part Three ..
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