This is the sixth article in the series about public libraries, with more still to come.
As previously mentioned, the value or otherwise of public libraries to the community was discussed in detail on the old Conservative Conspiracy Forum. Four members including me were strongly in favour of them while three took a negative view.
While I couldn’t agree from my own experience with some of the criticisms, at least one of the antis lived in a small village so what they said may be true in the case of public libraries outside the big cities.
While some of the points made by the critics may have been valid, others seemed feeble, off the mark or even a little bizarre.
I have salvaged some of the old material for reproducing on here.
Uncomfortable chairs and spying
One CC member said this:
“I pretty much stopped using the library when they changed all the chairs to uncomfortable plastic jobs, because lots kept on breaking, and staining.”
Who says you have to read your library books in house!
This is a good point where reference libraries and people who go in to use the Internet are concerned though.
Then there was this gem:
“You're being spied upon in the library, too - those places are covered in CCTV cameras, and every book you take out is kept on your record in the library's database, which can be accessed at will by the local government. Unfortunately, Big Brother surveillance is a feature of 21st century life, whether you're online or offline.”
I would be happy for anyone to see a list of the books I have borrowed, and anyway why would anyone be interested in me as an individual? Monitoring borrowings highlights patterns; it enables libraries to obtain statistics on which books are being taken out and by which demographics. Such information may help to decide which books are bought and which sold off. Maybe they discard certain books when they have not been borrowed for many years.
Censorship!
“Very few people use libraries in this day and age, and besides - they're heavily censored! The only books you can get in a library are those deemed appropriate by the establishment...”
“You will not find anything in a library that the establishment would rather you did not read. Libraries are about as open and impartial as the BBC.”
From my experience, this is just wrong on several counts. In big cities at least, libraries are very busy places. Public libraries may well ban certain books, but not the example given by the above poster:
“Waterstones have a direct commercial interest in meeting your needs, which the library does not. I acquired a specific translation of Mein Kampf (the Murphy translation - authorised by the NSDAP, so without the ridiculous things added in that other translations contain) in this way - they didn't have it in stock, but they ordered it for me. You will be very lucky to get ANY copy of such a book in a library, let alone an authentic translation!”
As I responded at the time, my local library has David Icke’s books and 14 different editions of Mein Kampf!
Libraries have not got the resources to stock all books, and the absence of a particular title may be caused by lack of money in the budget and a shortage of storage space rather than censorship.
The glass is half full not half empty
“Libraries may order you books you want, but how would you know you wanted them?”
This would once have been a very good point. It is partly why I stopped using libraries for some years and browsed in London’s many bookshops, charity shops, bookstalls etc.
However, even in the olden days they had categorised catalogues on cards in wooden drawers for browsing. Now we have the Internet for searching and book discussions and recommendations, and there are online library catalogues for browsing where I have made many discoveries.
I think in terms of what a library stocks, not what it doesn’t stock. My approach is to make the library my first port of call, take whatever they have to offer and look elsewhere when they haven’t got something I want.
Fines for late returns are evil!
A bizarre post from another anti-library member:
“It simply didn't occur to me to go to the library, firstly because their selections are usually not very good, but secondly because whilst ostensibly the books are 'free', there's always the risk of forgetting to take them back on time and having to pay a fine, and unless one is exceptionally conscientious, it's very easy to get stung and for the fines to build up and up - and although libraries sell themselves as wanting to help poor people, being poor is no excuse when it comes to paying your fine!
I'd much rather buy a book and know that was it, pay for it upfront and no nasty surprises down the line should life get in the way and I forget to take it back (or perhaps I become ill or sprain my ankle or something, and can't get to the library to return it). Library fines are very evil, and a blatant scam. People who take books out of the library clearly are not very rich, so why fine them? If you want to punish them, why not just revoke their borrowing privileges for a while? And where does that money go exactly? Very bad.”
I can’t see anything wrong with fining people for late returns. These penalties are easily avoidable. My library charges 25p per day. The money helps to keep libraries afloat.
My response:
“I get email reminders for books that are due back the next day, not that this happens very often. I can renew them online if necessary.”
As for the poor selection of books, as mentioned in a previous article there may not be much on the shelves but the storerooms are full of treasures. My response:
“Their budgets are limited; they do tend to go for best sellers these days. They have many good books in storage though. I was amazed and impressed to discover what is available."
Facing the future
This discussion took place over four years ago. At the time, most library closures were caused by lack of funding; now, we need to think about the effect that the coronavirus will have on the future of public libraries.
Not all public libraries are the impressive specimens built with Carnegie money that have been featured in previous articles. This is the public library for a little village near Doncaster:
