I stepped away from this blog for a while, mostly as my all consuming rage at the way in which library services were being broken down, disregarded and generally tarnished by the uninformed vitrol being spouted in the media threated to completely overcome me! But now, with new developments afoot, it is time to pick it up again.
The first stage of the 'restructuring' is now complete, and it seems that little the staff said about the proposals was taken into account. The almost illterate email we received from the acting head of service once the 'consultation' process was closed said it all. The reaction given was that yes, knowlege and expertise would be lost and that was regrettable "but if you always do what you always did you get what you always got". I think the fact that the acting head of service didn't even read the email thoroughly enough to pick up the clanger of a mistake at the beginning in addressing us all by 'God Morning' says everything about the level of care and courtesy extended to staff!
The senior staff have now gone through the process of applying for jobs and redundancy and those who survived are now in post. Performing Arts has been left without a 'Library supervisor', as has Ilfracombe and we don't know what will happen to fill those posts. There are many leaving the service, either through retirement or redunancy and with them go many years of experience and vast swathes of local knowledge and subject expertise. As expected, the gaps left in frontline staffing have not been filled, and nor will they be. This is where the decimation of the service begins.
The coming weeks will be very sad as longstanding librarians and their knowledge and expertise are lost forever. Well done Louisa for your blog and for voicing the concerns of many. As you say, staff have been told not to talk to the Press about any details of the Brave New World of the Library service, if that in itself is not a misnomer, while under consultation, and where generic and generalist seem to be the buzzwords.
ReplyDeleteHi Louisa,
ReplyDeleteI went to an ELIP meeting yesterday for Exeter Librarians, and we all agreed to lend our backing to the Voices for the Library campaign. Not sure how to establish a Devon 'voice' if you have any ideas it would be great to share them. Thanks
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteThat is good news as Devon really hasn't had a voice so far! Voices for the Library has a number of links to 'campaign' packages provided by various groups, although I'm not sure they'd be much help as they're really aimed at libraries under the threat of closure. Contacting the 'Voices' site directly would be worthwhile to highlight what has been happening in Devon. In terms of establishing a Devon 'voice', friends groups would be the obvious route. I know that there are rumblings amongst ex-staff to create a friends group for Exeter. A social media prescence would also be advisable which could then link with Voices for the Library. If I think of anything else I'll post it!
Saki, thanks for your comments. As you say the loss of knowledge and expertise is just so so shortsighted.