Libraries and Vinyl

I’m giving a talk on public library cuts and closures at an art exhibition held by Golau Glau on Saturday 12th November at Test Space in Leeds.

“Golau Glau are an anonymous collective of artists, photographers and musicians, with particular interests in social history, not-silences & environments under threat – both urban and natural. Their body of work to date has examined themes of domestic, social and sexual politics; popular culture; scandal; folk  history and Anglican and pagan rituals.

Thursday 10th – Exhibition launch with live sounds from Hookworms and DJ sets from Runners and A Negative Narrative

Saturday 12th – Vinyl only DJ set from Sonic Router and Lauren Smith from Voices for the Library giving a talk about public library cuts and closures”

It’s a bit of a departure from what I’m used to, which is scary and exciting at the same time. I’m planning on connecting what’s happening to the public library service to some of the themes that the collective deal with – for example the politics of knowledge, and public libraries as some of the last remaining non-commercial spaces we have. I’m hoping to reach a wider audience than I would at a library-specific event, and hopefully get people thinking about the value of libraries in ways they might not have before.

Talk at the West Yorkshire Playhouse

Today I spoke at Windows on the World: Keeping Them Open – The prospects for public service broadcasting, libraries and arts. Below is the script which I tried to stick to! I had 10-15 minutes to speak and an awful lot to cram in, so I followed the advice of the wise daveyp and aimed for about 20 points that got a minute or two each. Hopefully I was factually accurate and vaguely informative…

Umbrellas, Windows and Voices

I was given the opportunity to go to a day of the Umbrella conference thanks to sponsorship from Credo Reference for Voices for the Library. I had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the sessions, catching up with people, making new acquaintances and finally meeting people I really should have met in person before now! I found some sessions particularly valuable, most notably Christine Rooney-Browne’s talk on measuring the value of libraries (there are some really useful links that she shared on the Voices site). Some of the themes that emerged from discussions in John Pateman and John Vincent’s session about the Big Society, social justice and public libraries were thought-provoking, such as the concept of ‘empowerment’ from above, accountability, accessibility and engaging core, passive and non-users. My focus was inevitably on public libraries, with my Voices hat on, but I also found the talk by David Hunter, the Strategy and Performance Manager at the National Library of Scotland very interesting too. He discussed the bibliometric evaluation method that the NLS has been experimenting with, to try and discern the ways in which library users benefit from the library’s resources. There’s much work to be done, but I’m excited about its potential.

So much of what Gerald Leitner, EBLIDA President and Secretary General of the Austrian Library Association, the keynote speaker on Tuesday morning, had to say about the need for library and information professionals to take control of emerging digital copyright issues and negotiate with publishers made a lot of sense. I agree with his assertion that now is the time for LIS professionals to work together, cross-sector and internationally, to develop a unified library policy. Libraries provide access to culture, resources for lifelong learning and methods to counteract the most demoralising aspects of current economic and social crises. Gerald pointed out that the problem of legislators not understanding the value of library and information services and their lack of understanding about the difference between print and electronic copyright issues is not just a UK issue, it’s Europe-(if not world)wide. This needs to be addressed and it’s important for librarians to set it high on policymakers’ agendas. An issue he raised that was particularly relevant to my research interests was that a high proportion of children and young people in Europe are illiterate, which means that they can no longer be reached with written information. They are therefore more likely to become (or continue to be) marginalised and unengaged and vulnerable to radicalisation. This is something that libraries are in a key position to tackle.

The focus of the conference this year was on six themes, (skills and professionalism, promotion and advocacy, technologies and access, libraries in the Big Society, digital inclusion and social change, tools and techniques) the majority of which are relevant to the advocacy, campaigning and media work that I do. Tomorrow at the Windows on the World event at the West Yorkshire Playhouse I’ll be talking about the risk to UK public libraries, current legal challenges, what councils are doing in order to implement the cuts imposed on them and the implications these changes have in relation to access, universality, digital inclusion, education and social change.

It was lovely to meet so many people at the conference who knew about Voices for the Library, what we’re doing and why it’s not just important for the public library sector, but for the whole profession. I’m so grateful for the support that we have from so many people within the profession as well as members of the public, authors and other campaign groups. As Ian’s mentioned, we’d really like to get some more contributions from people, whether they’re working in libraries or just using them, to spread the message about the great work that public libraries do. It’s always been one of our key aims, but with all the campaigning against things that needs doing it’s hard to keep up the advocacy message for things. Please write to us at stories@voicesforthelibrary.org.uk with anything you’d like to share.

Windows on the World: Keeping Them Open

I’ve been invited to speak at a free public event in Leeds next month, which I really hope people will come along to. It should be very interesting and will tie together some themes that I think are very important but are often overlooked. I’m going to get cracking on my paper soon – yep, actually writing a script for this one!

Windows on the World: Keeping Them Open. The prospects for public service broadcasting, libraries and arts

Saturday 16 July, 2011 at 2pm at The Congreve Room, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UP

Public meeting, all welcome, admission free

Refreshments from 1.45pm

Since the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review of October 2010 the future looks uncertain for publicly funded forms of cultural expression, information and entertainment. Libraries, theatres, radio and TV offer us a series of windows on the world, a means of connecting with others and a space for debate. Are these spaces and resources now at risk?

Chair: Judith Stamper, Deputy Head, Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds, BBC Journalist and former Presenter BBC Look North;

Lauren Smith, Founding member of the national libraries advocacy group Voices for the Library and co-ordinator of the Save Doncaster Libraries campaign;

Sheena Wrigley, General Director and Joint Chief Executive, West Yorkshire Playhouse;

Garry Lyons has written extensively for theatre as well as for radio and television, with his BBC2 drama-documentary Britain’s first suicide bombers attracting a Prix Europa nomination in 2007;

Sylvia Harvey, Visiting Professor in Broadcasting Policy, University of Leeds, Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics, Trustee, Voice of the Listener.

Voice of the Listener and Viewer (VLV) is an independent, not-for-profit association working for quality, diversity and editorial independence in broadcasting. It has no political, commercial or sectarian affiliations, and is the only national organization speaking for listeners, viewers and new media users on the full range of broadcasting issues. Further information can be found at: http://www.vlv.org.uk/

The event is also supported by the Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds

For further information please contact: Sylvia Harvey (Mob): 0788-155-4126 or Bob Usherwood 0114-236-8356.

Wrapped Up In Books

It’s a right week for books next week!

When I decided  to get involved with World Book Night, I automatically assumed that it was part of Book Aid International’s World Book Day – well, you would, wouldn’t you?! It turns out they’re not, or at least, weren’t. Now though, they’re both helping to put on an event in Southwark (celebrations start at 5pm and close at 10pm at John Harvard Library, Borough High Street, South London SE1 1JA). Ace.

World Book Day – 3rd March

Here’s a little bit about World Book Day because I’ve not mentioned it properly yet. From a lovely lady called Natasha at Book Aid:

“It is opportunity for people to celebrate the education, imagination and information that books provide us all with. There are a whole host of events and activities you can get involved with, whatever your age. They include Meet Talk Give, a fun, easy fundraising activity for reading groups and libraries – as well as initiatives for toddlers and school age children.

Book Aid International is one of the charities that benefits from the day, and it enables them to make a massive difference. They depend on the support of people like you to bring books, and all that they represent, to communities in sub-Saharan Africa and the Occupied Territories of Palestine.”

I’ll be in Edinburgh on 3rd and 4th March at Edge 2011, so won’t be able to take part, but if you can, it sounds well worth it. And make the most of the World Book Day Tokens!

World Book Night -  5th March

There’s been some talk about WBN, what it’s about and potential issues. But I’m sticking with it, and will be in one of my favourite beery establishments, Arcadia in Headingley, from about 8:30pm, with the awesome BookElfLeeds and her Travelling Suitcase Library (so excited about meeting her!) – I think it’s a great opportunity to encourage people to get reading and use libraries. As well as the 40-odd copies of Love in the Time of Cholera, I’ll also be bringing a pile of my own books, and seeing as I’m moving house that day, I think I’d better pack up a little box specifically for swapping!