INTERESTING BLOG ARTICLE ABOUT SYDENHAM LIBRARY & LEWISHAM

[leenewham]

This is the blog: http://despin.co.uk/2011/02/01/sydenham ... -services/

This is the text:
'A fundamental part of any library services team should be to constantly think of ways and means to improve and increase services, to make the libraries relevant and popular as communities change. The response from Lewisham library services suggests that they are bereft of ideas or plans to stave off the very real threat of closure to all the libraries in the borough.

A short telephone call to Sydenham library.

“Good afternoon, Masons Hill library.” ”What did you just say?” ”Sorry, Sydenham library.” ”Right, is there anyone I can talk to about library services?” ”Yup, sure, hold on a minute.”

A gentleman who calls himself Rob of Sydenham – a Robin Hood fan perhaps, points me in the direction of Alan Morrison, part of Lewisham borough council’s library services team.

I call him up and ask him about how the council is attempting to keep Sydenham and other libraries across the borough open, accessible and vibrant places to visit. Essentially, what they are doing to raise the library’s popularity.

“Ah, well, black history month went down very well, and we have the summer reading challenge.”

“Is that it?” Sadly it appears so.

It’s exasperating that the library faces closure, and in his time, these are the only two events that Mr Morrison can think of, is he quite sure the library is in danger of being closed?

“As I say, if you have any more comments, please contact Mr Rizzo, he’s the head of library services. But if you call, he probably won’t answer as he’s not really there.”

“What?” Frustration mounting.

“As I say, send Mr Rizzo an email if you have any ideas.”

Hell, I think, even as a socialist leaning individual, this lay down and die attitude within local government is pathetic. I can’t help asking myself why there’s no urgency, why it appears that Lewisham is almost resigned to the failure of Sydenham and other libraries. Wouldn’t you instigate an action force, some sort of public consultation – a forum of ideas at least, to analyse the means and ways of preventing library closures? These are very real threats to the community, closures will result in job losses, and equally importantly, the community becomes distant, smaller and weaker as a result.

At the time of publication, Lewisham appears to be exploring an “anchored tenancy”, a private organisation would take over Sydenham library shrinking the already pathetic library services currently offered. This idea surely precludes its doomed future and paves way for its gradual disappearance? These are the questions that Lewisham will not answer. This is desperately sad.

There are a whole host of ideas that could be explored, but if the council can’t even summon an ounce of energy presently, what chance is there of turning these failing institutions around that are so fundamental part of community life?

I’ll keep readers up to date on my attempts to contact Mr A Rizzo. '
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Article end

Who is Mr Rizzo?
Where is the passion and what happened to ideas?

[Hill Dweller]

What would happen if people dumped their children in a cafe or restaurant while they went shopping or to work? Whose fault would it be if a child had an accident or a fight where so dumped? what does it do to insurance policies?

I doubt many librarians feel as proud of their role as they used to, Mr Brown, the snotty sod at our library when I was a kid would never have had to double up as a childminder and I doubt many of today's even get consulted. So much for altruistic PC gone wrong

People that really only want to read and browse are able to buy books for pennies nowadays, it's not as it was when all those donors / philanthropists invested in such structures / memorials.

Perhaps some research figures about how libraries are used these days are what has caused this choice of where to put the cut?

[leenewham]

Hi Hill Dweller,
please take this in the spirit is is intended, it's written in good spirit! The problem with forums is that anything can be taken in a way that wasn't intended.

The council have decided to put Sydenham on the list because after years of not spending any money of the building, it now needs some money spending on it to fix the roof. That is the primary reason Sydenham is included in the list.

So basically what the council is saying is 'we neglected your library, we didn't carry out our duties to maintain a well used public library and because of our failure to maintain it we now have no money to do it up (despite the fact that we bought a shopping centre in Catford and spent millions on our town hall last year) and therefore want to get rid of it to save costs.

The closure of Sydenham library is NOT to do with how it is used.

As for philanthopy, this is an exert from the sydenhamlibrary.wordpress.com site about the history of the library: 'Carnegie also believed that the community itself should contribute something towards their library. He paid for the building but the Council, using local taxes, had to find a suitable site, buy books and employ experienced staff (important, as they offered the knowledge and advice to support their readers’ needs).' So our taxes bought the land, books and ran the library in the first place.

Libraries have always had lots of kids in them I worked in one for years and there were always kid sof all ages in there due to the childrens section and reading clubs. But Sydenham library is much more than just a place for books. The computers are always being used for free internet access, there was a job club out the back (but the government closed that too), schools use it, nursery groups use it, it has photocopying facilities, local information, Councilor surgeries, local groups meetings, reading groups, mums groups and a sense of community that will be gone if it's shut. It's one of the more popular libraries in the borough despite that fact that it's been very badly neglected by Lewisham Council (which they admitted in one of the 'consultations'!).

[Hill Dweller]

I think you'll find, Lee, that in addition to my own miserable complaints about kids and noise (did I mention noise?) I entered the topic last week to describe what I'd been told about the reasons for its temporary closure (the temporary nature of it is something that others claim not to have heard about).

I'd been told by staff at FHL that Syd is closing temporarily because of H&S needs that can't be funded at the moment / now and to avoid possible further wear and tear.

I've mentioned that I also imagine that H&S concerns could encompass low staffing levels due to cuts.

I know most libraries are well-used and used more properly when classes visit but if you've ever visited FHL during school hols (and I'd imagine it's the same at others, though probs not Town Hall) you might see what I mean. Several times over the last year because my ISP is so **** I've had to use i'net shops or the library and have found the mis-use of the latter amazing! I feel very sorry for the staff, they aren't childminders or playground managers.

However, I do realise I'm lucky that Syd Library isn't my usual and do acknowledge it's a shame but I know on whom to place the blame and it's on the right