“Politicians’ talk of community are ‘weasel words’ unless they defend libraries”

ALCS and The Publishers Association hosted a lively debate yesterday at the Conservative Party in Manchester which saw a panel of leading professionals from the worlds of publishing and libraries give their views.

Debate panellist Annie Mauger, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Librarians & Information Professionals (CILIP) pointed out that libraries are not dying, but a changing service: “The 1964 Libraries Act is still relevant and people should still have a right to visit public libraries.”

Damian Collins MP of the Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee chaired the discussion which focused mostly on the importance of libraries as community hubs and how local authorities were managing to maintain their library service despite the challenges posed by severe reductions in local authority budgets. 


Mal Peet talking at the debate on Tuesday 4 October 2011

Author Mal Peet’s strong words resonated through the debate: “The existence of libraries mark us out as a civilised society and are the glue of a community – politicians’ talk of community are weasel words unless they act to defend libraries.”
 
Managing Director of Scholastic, Alan Hurcombe, also sat on the panel who said that the successful attainment of literacy should come from school libraries, home and public libraries working in harmony. Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust said that libraries were an ‘all-powerful resource’ that promote social mobility.

Barbara Hayes (Deputy Chief Executive, ALCS) and Richard Mollet (Chief Executive The PA) said: “The fringe meeting was a great opportunity for Conservative councillors to discuss the issues facing library services around the country, and to hear from authors and publishers about the importance they attach to the maintenance of the public library service.”

The panel line-up consisted of Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, writer Mal Peet, Alan Hurcombe the Managing Director of Scholastic and Annie Mauger Chief Executive of CILIP.

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