Camden's Archives and Libraries – Volunteers not free labour

Published: 2nd June, 2011

• The consultation got one question wrong. 

The Camden archive is not a lending library; it is one of the best resourced, and best staffed research facilities of its kind in London. 

And lumping this with Islington, denies the fact that 98 per cent of the staff are extremely knowledgeable about their own borough, but not the other.

To run such a well used archive, it is essential for there to be enough well informed staff, otherwise research becomes difficult to impossible, since much of the material is not put out on the shelves and questions can be complex.

Also, the government and Camden Council need reminding that the Volunteer Charter states that volunteers must never be asked to do any work meant to be carried out by paid workers under contract. 

The volunteers do the work that otherwise might not get done, but not the day-to-day part of the job. 

Volunteers must never be used as free labour in order to cut paid workers with years of training and experience.
L Jellinek
Upper Park Road, NW3

Save archive

• I WRITE from the Cotswolds as a (roughly monthly) user of the resources of the Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre at the Holborn Library. 

Although only a country member of the Camden History Society (and former member of its council), I now understand that, in spite of the public consultation recently undertaken, you propose effectively to demolish irreplaceable local facilities that you should be protecting.

I have a continuing interest in Camden Local Studies and spoke at a meeting of the Camden History Society last July and am speaking, on other local Camden topics, to the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee in October, Camden History Society and Castlehaven Community Centre in November. 

The next issue of the Camden History Review will carry an article of mine on the dubious activities of a former mayor of St Pancras, and one important source for all of these topics has been the Camden archives. Dispersing the archives and its knowledgeable staff will mean the effective end of proper “local” studies. Please do not assume that this sort of information is, or probably ever will be, available on the internet, which is good for showing catalogues but poor at showing original papers unless an enormous and expensive digitalisation programme is forthcoming. 

Admittedly from this distance, I may have misunderstood your proposals for savings, but surely Camden must maintain its archive and local history facilities. 

I never cease to be impressed at the age, ethnicity and historical and professional interest ranges of fellow users of the Camden local studies. I ask you to reconsider the easy option and make more sensible savings elsewhere.
Dr Robin Woolven
Willersey, Worcs

Keep local

• CAMDEN Council seems set on closing the local studies library and archives service in order to save around £135,000, moving the contents of the collection and archive to the London Metropolitan Archive in Clerkenwell.  

Thus one of the best resources of its kind in London, perhaps in the country, will be lost and this at a time when more people are interested in their family and local history than ever before.

Some reductions in local services necessitated by the need for cuts in public expenditure can be relatively temporary, with a gradual restoration of services as money becomes available but some will be irreversible. The loss of the local studies collection and archive would be permanent.

There is sufficient in the council’s reserve of £95.8million for consideration to be given to funding the local studies library and archive service such that it is retained as a local service within the borough, ideally where it is currently located in Holborn. 

Councillors, as local people, must step up to the plate and act in the local interest, for too many of the senior officers involved in running our borough have no personal connection with Camden and no long-term interest either.  

Camden will be the poorer if it hives off its history because of a relatively short-term financial crisis.  

I urge residents to tell their local councillors that local studies should remain local.
Lester May
Reachview Close, NW1

Histories

• FOR the past year I have been working as a volunteer at Holborn Library documenting the Vale of Health Society archives. 

These records were accepted by the Local Studies and Archives Centre because they are considered to be of historic interest. The Vale is unusual as, in effect, a hamlet surrounded by Hampstead Heath. Part of the local heritage is that it has also been home to generations of the Abbott family; members of the Showmen’s Guild, who own the fairground site.

When this collection was put in the care of the library it was in the belief that it would be easily accessible to researchers of local social history. It is difficult to ascertain from ambiguous statements in Camden’s report Future Shape of Library Services whether this will continue to be the case. 

On the one hand, there is the aim of “increasing accessibility where possible” by outsourcing local studies. On the other hand the impact may be “possible reduction in accessibility and customer satisfaction”. 

Let’s not overlook the value of continuity of contact with library staff who are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and real interest in the Camden community.
Sheila MacLeod,
NW3

Innovative

• I’M impressed to hear about the innovative ideas of “community libraries” currently being proposed. 

This is a window of opportunity for people to give back to society. 

I know the residents of Hackney have been successful in volunteering and showing their passion for their local library. 

Now is the chance for residents of Camden to prove they are equally dedicated!
Name and address supplied,
NW6

Efficiency 

• MY sincere gratitude to all those who responded to the library survey, attended the focus groups, came to public library meetings and contacted me individually with suggestions of how we can best manage Camden’s service in the face of government cuts. 

The level of passion for our libraries has been clearly demonstrated and the council leadership is listening.

The input from Camdeners, together with the “equality impact assessment” results, will feed into the decision making process. 

Recommendations to cabinet have focused strongly on sustaining an efficient library service through reducing management costs, sharing services across council departments, increasing online resources in libraries, turning libraries into multi-functional hubs and, importantly, working in partnership with the community and giving them more ownership over the running of libraries.

Tough choices lie ahead. However, we will not just be making efficiencies. Having listened to Camdeners of today, we will aim to develop a modern library service for Camden’s tomorrow.

We will protect the future of Camden’s libraries and ensure they maintain the presence they currently have in the different parts of the borough.
Cllr Tulip Siddiq
Cabinet member for culture

A new hub

• IT’S good news that Camden Council has saved West Hampstead Library from being closed. 

The council is facing huge pressure to reduce its services because of the government’s cuts to its income.

The library is very important to the community in West Hampstead. We can now look forward to it becoming a community hub where we can access council services and use the facilities for meetings.

Congratulations to the council for keeping our library safe.
Geoff Berridge
Hillfield Road, NW6

Precious

• I’M relieved to see that neither Belsize nor Chalk Farm library is going to be sold off to private developers. 

Everyone is aware that there is a shortage of money but at least the council has had the sense to recognise that these buildings are precious to the community. 

Retaining them is more valuable than the monetary benefit they could have derived.
Name and address supplied,
NW6

The future of libraries report is only partly reassuring

• AT last the proposals, which will lead to a decision by Camden’s cabinet on June 8 as to the future of our libraries, has been published.

The report is only partly reassuring. 

To begin with the mobile library will close and three small libraries will be handed over to volunteers. 

Beyond this the report states that, in Highgate, provision of accommodation for other community activities and organisations will be sought within the building to reduce overall costs. It is stated that if no viable or workable alternatives are forthcoming the facilities would close.

There is unfortunately also a risk that Labour will fail the workers. 

The preferred proposal suggests that a substantial number of redundancies will be made. I have asked on many occasions for fewer job cuts and instead a small reduction in hours across the council which must be better for social cohesion and wellbeing. That’s much better than putting able qualified people out of work at a huge cost to them and the council.
Cllr Maya de Souza 
Green Party, Highgate ward