A libraries policy to make one turn to Alice in Wonderland?

Published: September 15, 2011

THERE are times when voters wonder at the utterances of councillors.

For instance, the comment from Councillor Tulip Siddiq beggared belief when she referred to the closure of three library branches. 

Cllr Siddiq said: “It represented the best possible outcome for our library service”.

During the consultations, both she and Pat Callaghan gave the impression that all branches would survive. Perhaps they could let voters know why they now support closures?

In the last refurbishment of branches, three did not have the self-service machines installed. Chalk Farm, Belsize and Heath were clearly in the firing line.

So, from next month, these “well-loved libraries” will shut. Yes, that was Cllr Siddiq, again. Let us give her a present: a copy of Alice in Wonderland! In that exercise, we also lost many “well-loved” staff, as teams were broken up, dispersed elsewhere, or they just left. I remember with affection, the staffs’ assistance over 30 years of visiting the Heath Library.

So, the city bankers got the economy into a mess leading to this government reducing funding to local authorities.

It is at such times particularly, that we need local access to information held in libraries, as this is of benefit to all of us.

There were alternatives – “roads that were not taken”, and which would have saved these branches from closure.
Perhaps there is truth in the rumour that our councillors are volunteering to cut their pay by 10 per cent.
Skip Murphy
Prince of Wales Road, NW1