Barnet Library Strikers True Stories: “Rose’s story”

It worries’ me that libraries are going to be handed over to voluntary organisations to run. Please don’t misunderstand me, I think these do really useful work but they should concentrate on what they were set up for.  Running a library is not a simple matter of just lending books. A lot of organisation is needed to manage stock.  Much of what libraries do now is IT based and we also run a lot of events and activities for adults and children.  There are also times when library staff have to deal with very difficult situations and often we get verbal abuse and worse from customers. I just don’t think the charities and other groups thinking of taking over the libraries realise just how difficult it is.  They probably mean well but It’s seems they think that anyone can just walk in off the street and be a librarian, library manager or a library customer service officer. That’s just not true.