Libraries in local press

A while ago the local paper for Portsmouth, The News, ran a negative article on the decline of librarianship due to increasing use of the web and the restructure of Hampshire County (I hope their strike today and tomorrow in opposition to these plans sparks a rethink). Such a wonderful piece of journalism could not be left unanswered and the collective thoughts of the HIOW Committee have now been sent to the Editor, the text of which is below.

"Dear Sir,

Your Monday investigation (12^th March) as to whether the species of librarian is becoming endangered due to the web, highlights a narrow and incorrect viewpoint of the library profession. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight there are over 500 members of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), in a wide spectrum of organisations. To focus your article and arguments on the public-sector issues currently alive in the County does not fully represent or do justice to the depth and breadth of skills and experience utilised by librarians in education, business, museums, health, government, and defence as well as those colleagues currently under fire and torment.

The profession of librarian is far from endangered, and is currently enjoying the challenges of electronic media; the format of information may be changing, but professionally qualified staff are still required to educate their users in information literacy. This is another role a librarian fulfils, the teaching of information literacy to those who do not understand the nature of data gained from websites and other sources. The librarian is trained to guide, inform and empower their respective community of users in the positive and negative aspects of information found on a daily basis. To use library and information sources successfully is a life skill which our non-endangered profession is able to deliver.

It is a sad fact that libraries are always a soft target for budget balancing quests by local authorities, and currently Hampshire is sharing this unfortunate burden with many other Councils in the United Kingdom. The web is no replacement for the printed word and the skills with which the library staff provides a professional community service.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Sturt

Communications Officer

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sub Branch (CILIP South East)"