It's no secret that books, both the writing and reading of them, are my lifelong addiction. To paraphrase Paula Danziger, I feel like I'm addicted to the printed word because I need a book fix whenever I get upset. A major catalyst for this love of literature was having access to libraries from a very young age. I remember going to Dunstable library with my dad at age 4 or 5, and soon exhausting the limit on his card so he signed me up for my own. I treasured that card and proceeded to use it on a biweekly basis for the next two decades, until I was a graduate living on my own and had enjoyed the benefits of libraries located in my school, in Luton, Milton Keynes, Leamington Spa, Los Angeles and Warwick University to name just a few.
I'm lucky to know several librarians and I consider myself blessed to count such intelligent, book-loving, fun and kind people in my friends group. However, I know their job isn't easy, especially in the face of rampant budget cuts and complacency on the part of local government. I've seen veteran library staff forced to reapply for their own jobs after two decades, forced to accept ten or even 20 percent pay cuts, and constantly being asked to do more work for the same or less money due to redundancies and recruitment freezes.
So how can we help our brave literary warriors and make their days a bit easier? Here are my personal tips:
1) USE your libraries!
I don't care if you never read a book yourself, you will most certainly read a magazine or use the internet or use maps or travel guides or have children who read or teenagers who are studying or need help filling in application forms or require tourist info. Libraries provide all this and more. Free wi-fi, free computer use and a huge, warm book-filled sanctuary from the madness of the outside world. Who wouldn't want to visit such a place?!
I don't care if you never read a book yourself, you will most certainly read a magazine or use the internet or use maps or travel guides or have children who read or teenagers who are studying or need help filling in application forms or require tourist info. Libraries provide all this and more. Free wi-fi, free computer use and a huge, warm book-filled sanctuary from the madness of the outside world. Who wouldn't want to visit such a place?!
2) CARE for your libraries!
Take small children in to the children's library; adults come to libraries for peace. Teach your teen children to respect libraries, rather than treating them like a gaming arcade. Put stuff back where you found it. Take your loud phone conversations outside. Report anything untowards to staff but also be respectful, pleasant and patient with library employees - they are working harder than ever for fewer and fewer rewards. If there's a queue, don't huff - pick up a book and wait like a grown-up!
Take small children in to the children's library; adults come to libraries for peace. Teach your teen children to respect libraries, rather than treating them like a gaming arcade. Put stuff back where you found it. Take your loud phone conversations outside. Report anything untowards to staff but also be respectful, pleasant and patient with library employees - they are working harder than ever for fewer and fewer rewards. If there's a queue, don't huff - pick up a book and wait like a grown-up!
3) Don't BURDEN your libraries with unhelpful donations!
If you have a genuinely nice, immaculate modern edition of a book that you wish to donate, great. However, PLEASE do not donate any of the following to your local library (and this is straight from a senior library stock controller):
If you have a genuinely nice, immaculate modern edition of a book that you wish to donate, great. However, PLEASE do not donate any of the following to your local library (and this is straight from a senior library stock controller):
- Old, damaged or mildewed books. Your library will only have to pay to recycle these.
- Maps or travel guides older then five years. No use to man nor beast, trust me.
- Utterly obselete crap like WINDOWS 98 GUIDE. Gift it to a geeky friend or eBay it.
- Any books with cracked spines, folded down pages or annotations. This is a library, not Amazon marketplace. Library staff are not there to sort through your old schoolbooks just because you can't be bothered to do it!
4) SIGNAL BOOST the great work that your local library does!
Give them a shout out on social media, take a picture of a great book display and Instagram it, tweet what you liked about your most recent visit; whatever you can do to keep libraries visible means they stand a better chance of retaining funding.
Give them a shout out on social media, take a picture of a great book display and Instagram it, tweet what you liked about your most recent visit; whatever you can do to keep libraries visible means they stand a better chance of retaining funding.
Now go out and spread that literary love!
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