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Peet accuses politicians of "weasel words" over libraries

05.10.11 | Charlotte Williams

Author Mal Peet has accused politicians talking about the importance of community of using "weasel words" unless they defend libraries.

Peet was speaking at a Publishers Association (PA) and Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) fringe event on the future of libraries at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester yesterday [4th October].

Scholastic m.d. Alan Hurcombe told delegates: "There is no greater national conversation than that about giving adults and children access to literacy; the school library, home and the public library need to work in harmony to deliver literacy and information literacy."

Peet said: "The existence of libraries mark us out as a civilised society and are the glue of a community—politicians' talk of community are weasel words unless they act to defend libraries."

PA chief executive Richard Mollet and ALCS deputy chief executive Barbara Hayes described the meeting as "a great opportunity for Conservative councillors to discuss the issues facing library services around the country, and to hear from authors and publishers about the importance they attach to the maintenance of the public library service".

The meeting also heard the Chartered Institute of Librarians & Information Professionals (CILIP) chief executive Annie Mauger describe libraries as "a changing service" rather than a "dying service", and National Literacy Trust c.e.o. Jonathan Douglas call libraries "an all-powerful resource which promotes social mobility".

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By Shirley Burnham

Fighting talk from CILIP ?
(CILIP) chief executive Annie Mauger describe libraries as "a changing service" rather than a "dying service"

Wed, 05/10/2011 - 13:08

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