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Ambiguity continues to surround the government's stance on the statutory basis of the library service, following a speech by culture minister Margaret Hodge at a "people's inquiry" into public libraries held by public service union Unison at the British Library yesterday (11th February).
Authors Sue Townsend, Michael Rosen, Joe Craig and Ann Thwaite joined union members, library staff and campaigners for a day of discussion, with broadcaster Sue MacGregor chairing proceedings.
Hodge promised that a "very rigorous policy statement" would be issued on libraries "well before" the general election, widely expected to be held on 6th May. It is understood that the long-awaited Library Modernisation Review may be published as early as the second week of March.
But despite close questioning on the issue of the statutory basis of libraries, the subject of a recent spat between Hodge and Tory counterpart Ed Vaizey, Hodge remained vague. "We are considering whether the legislation is relevant, the way it is implemented is sufficient - it was a long, expensive process when the secretary of state intervened [in the Wirrall]," she said.
Pressed by Thwaite to give libraries an assurance that central government will intervene if local government is intent on closures, Hodge - who caused some surprise in the hall when she was unable to recall the precise date of the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act - said it was "an issue we are going to look at in the report."
The culture minister also raised the prospect of yet another library review, saying the current Library Modernisation Review "may be a review too early as far as e-books are concerned", with another likely to be needed in five years time.
Meanwhile, concerns from Unison members were expressed about pay, reductions in staff levels, and poor book stock and buildings, with a survey of 2,750 members revealing that 60.6% thought their local authority did not value the library service and 61% did not feel secure in their post.
Although 47.7% thought there had been positive developments in the library service over the past two years, over 42% also said there had been cuts in the service over the same period.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis told the conference the library service was facing a real threat, with staff facing pay freezes and job losses "all to pay for a recession that none of them caused".
He said: "We need real commitments from ministers that any changes will be the result of close co-operation with library users and workers. We need to know the government will not allow drastic cuts like those proposed in the Wirral... There is an election coming up and people will not vote for parties who want to dismantle our services."