Letter from Sherry Waldon (From Swindon Advertiser)

Letter from Sherry Waldon

9:24am Wednesday 11th August 2010 in

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EVERY lover of books should sign Shirley Burnham's petition (SA, Aug 6). Presumably she has launched it at this stage because the borough has employed consultants (once again!) to assist in formulating a Library Strategy for Swindon and is presently circulating a survey about library usage, which is available in all public libraries.

Most of us are pretty cynical about the borough's consultation processes: they are usually a prelude to cuts. However it is important that all library users fill out the survey to show their interest and commitment to their local library and to the paid staff who run them. The results of such a survey will then be on the record. So the two things run hand in hand - fill out the survey and sign Shirley's petition.

Mr Cameron's Big Society seems to embody the idea that you can get volunteers to do practically everything that paid staff can do. So get rid of the paid staff and volunteers will flock to take their places as part of their responsibility to the community. Sounds good, but is nonsense. Are the volunteers, including Coun Mallinson, really providing the library service at the Walcot Library which that community deserves, or are they merely custodians of the book stacks?

SHERRY WALDON Kingswood Avenue Park North