The British Library and the Public Sector Spending Review
The British Library web site states that "We are working with the
Department of Culture, Media and Sport to assist them to make the best
case for the British Library in the current comprehensive spending
review. They continue to press our case to the Treasury, but all
commentators agree that this will be a tight spending review."
Background:
The British Library is the world's greatest research library. Their
collections and expertise can be used by everyone who needs to do
research for academic, public service, personal or commercial
purposes. They are the linchpin of the UK knowledge economy on which
so much contemporary enterprise, creativity and learning depends.
The Library recognises the constraints of the current funding round.
They are limiting their spending round bid to cover inflation costs
and protect their baseline activities, including the completion of
their three year storage build. They have budgeted for no new capital
programmes.
The library has helped itself through modernisation and an efficiency
drive which has already saved £40 million, which has been redirected
to supporting our core activities. They have also made great progress
in attracting funding from other sources for projects such as the new
Centre for Conservation.
Cuts to their funding threaten:
Public access to their collections.
They will have to limit the Reading Room opening hours, or charge for
admission. They will have to close two galleries and be unable to
capitalise on the opening of the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
The excellence of the world's greatest research library:
They will have to cut their spending on research journals and books,
which will undermine 250 years of collecting and damage the UK's
position in the world research ranking.
The establishment of a digital library for the UK:
They will be unable to fulfil their statutory obligations for legal
deposit of electronic material, and UK digital information will be
lost to future generations.
The future of the national newspaper collection:
30,000 current readers will no longer have access, and the growing
popular use of newspapers as primary sources for sports and family
history research will develop no further.
Lynne Brindley, the Chief Executive of the British Library has asked
those who feel strongly about this issue to contact the library and
explain "why the British Library is important to them and to give the
British library permission to use your letter in their campaign.
If these proposed financial cuts concern you then e-mail
chief-executive(a)bl.uk with your name, contact number and message, or
write to Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive, The British Library, 96
Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
And why not sign the on-line petition:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/library/
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June Samaras
KALAMOS BOOKS
(For Books about Greece)
2020 Old Station Rd
Streetsville,Ontario
Canada L5M 2V1
Tel : 905-542-1877
E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com
www.kalamosbooks.com