Local Libraries Hit

More cuts reported by the Evening News this week. No great surprise but very sad to see the Library service bear the brunt of such reductions. Until recently Libraries in Edinburgh were developing more as community hubs with a few even winning awards for their work with young people. Add to that, internet access, printing / photocopying services, free access to newspapers, magazines and reference books, childrens reading clubs and homework sessions, story times, community news and meetings etc and you can see how libraries could become more of a community resource. However, almost by definition, wider access and use has to be enabled by longer opening hours. Clearly that's now being reversed, which is a mistake, in my view.

And another thing.... it might just be how the story is reported in the article but on the one hand we are told users are to be consulted and on the other we are told exactly which Libraries will be affected and how their opening times are to be reduced. Looks like the consultation might be a pointless exercise.