Cherry picking after the cherry pickers

Here are some quotes from the future libraries report November 2010. Obviously in Oxfordshire they cherry picked a few responses from the focus groups and a statistical bit to try and back up their five measures nonsense. Here are some other quotes that I have cherry picked from the reports, some are from users some are from the MLA report conclusions itself. I have also put a few graphs at the end. It is worth bearing in mind nowhere in the report does it say the future of libraries is to close them:

“For pensioners [it’s] a question of money. You can’t afford to buy every book you read.” Library
user, older person, rural area.


“The job of the library should be to continually endeavour to get young people there - nothing can
compare to holding a book – it’s about getting young people and children reading.” Non-user, older
person, rural area


“Bean counters don’t understand the real value of a library. For people who live in villages on their
own, [visiting the library] is like an outing.” Library user, rural area


“I’m flabbergasted at the range of things you can do there.” Non-user, older person, rural area


“The library is essential to community – it adds cohesion to the village.” Library user, older person,
rural area


“As pubs and post offices close the library is the last throw of the dice.” Library user, older person,
rural area


“I reckon a lot is being creamed off at the top and it’s not getting to delivery, to the library
assistants”. Non-user, older person, rural area


“You would have to know any profits are going back into the library and not being swallowed up by
the council.” Library user, rural area




"Emerging evidence suggests that back office mergers alone may save 5 to 10 per cent whilst full service merger across a number of councils could achieve savings in the order 10 to 25 per cent depending on the number of councils involved, locality (rural or urban) and current practice."


The graphs:

How important are libraries to users:

Using volunteers is going to stuff the things people are most satisfied about with their libraries:

What would encourage visits:

If you are having trouble sleeping the the link to all parts of the MLA reports is below, I will add quotes and graphs to this from other sources when I find stuff. I am currently trying to discover what the public library service standards benchmarks (PLSS) were replaced with, supposedly it is the "National Library Benchmarks" but I cannot find them anywhere, if anyone knows please add a comment or tweet me (@rubymalvolio).

MLA reports:

http://research.mla.gov.uk/evidence/view-publication.php?dm=nrm&pubid=1161

The now defunct PLSS stats:

http://research.mla.gov.uk/evidence/view-publication.php?dm=nrm&pubid=1161