Grim library stats from the U.K.
“Readers are deserting public libraries, depressed by shabby decor, odd opening hours and the impossibility of getting the book they want, according to a report into the country’s libraries. Despite a sharp rise in the number of books being bought and read by children–thanks to the ‘Harry Potter effect’–younger readers are staying away from their local branch libraries. There are fewer than two books per person in libraries across Britain. ‘There is a potential crisis looming for library services in the future,’ said Claire Creaser, one of the report’s authors. The report says the number of books being taken out of libraries has dropped by almost a third in the past 10 years. But the number of books available to those who do attempt to use their local library has also fallen, with just 87 million books available for lending.” – The Guardian Unlimited Observer, via Library Stuff.
The TeleRead take: The article goes on to say: “Attempts to draw in a younger market has failed, with loans to children declining during the year. At the same time, however, the proportion of professional librarians has dropped by a fifth over the past decade to 6,200.” Obviously, via e-books and a TeleRead-style approach, libraries in the U.K. and elsewhere could expand the number of titles and also make themselves more attractive to younger readers. And, yes, a more Net-savvy approach could also increase the usefulness of librarians–hence, their funding prospects–as well as the allure of the profession.
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