Union angry at move to put in self-service machines at libraries
Library workers are threatening to walk out over plans to bring in new self-service machines.
Portsmouth City Council will spend 400,000 to introduce Radio Frequency Identification Data technology into all libraries across the city by next year.
The technology sees a tiny chip implanted into books which are then checked out by a sensor, similar to Oyster cards on the London Underground - avoiding the need for a librarian to put them through.
Council leaders - who recently announced the authority must save 15m within this year's budget - predict the self-service terminals will be used for 95 per cent of future book borrowing in Portsmouth.
The potential number of redundancies among the city's 100 library staff is unknown, but the council estimates the machines can save it 160,000 annually on wages.
Library staff are understood to be willing to strike on the issue.
Lindsey Williams, a Portsmouth-based representative for public service union Unison, said: 'Councillors supporting RFID and the subsequent staff losses are trying to run libraries on the cheap and the public are very aware of that.
'Unison are making a stand in defence of a comprehensive, professional library service for the people of Portsmouth.'
Mrs Williams warned of a 'de-humanising risk' of bringing in RFID and said: 'Those of us who've waited in an ever-increasing queue in a supermarket for a failing self-service terminal will be very aware of the frustrations that can cause.'
She added: 'Librarians and frontline staff do so much more than stamp your books.
'When was the last time a laptop looked in to your eyes and said "I have the very book for you" and led you across to something which would amaze and engage you for hours without charging you anything?'
RFID was introduced into Southampton libraries last year. Last week, library staff there went out on a one-day strike over plans to replace six full-time employees with volunteers.
Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: 'We don't want staff to be tied up with stamping books.
'There will be fewer staff so we've got to make sure they can get on with other things. We've got to save money otherwise the libraries will become financially unsustainable. This is about doing the right thing to keep libraries open.'
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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