Reference books cash to be cut in Portsmouth library shake-up
ON THE SHELF Libraries are feeling the pinch under council spending cuts
CASH spent on reference books at libraries is to be cut under new plans by city leaders.
Portsmouth City Council is to reduce annual spending on reference works from £50,000 to £30,000 – a cut of almost 70 per cent.
It says the move is being made partly because of a change in the way people search for information – often by using the internet.
The council’s overall budget of £371,000 a year on books and loan items for its other nine libraries will remain unchanged.
The council will spend more on fiction, which is most popular with library users.
Council leader for culture, Cllr Lee Hunt, said: ‘We’re not cutting spending, like many people around us are.
‘The budget for buying and maintaining our stocks is the same as it ever was. But times have been changing at our libraries.
‘First of all, we have worked hard to push up library memberships but it means we’re having to work even harder to make sure there are enough books people want to borrow.
‘But we’ve also seen a reduction in the number of people taking reference books out.
‘It’s because people can come to our libraries and access the internet, and there’s so much available there.’
John Sadden, a local historian who uses Portsmouth Central Library for research purposes, criticised the plans.
‘I can see the point that’s being made here, and it’s understandable,’ he said.
‘I don’t blame anyone in hard times trying to find a balance to keep as many people as possible happy.
‘But what about people who don’t have the internet at home, so aren’t familiar with it to use it at libraries?
‘I just think there should be both books and internet access on offer, to serve all users, regardless of age.’
Other cuts to library supplies will see spending on large print books drop from £16,000 to £15,000, spoken word books from £20,000 to £15,000, CDs from £12,000 to £5,000, DVDs from £22,000 to £15,000, and newspapers and journals from £20,000 to £14,000.
But expenditure on adult fiction will go up from £75,000 to £95,000, adult non-fiction from £76,000 to £80,000, and children’s books from £41,000 to £62,000.
For the first time, the council will spend £8,000 on audiobook downloads, and £15,000 on e-books for digital book readers.
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
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CTR
Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 10:38 AMSurely there is little need for reference books in this day and age. The Internet gives one access to millions of references in the comfort of your own home.
cuteface
Friday, September 30, 2011 at 11:12 AMOoops I meant ebooks I blame the weather to hot to think properly I actually use audiobooks wish they had more non fiction audiobooks though so it's not just for the blind. Also the library needs dvds because that's how they are able to get more books from the money from them also blockbusters dvds are always scratched libraries are in better condition and cheaper to rent.
PUPPPU
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 07:49 PMDear Councillor, Not all reference books are allowed ot be borrowed. Many have to remain in situ. So how can you deduce that the number of items being borrowed are reducing so you will cut the budget. How do you knonw that the number of items that cannot be removed is not increasing?
Parkie Leggit
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 05:13 PMFrattonlad, surprised you didn't get my literary reference but thanks for rising to the bate. Absolutely agree with the audio books. As a public service it should be asking why these aren't more popular and take steps to make themselves more accessible maybe promoting these services in conjunction with PAB (if they don't already). It also mentions an additional spend of £8000 on audiodownloads. Not clear from the article if this specifically offsets the £5000 decrease in spoken word books. Also not sure of the value of CDs and DVDs Again couldn't these be restricted to purely factualdocumentary leaving LoveFilm and Blockbuster to meet the other end of the market?
frattonlad
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 04:33 PM@cuteface Take it you are not blind then? The blind tend to like audiobooks. Quite a lot.
cuteface
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 04:06 PMAudio books who wants audio books not me they should cut down on newspapers 14,000 that's alot hope they recycle them afterwards.
Liebour 1997-2010
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 02:02 PMThe library book Im currently reading, is Beyond the Crash by Gordon Brown. Its largely a work of fiction and the supernatural and it will make Hitlers Olmpics look like a best seller.
frattonlad
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 01:44 PM@Parkie Leggit. Your point would be better made without tossing, well, puerile, insults around. I borrow a variety of books from the library. Some inspire, some inform, some educate (the latter two are surely two sides of the same coin) and some entertain. The last three books I borrowed were Hitler's Olympics by Christopher Hilton, Boy Racer: An Autobiography by Mark Cavendish and Where The Bodies Are Buried by Christopher Brookmyre. I'll let you decide which one function each one provided. (Clue: the Olympic's one was not an inspiration ;-)
Parkie Leggit
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 12:44 PMJust because it's popular, it doesn't make it right. Why should my council tax be spent on providing puerile pap for puerile people. The library service should be about eductation and knowledge. By definition if a book is on the best sellers list it ought to be removed from the library shelves. If the council continue to serve the lowest common denominator the people of Portsmouth will continue to aspire to raise themselves to the lowest common denominator. Entertain by all means but also aim higher ; inspire; educate and inform. Or at least don't do it with my money. Discuss.
hammie
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 12:29 PMnote to journalist 70% of £50,000 is not £20,000 10% is £5,000 so 40% = £20,000 cut
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