oggbashan
Dying Truth seeker
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2002
- Posts
- 56,017
This information came to me in my role as a secondhand bookdealer but is relevant to all Brits interested in libraries and academic research.
Og
The British Library and the Public Sector Spending Review
The British Library web site states that "We are working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to assist them to make the best case for the British Library in the current comprehensive spending review. They continue to press our case to the Treasury, but all commentators agree that this will be a tight spending review."
Background:
The British Library is the world's greatest research library. Their collections and expertise can be used by everyone who needs to do research for academic, public service, personal or commercial purposes. They are the linchpin of the UK knowledge economy on which so much contemporary enterprise, creativity and learning depends.
The Library recognises the constraints of the current funding round. They are limiting their spending round bid to cover inflation costs and protect their baseline activities, including the completion of their three year storage build. They have budgeted for no new capital programmes.
The library has helped itself through modernisation and an efficiency drive which has already saved £40 million, which has been redirected to supporting our core activities. They have also made great progress in attracting funding from other sources for projects such as the new Centre for Conservation.
Cuts to their funding threaten:
Public access to their collections.
They will have to limit the Reading Room opening hours, or charge for admission. They will have to close two galleries and be unable to capitalise on the opening of the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
The excellence of the world's greatest research library:
They will have to cut their spending on research journals and books, which will undermine 250 years of collecting and damage the UK's position in the world research ranking.
The establishment of a digital library for the UK:
They will be unable to fulfil their statutory obligations for legal deposit of electronic material, and UK digital information will be lost to future generations.
The future of the national newspaper collection:
30,000 current readers will no longer have access, and the growing popular use of newspapers as primary sources for sports and family history research will develop no further.
Lynne Brindley, the Chief Executive of the British Library has asked those who feel strongly about this issue to contact the library and explain "why the British Library is important to them and to give the British library permission to use your letter in their campaign.
If these proposed financial cuts concern you then e-mail chief-executive@bl.uk with your name, contact number and message, or write to Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
And why not sign the on-line petition: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/library/
Og
The British Library and the Public Sector Spending Review
The British Library web site states that "We are working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to assist them to make the best case for the British Library in the current comprehensive spending review. They continue to press our case to the Treasury, but all commentators agree that this will be a tight spending review."
Background:
The British Library is the world's greatest research library. Their collections and expertise can be used by everyone who needs to do research for academic, public service, personal or commercial purposes. They are the linchpin of the UK knowledge economy on which so much contemporary enterprise, creativity and learning depends.
The Library recognises the constraints of the current funding round. They are limiting their spending round bid to cover inflation costs and protect their baseline activities, including the completion of their three year storage build. They have budgeted for no new capital programmes.
The library has helped itself through modernisation and an efficiency drive which has already saved £40 million, which has been redirected to supporting our core activities. They have also made great progress in attracting funding from other sources for projects such as the new Centre for Conservation.
Cuts to their funding threaten:
Public access to their collections.
They will have to limit the Reading Room opening hours, or charge for admission. They will have to close two galleries and be unable to capitalise on the opening of the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
The excellence of the world's greatest research library:
They will have to cut their spending on research journals and books, which will undermine 250 years of collecting and damage the UK's position in the world research ranking.
The establishment of a digital library for the UK:
They will be unable to fulfil their statutory obligations for legal deposit of electronic material, and UK digital information will be lost to future generations.
The future of the national newspaper collection:
30,000 current readers will no longer have access, and the growing popular use of newspapers as primary sources for sports and family history research will develop no further.
Lynne Brindley, the Chief Executive of the British Library has asked those who feel strongly about this issue to contact the library and explain "why the British Library is important to them and to give the British library permission to use your letter in their campaign.
If these proposed financial cuts concern you then e-mail chief-executive@bl.uk with your name, contact number and message, or write to Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
And why not sign the on-line petition: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/library/
