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https://theconversation.com/proposed-cuts-at-state-library-of-victoria-go-against-its-mission-and-will-hurt-the-disadvantaged-270430>
"The State Library of Victoria – recognised this year as the third most popular
library in the world – is proposing major cuts to staff and services. The
number of reference librarians will be cut from 25 to ten. Children’s and
family engagement officers will be axed, as will digital access officers.
The number of free computers available to the public will be “dramatically”
reduced, too. Some of our most vulnerable citizens depend on library digital
access for basic services. Some staff told the Age they “disagree” with
arguments apparently made by senior management that removal of these computers
will “address safety issues”.
These decisions have been made by a mostly acting executive team and board,
with limited library administration experience or qualifications. Perhaps most
disturbing is the lack of transparency. The changes draw on the recommendations
of the “SLV Strategic Reorganisation Change Proposal” by as yet unknown
authors.
The proposed changes go against a recent report that found Australia’s public
and state libraries are providing vital community services – and thriving,
partly due to cost of living pressures.
The State Library of Victoria, founded in 1854, boasts 2.8 million in-person
visitors, with an extra 4.5 million online user sessions. Its reach is vast,
though its reputation is in recovery after recent ideological conflicts over
programming, resulting in boycotts by high-profile Australian writers, Michelle
de Kretser and Tony Birch among them.
The library’s founding values and vision revolve around inclusion, access and
knowledge transfer. It is “Victoria’s library of record, home to the State
Collection, free to access and open to all,” states its website. “We enrich the
cultural, educational, social and economic lives of all Victorians”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
