Our close-to-perfect village in the Chiltern Hills is set to
become slightly less so in the coming months if the threat to our
village library becomes a reality. The same story is being told
across the country prompting those of us who value and want to keep
our libraries (but who, at the same time, have some idea of
economics) to ask whether the time has come, not to end libraries
but to end free provision of books.
Just look at it from my point of view for a moment. (Well, it is
my blog!) I spend a year of my life writing a single book. I don't
wait for the muse to strike me, as some fondly imagine, I sit down
at my desk every working day, often weekends too, and I write
words. I spend a fair amount of time reading, researching, checking
facts and then I write more words. I do it when I'm distinctly
under the weather and I do it, like now, when the boiler has gone
down and I'm freezing.
There are few people who expect to work all day, every day, and
be paid nothing, but last year thirty thousand people read one of
my books for free. Yes, I know, I get the public lending right and
very nice it is too, but my point is the PLR is public money, i.e.,
every tax-payer in the country subsidising the relatively small
number who want to read my books.
I don't think this is right. I think the people who want to read
my books should pay for the privilege. Take a book out of a library
certainly; I borrow dozens a year myself, but the days when we can
expect the public purse to fund our borrowing habits are probably
over. If our libraries are to survive, we must be prepared to pay a
membership fee.
For this to happen, I understand, the Public Libraries and
Museums Act 1964 has to be changed. Can't be that big a deal. We
already have libraries issuing fines and charging money for DVDs,
audio books, etc, so the principle has been established and the
infrastructure already there. Just change the act.
Our local library costs the tax-payer around £50,000 a year.
5000 people would have to pay £10 per year to cover this. Probably
not realistic in a village of only 2500 people but I'm sure enough
people would be willing for a substantial amount to be raised and
for the public subsidy to be considerably reduced.
If this were repeated across the UK, there'd be a massive
injection of cash that would improve the service no end. More
books, attracting more members, a better selection of films, music
and audio books. Coffee bars would spring up, generating more
revenue.
Importantly, for those who value market forces, people putting
their hands in their pockets and parting with a modest amount of
cash, would prove beyond argument that our library service is
valued and needed.