PC PLOD TO LEAVE WIMBLEDON PARK?

Travelling by train a couple weeks ago, I looked round the carriage and while I was engrossed in reading about pre-revolutionary China, another person was reading a classic tale set in 19C England and another was caught up with the delights of 20C inner city London. A child with reading difficulties was learning the joys of  reading with the help of their parent.

All of us were enjoying vast  imaginative experiences which can only be obtained through interacting with books and other art forms. We  know how a culture is judged when books are banned or burnt, or as in the case of Wimbledon Park a Library is threatened with closure.

The arguments used for the centralisation of facilities at the main Wimbledon Library seem to  be not well thought out. How can we encourage people who don't use Wimbledon Park Library,  suddenly to use the main Library. It must be clear that the cost of transport and more impersonal surroundings are going to mean that people are put off joining a central Library.

IT arguments are also very weak. It is not feasible to have a network which links our Library with the main Central Library. By doing this people could be encouraged to use a local Library to gain resource and also have the added  advantage of being in a user friendly environment.

Certainly it seems a very strange argument that people are going to use Libraries because there are a large number of computers. It seems to me that it is more and more going to be the case that  most individuals will have their own  lap top which they will  carry with them and use when and where needed. Certainly as technology develops computers will become smaller and more powerful. Providing lots of computers in Libraries can easily  lead to  very quick obsolescence of equipment, huge telephone costs  and legal issues.. 

There is obviously no case to close our Library.  With our large petition and letters we are winning the argument. In April we will be presenting our argument at the relevant committee and if anyone has any more ideas please feel free to contact any committee member. Keep reading and borrowing books.

Books still accomplish miracles, "They persuade men". Carlyle.

           
            Ken Ball