Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Is this one of the worst pieces of journalism this year? I mean, it doesn't make any sense.
Over-dependence on profits from DVDs and videos has led Buckinghamshire county council to cut 18 staff jobs and plan the closure of eight branch libraries.
Okay.
The county council lost £400,000 a year income when the entertainment industry raised prices by 300%, said a report to Buckinghamshire county councillors. The county already spends less on new library books than anywhere else in Britain.
Why did the county council lose £400,000 a year? Did they try to pass on the increased cost to the public? Were they just unable to afford to pay for DVDs? Did they hope that by charging more for DVDs and videos they could make enough to plug the hole in their media fund? Did anyone at the Guardian try to find anything out or are they just getting this from reuters or somewhere?
The cuts are among the worst in any library service for 20 years. Yesterday the libraries campaigner Tim Coates accused the council of relying on "fools' gold".
Why on earth does anyone still talk to Coates? My Mum knows more about libraries than he does, after all, she uses them.
Over-dependence on profits from DVDs and videos has led Buckinghamshire county council to cut 18 staff jobs and plan the closure of eight branch libraries.
Okay.
The county council lost £400,000 a year income when the entertainment industry raised prices by 300%, said a report to Buckinghamshire county councillors. The county already spends less on new library books than anywhere else in Britain.
Why did the county council lose £400,000 a year? Did they try to pass on the increased cost to the public? Were they just unable to afford to pay for DVDs? Did they hope that by charging more for DVDs and videos they could make enough to plug the hole in their media fund? Did anyone at the Guardian try to find anything out or are they just getting this from reuters or somewhere?
The cuts are among the worst in any library service for 20 years. Yesterday the libraries campaigner Tim Coates accused the council of relying on "fools' gold".
Why on earth does anyone still talk to Coates? My Mum knows more about libraries than he does, after all, she uses them.
