The Mystery of Page 7

It's an intriguing story, every bit as complex as the De Vinci Code.

Library assistant Georgia recounted a tale from her job to Twitter on Tuesday when she sought to help an older lady who had found some strange pen markings in the books she was ... Most didn't have it, but a lot in this genre did - they're "wee old women" books (romances set in wartime Britain etc).

FULL STORY

Public Libraries Task Force formed

Libraries should be more like coffee shops, claims a new report commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport - the report which  likely cost a fortune to carry out, came up with findings that are as expected pure tripe. Libraries should, the report claims, deliver Wi-Fi in a comfortable setting when in reality many libraries do this already. It was also claimed that libraries should be more like retail outlets with the usual amenities of toilets, sofa and special offers. Though I can't help feeling that making libraries more like retail outlets goes against the entire philosophy of what a public library should be.

Libraries across the country have been closed down over recent years by local authorities in a brutal program of cost cutting exercises and once these libraries have gone it is unlikely that we will ever see them again. William Sieghart, author of the report told the Independent newspaper that he found it astonishing that one third of England's libraries don't yet offer Wi-Fi. He said that while libraries remained a vital part of the community there need to be a reinvigoration of the library system in this country. A task force will be created designed to work with local authorities to improve and revitalise libraries. The first meeting of the task force will take place in February 2015.

That's all very well but local authorities should cease closing public libraries at once - it is shameful the way councils up and down the country continue to waste money and yet make severe cuts to vital public services. I like to think that this task force will do some good, but the realist tells me that it is all a smoke screen to close yet more libraries.

This month writers across the country will feel one of the very real effects of library closures when their annual statement for PLR payment (Public Lending Rights) arrive in inboxes. I took a drop in my own PLR payments this year, despite having more titles available than the previous year. I may have more books out but there are less libraries supplying my books. For most professional writers PLR payments are essential, after all most of us don't earn big money from our work, and we are acutely feeling the effects of the brutal program of library closures across the country.

National Library of Wales in Nazi row

Nein, I vill finish my book before invading another country

The magnificent National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth is currently embroiled in turmoil after acceprting a bequest of £300,000 from a former member of Hitler's SS.


Louis Feutren was a member of the Bezen Perrot (Perrot Unit) from Brittany which fought with the Nazis.
Heritage Minister Huw Lewis said he was disappointed the library had accepted the bequest, which includes "material of significant historical importance".The library said it had followed expert legal advice in coming to its decision.It said some of the money would be used on projects associated with the destructive effects of war and fascism.

The SS, a notorious wing of Adolf Hitler's army, acted as the Nazi leader's bodyguard, a fighting force and ran death camps during World War II.As well as German soldiers, it had a number of foreign volunteers and conscripts from nations such as France and the Netherlands.After the war, Mr Feutren fled his native France and travelled through Wales, eventually settling in the Republic of Ireland, where he married. He died last year.

The library's retiring president Lord Wigley said its board members, who agreed to accept the bequest, had no right to allow "our feelings to interfere with our decision".

"This is a notable collection that includes material of significant historical importance," he said.
"Though I utterly condemn his political leanings and activities during the war, we had no right, as board members, to allow our feelings to interfere with our decision."I made our position perfectly clear that we felt the acceptance of this bequest could affect the reputation of the National Library of Wales”

 

The archive and the financial donation worth £300,000 have been received in accordance with the Royal Charter and the library's collection policy, which identify the need to collect, and ensure public access to, material of Celtic interest.