Libraries - who would have thought they could be so contraversial?

The County Council library service is facing pressure to make savings. Residents have raised with me the plans for the "enterprise centre" at the Central Library in Cambridge. I am following this one closely. 

The proposal to use the third floor of the Central library - linking up with a commercial company - to create a hub for small start-ups who would be charged for the use of meeting rooms and services is an Interesting proposal. But what has been lost in the argument about whether we should be doing a deal with this company is all the other associated plans for services under the same roof that would advise young people, including helping them into work. Now, I know this isnt the traditional concept of a library, but increasingly public services are having to flex and adapt.

By way of example: About 3 years ago I did some work with the British Library on their plans to move the national newspaper archive that used to be in Hendon up to Yorkshire, into a purpose built facility that will preserve the fast-deteriorating collection, and pay to digitise what cannot be handled. The money to do this was achieved by selling land at Hendon for houses, and doing a deal with a commercial digitiser. I stood in the dilapidated 1930s archive, looking at newspapers from the 18th century crumbling away.  Now, those newspapers are in a modern archive that will preserve them for centuries, and they are available online for the whole country to access. 

 The same situation applies - up to a point - here in Cambridgeshire, where we have the county archive deteriorating through inadequate storage. So I would rather the third floor of Central Library be used as a semi-commercial hub, enabling there to be some new services, including a revamped children and young people's area, and a better place for the archive in Ely, and protecting small libraries in the community such as Shelford's and Sawston's, or the mobile library service.

My own children used the Central Library, and it is a great asset - and I don't support the monetising of public space. But in order to sustain and support those elements of the library service that I've referenced above, I am prepared to see the Central Library proposals move forward, and for the county to link up with a commercial partner.