Comments on: Hillingdon’s Libraries

by: Roger Michaels

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:54:54 +0000

Higgins did not ‘get a shopfitter to do the library at a good price’ - the total cost was well over 100k and the shelving came from an established library supplier. Hillingdon paid for the ‘design’ at taxpayers expense when other Authorities get this service free.
The counter - from a shopfitter - needs to be altered as the design was so poor and not good for staff or public.. There is not ‘a Starbucks’ - but there is a coffee bar staffed at great expense dispensed from machinery costing 12k; the coffee is bought at market rates. A machine would have been a far better option. Note also the signage does not match the books in many places…………apart from that, a triumph.
The rise in usage is typical of all refurbished libraries - other Hillingdon libraries at Yiewsley, Oak Farm and Yeading experineced similar rises, pre-Higgins. The temporay closure of nearby Ruislip library has helped swell issues and footfall. If Higgins thinks this library is ground-breaking he needs to get out more - the whole story is spun to feed Higgins’s vaunting ambition and over-blown ego.

by: Tim

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:31:50 +0000

Re.: the article in the Hillingdon paper on the controversial library restructuring. You might point out that not one single comment on the article is positive towards the changes. Are all the posters librarians facing redundancy, or is there a real feeling on the part of library users that their service will be diminished? ‘Can’t please them all’ is a bit glib, I feel.

Care for another pay rise, Honourable Member?

by: Daniel Hope

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:37:30 +0000

A hearty cheer for this proper Conservative Council that does it’s own thing, not slavishly following what everyone else is doing or basking in the glow of Government advice.

If only more were as ambitious for their residents.

by: A J Field

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:12:45 +0000

Cllr Higgins is to be congratulated. If only other councils would look at what’s he is achieving and apply it to their own libraries, then perhaps libraries in general would not be in such a parlous state. It’s ‘fresh thinking’ (due in no small part, I suspect, to Tim Coates) and that’s exactly what the service needs.

by: D Clarke

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:34:54 +0000

Cllr Higgins and his officers are to be congratulated on the success of the new library. Visitor numbers have increased by 80% and lending by 30%. This contrasts with the official CIPFA data for all public library authorities which show a decline nationally in both visitors and lending in the last financial year.

We should applaud the efforts of Councils such as Norfolk, Essex and Hillingdon which have significantly improved the service to the public to support literacy, learning, reading and the acquisition of knowledge in our communities.

by: Tizzy

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:51:41 +0000

The following has a rather different view. The article and following comments are, well, ouch! Can’t please them all.

http://www.hillingdontimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1802942.0.library_changes_for_the_better.php

The above URL may be too long for this site. Any problems, google ‘Hillingdon Library Higgins’

by: Michael Francis

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:36:02 +0000

You really should have taken the opportunity to examine Hillingdon’s excellent rubbish and recycling service; absolutely trouble-free and not a bloody wheelie bin in sight.

by: canvas

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:16:52 +0000

Saffron Walden has had a similar experience with its library. I think local Libraries should be brought into the 21st century. They are a huge asset to the community!