Sefton Library Catalogue

Well you can always count on Sefton Council to come up with nothingness. This time it is the Library Services Department. The new catalogue layout is ok but it is anything but 'interactive'. It is only any use if the user knows the exact resource that they are looking for. It is not Amazon or LibraryThing like, it is boring. I thought Online Catalogues had progressed a little in the last 10 years, apparently not this one. I have left two reviews on books a couple of months ago and asked a friend to do the same, neither have appeared. The very least they can do, as they apparently have no vision, is publish reviews. Will be writing to the jefe next month to find out what the problem is. Have tried an email to the Library Services, low and behold, no response, this one will be in writing. I would also just like to thank the good people at Maghull (Meadows) 'Library' for all their events and activities that they put on. It is difficult to denote sarcasm over the internet but you can check out the big community spirit within the 'library' here:
http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=5964
People wonder why libraries are being closed, I wonder why those who can change things, do nothing. It's sad.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Get the bubbly out, we are officially out of the recession! Well, that's probably what highly paid bankers and politicians are doing. These are the same people who put us in this position in the first place. The people that we have bailed out by investing billions of pounds into the holes that they have created but have not been accountable for. The same people who have lived the Life of Riley at the public's expense, and again not been held accountable for (if it was Joe Public fiddling Job Seekers Allowance they would face harsher punishment and would be tainted with the fact that they were a thief and dishonest. As so many politicians have done it then it doesn't really matter). The most surprising thing about this last point is that people were surprised by it. Anyhow, it has been covered. The news that we are out of the recession, by a massive 0.1% really does brighten up my day, it comes after we heard that unemployment has gone down...I really am on cloud nine. Of course, the title suggests that I am being sarcastic here. This statistic means fundamentally that less people are on Job Seekers Allowance, not that they are getting jobs. There could be other reasons for this. Many people, like myself, have gone back into education, or part-time/temp work. Make of it what you will. There are still hard times ahead...not for the people who can afford it of course. Do the politicians expect people to swallow these figures and rejoice?

Maghull Library

Well, I have been waiting for years for Maghull to build something good and when it comes along, I am disappointed. Maghull Leisure facility at the Meadows looks good and it is very modern but that is where the compliments end. The gym/ leisure facility maybe ok but the 'library' is poor. £8.3 million was spent on this venture and they cannot provide a decent library environment...I am tempted to say bring back Maghull's old library but that is being a bit dramatic. The old library at least had a quiet area where one could read, relax in a bit of peace, find a bit of solitude, although it did lack the modernism which the new one offers in abbundance, too much, in fact. Did the developers not consider that some people may want to do work/study in this new one? I agree that the libraries need to attract a younger clientele but there should be an area conducive to working, away from the madding crowd. They even had the radio on, on both floors of the library, when I asked what they were thinking of when they decided to do this, I couldn't get a straight answer. Any thoughts?