You will not be surprised to learn that I am in favour of reading newspapers and opposed to Somerset County Council’s decision to save £10,000 by ceasing to buy national papers for its public libraries.
We all need to keep informed about what is happening in the wider world as the global nature of our problems with the economy, climate, environment, terrorism and poverty become ever more apparent. Lack of knowledge leads to unfounded prejudice and making the wrong decisions. Remember President George W Bush?
Certainly news and background information can be readily accessed through newspapers’ websites, but reading it on paper remains a more rewarding experience for most people, and some users question whether Somerset’s libraries have enough computer terminals to meet demand.
Nor should we forget that public libraries were founded by enlightened pioneers from an earlier age for the public’s benefit and need to be properly funded. We can also ask if wiser savings could have been made elsewhere.
For example, in the costly political propaganda pumped out relentlessly by whichever party rules in County Hall.However, there is one extremely small group of people who will be pleased to see libraries cancelling their orders for national newspapers – their editors.
They want readers to support the papers they read by buying them.
Philip Welch
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