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Librarians ‘fast-tracked to dole’
Staff posts to go as supermarket-style checkout machines are brought in
A LIBRARY is to close for one week for the first time in more than a century as Westminster City Council presses ahead with plans to replace staff with supermarket-style checkout machines.
Victoria Library in Buckingham Palace Road will shut on Monday for the high-speed machines to be fitted.
Two librarian posts will be axed from the library and the old-fashioned counters will be replaced by barcode-scanners that can work in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese and English.
Technological wizards in the council have been criticised for the move, which will see another six librarian posts terminated from Marylebone, Paddington and Charing Cross libraries by April.
Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the Labour group, described the plan as a “job-destruction programme”.
He said: “Eight library jobs are going and you can be sure that there are many more job losses to come as the Conservatives plan their library-dehumanisation plan by bringing in more electronic devices to reduce the need for library users ever to come in contact with a real person.
“Of course, the council should take advantage of new technology but there are some jobs that can never be done by a machine.”
He added: “The plan is nothing more than giving librarians a fast-track to the dole queue.”
But the council says up to five remaining staff members will be freed from time-consuming desk duty and be able to spend more time with customers on the library floor.
Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for community services, Councillor Daniel Astaire, said: “We expect the new machines to revolutionise our libraries and give librarians more opportunity to get from behind the counter and do what they are best at – helping, directing and informing people to get the most out of their library. Apart from adding the machines, we are freshening up all four libraries to create more of a bookshop feel.
“There will be new furniture, better lighting, redecoration and improved displays, and we are going to be reorganising to create more space for things like book groups.”
Victoria Library will reopen on January 14. |
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