Dulwich Library closed 4 Mar-7 April [Now 14 April] for refurbishment

[ianr]

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/1150/dulwich_library_refurbishment_march_2013

Published 28 March 2013

Dulwich library detail

Southwark Council has announced that Dulwich Library on Lordship Lane will now re-open on Monday 15 April 2013 and not on Monday 8 April as previously advised.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/1195/revised_opening_date_for_dulwich_library

[uncleglen]

Very strange timing- just before exam season and half of the Easter holidays

[James Barber]

Perverse considering the library hall was closed for a month late last year.

Would you ever see a shop closed for a month for a refurb. The Coop was closed for 10 days and had much more done to it than the Library plans.

Real issue of librarires using library builders and no shop fitters. Also shop fitters are quiet and desperate for business during lead up to Christmas for example - fantastic value can be found then for a library to be refurbished.

The rfub will include self service terminals and free up a lot of space for people and books.

[the-e-dealer]

Yes

[Marra S]

i work part time in my local library and i do understand why it may take a mouth for a refurbishment to take place, unlike a shop before work begins all books, tapes CD ete have to be catalogued, boxed and then stored. being a local authority building we can only use agreed council contractors and staff have to be redeployed to other library. i know it can be an problematic to some users but we do always try our best not to cause to much disruption.

[the-e-dealer]

Its a very foolish time to do it just before exams. Maybe its urgent?

[the-e-dealer]

I once worked in a Library- Surely all Items are already catalogued!

Marra S Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> i work part time in my local library and i do

> understand why it may take a mouth for a

> refurbishment to take place, unlike a shop before

> work begins all books, tapes CD ete have to be

> catalogued, boxed and then stored. being a local

> authority building we can only use agreed council

> contractors and staff have to be redeployed to

> other library. i know it can be an problematic to

> some users but we do always try our best not to

> cause to much disruption.

[Jeremy]

Are you talking about A Levels? Surely kids can revise in their homes, or their school libraries.

[James Barber]

Sadly Jeremy many can't. I've visited around exam times and upstairs pupils/students would be sitting on the stairs, at every desk. That's when I asked they open the hall up when it wasnt booked for people to study at desks.

[Lynne]

Does anyone really think that self service terminals are there for the benefit of the public? They're just there so staff levels can be reduced

Lynne

[womanofdulwich]

I would be interested to know the percentage of books which are lost/ not fined when you move to a self service system. THis has been done in other boroughs.

[maxxi]

Lynne Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Does anyone really think that self service

> terminals are there for the benefit of the public?

> They're just there so staff levels can be reduced

> Lynne

Judging by the many, varied and constantly changing staff at this place that might not be a bad idea - it may just eliminate the popping-in-quickly-for-a-book-defeating process currenty operating where members of staff wander around, and through, the empty desk area looking too preoccupied to serve you and only stopping to answer long and detailed phone queries while you stand and wait, and wait, and wait.....

[James Barber]

Hi Lynne,

Self service can be used to reduce staff, extend hours or improve customer service.

Apparently the large ground floor staff area will be much reduced releasing space for other library uses - hope fully more books.

[the-e-dealer]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Are you talking about A Levels? Surely kids can

> revise in their homes, or their school libraries.

Well no, not during School Holidays as the School will er be closed. And at home if they live in a reasonably large house and dont have siblings

disturbing them.

[Lynne]

I agree, maxxi, that you often feel that you're invisible. Perhaps self service will be quicker if that's all the service you need, but people will still be losing their jobs, I imagine

Lynne

[sunbob]

Lynne Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I agree, maxxi, that you often feel that you're

> invisible. Perhaps self service will be quicker

> if that's all the service you need, but people

> will still be losing their jobs, I imagine

> Lynne

The member of staff I asked about this the week before they closed said the self service machines will be there to free up staff time and that the staff will stay. Hopefully she was correct.

[Lynne]

Perhaps they will be able to spend some time actually shelving the returned books. My record is 7 trollies full, almost as many as actually on the shelves

Lynne

[Bic Basher]

I'll miss the huge reception area in the library with the old school style service you get from the staff who have always been fantastic assisting me over the years.

However, I can also see the benefits of self-service for the customers at least, yet when self-service was promoted in Westminster, staff were told at the time that it wouldn't affect their jobs and they did lose posts.

[edhistory]

Has anyone seen the Southwark Libraries budget for 2013/14?

John K

[ianr]

Published 28 March 2013

Dulwich library detail

Southwark Council has announced that Dulwich Library on Lordship Lane will now re-open on Monday 15 April 2013 and not on Monday 8 April as previously advised.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/1195/revised_opening_date_for_dulwich_library

[womanofdulwich]

Thank you SO much ianr,I have a load of books all ready to take back tomorrow, you have saved me a wasted journey.

[lizbells6]

Same here. Many thanks.

[the-e-dealer]

Shelving was always the best job for a public grunt.

[Burbage]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> .... that might not be a

> bad idea - it may just eliminate the

> popping-in-quickly-for-a-book-defeating process

> currenty operating where members of staff wander

> around, and through, the empty desk area looking

> too preoccupied to serve you and only stopping to

> answer long and detailed phone queries while you

> stand and wait, and wait, and wait.....

I'm happy to agree with that. At first I thought it was something to do with shift patterns, or I'd just pitched up on training day each time. But it's not either. It's just spooky. And bloody annoying. I don't necessarily want to go all Daily Mail, but if someone's being paid to do a job, it would be nice for them to at least look as if they're pretending to do it. I'd mind a little less if they were any good at it, but both books and library cards seem to baffle them (I'm either dead, or the book I'm trying to return is already on a shelf in Stoke Newington), and they've never been able to answer a simple question without holding a conference first.

It may not be their fault, of course. Maybe the refurbishment is taking longer because they've found a ley-line that needs muffling or there really was something in the water. But, even making that allowance, I can't say I'd miss any of them for very long. A machine might be just as soulless and dismissive, but at least you can guess what it will do, and that it won't take an afternoon to do it.

[treehugger]

Harsh