We're taking a bit of a breather while the world rearranges its underpants. Meanwhile, the other blog is here.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

CBeebies: the director's cut

A spat between Frog and Lettie, the children's librarian at Dutch Bend....

A teacher went into Dutch Bend Library and asked if she could join the library on behalf of her class on borrow books en bloc. We don't have a schools library service in Helminthdale but we have lots of informal arrangements letting this happen. It provides a service and keeps the visits and issue figures ticking over. The complication this time is that the school in question is in Pardendale, the neighbouring authority. They do have a schools library service, which schools buy into or not as the case may be, so there's a question of etiquette involved. If the class came to visit the library then we could stretch the point. But otherwise no, sorry...

Lettie is sore affronted and takes it out on Frog.

"Nothing personal, but the Children's Projects Manager is telling me that I can't issue a class' books to this teacher in my library?

Nothing personal my fanny. If she doesn't want an answer why ask the question?

To my mind, I don't see why we should make a special case of this teacher. Oh, yes, it's because it's a teacher... a Fellow Professional. Conkers. Why should teachers be allowed thirty books at a time when the same staff who are sniffy about people like Mr. Paycek borrowing ten books. What's the difference? They're both just ordinary customers.

In fact, if it were down to me I'd put thirty about-to-be-withdrawn books to one side and next time Mr. Paycek came in I'd let him borrow those thirty books. And I'd let him keep them ad infinitum, just renewing the loans as and when required. He can't read them but he likes books and cherishes them and would be thrilled to bits to be allowed to have thirty books.

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