Council defends spending £12.5m on Forum while closing branch libraries (From Southend Standard)

Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

Which library do you suggest we use then? They are closing most of the rest! Not everyone can afford to buy books.

Would the cost of updating the existing library at 7 million ( I would like to see the costings on that one) Still save us 5.5 million on the new build cost. and for parking and access the old building is a far better ! The money saved could keep the regional librarys open !

Always best to have all your eggs in the one basket, as opposed to having them scattered to the wind..

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

that hardly addresses the fact that our indebted Tory council are spending yet another massive sum of money on a project that will take years and years to produce any sort of saving from the amount of 'our' money which is invested.

In austere times we have to 'make do and mend' with what we already have and protect front line services. We should not be spending any more money on vanity projects.

jayman wrote:

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

that hardly addresses the fact that our indebted Tory council are spending yet another massive sum of money on a project that will take years and years to produce any sort of saving from the amount of 'our' money which is invested.

In austere times we have to 'make do and mend' with what we already have and protect front line services. We should not be spending any more money on vanity projects.

So I take it you are against the new Library and the further education facilities it will be providing, so will you use the new Library?

At least it is not one of those Public Private Partnership schemes.

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:

jayman wrote:

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

that hardly addresses the fact that our indebted Tory council are spending yet another massive sum of money on a project that will take years and years to produce any sort of saving from the amount of 'our' money which is invested.

In austere times we have to 'make do and mend' with what we already have and protect front line services. We should not be spending any more money on vanity projects.

So I take it you are against the new Library and the further education facilities it will be providing, so will you use the new Library?

At least it is not one of those Public Private Partnership schemes.

I and my family currently 'use' the library in westcliff. If I am forced to 'use' the library in Southend due to the closure of westcliff library then the issue of whether I travel to Southend to use a smaller facility becomes somewhat immaterial, as i know longer have a 'choice'.

It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

Nebs wrote:
It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

problem is Nebs, you need money to buy material to read on a kindle. You also need an electric supply to charge a kindle.

The thing about a book is you pay for it once, therein after you have no need for a li-ion battery. You can lend a book to a friend once you have read it without handing over a device which is required to read in. also, wandering around with a kindle makes you look like a massive ~#;k. Its basically unnecessary technology..

jayman wrote:

Nebs wrote:
It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

problem is Nebs, you need money to buy material to read on a kindle. You also need an electric supply to charge a kindle.

The thing about a book is you pay for it once, therein after you have no need for a li-ion battery. You can lend a book to a friend once you have read it without handing over a device which is required to read in. also, wandering around with a kindle makes you look like a massive ~#;k. Its basically unnecessary technology..

You pay for it once....Doh

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:

jayman wrote:

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

that hardly addresses the fact that our indebted Tory council are spending yet another massive sum of money on a project that will take years and years to produce any sort of saving from the amount of 'our' money which is invested.

In austere times we have to 'make do and mend' with what we already have and protect front line services. We should not be spending any more money on vanity projects.

So I take it you are against the new Library and the further education facilities it will be providing, so will you use the new Library?

At least it is not one of those Public Private Partnership schemes.

Actually centralising all the borough's library services withdraws educational opportunities from many who cannot afford to travel into Southend regularly.

Carnabackable wrote:

jayman wrote:

Nebs wrote:
It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

problem is Nebs, you need money to buy material to read on a kindle. You also need an electric supply to charge a kindle.

The thing about a book is you pay for it once, therein after you have no need for a li-ion battery. You can lend a book to a friend once you have read it without handing over a device which is required to read in. also, wandering around with a kindle makes you look like a massive ~#;k. Its basically unnecessary technology..

You pay for it once....Doh

yes... I believe i am correct in assuming that a 'book' only requires a single purchase and will last for hundreds of years if stored in an appropriate place..

A single kindle sells on Amazon for £69.00. comes without any material (you have to buy that separately) and will last on average three years (standard lithium ion battery).. Doh!

jayman wrote:

Nebs wrote:
It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

problem is Nebs, you need money to buy material to read on a kindle. You also need an electric supply to charge a kindle.

The thing about a book is you pay for it once, therein after you have no need for a li-ion battery. You can lend a book to a friend once you have read it without handing over a device which is required to read in. also, wandering around with a kindle makes you look like a massive ~#;k. Its basically unnecessary technology..

I have a Kindle, and on that Kindle I have a great many books that were absolutely free. There are thousands of free Kindle books available from Amazon.
Also Amazon are introducing a lending system where you can lend your Kindle books to other Kindle owners. While they have the book on their Kindle it is unavailable to you on your Kindle.
The battery in my Kindle lasts about three months on average.

The biggest advantage of course is that when I'm traveling I can take hundreds of books with me in something the size of a small paperback.

Having said all that, I wouldn't use a Kindle for reference books, that is where a library is still King, because I can reference several books at once, have them all open on the same table, and flick through them quickly.

jayman wrote:

Nebs wrote:
It would be cheaper still to close every library, and give every resident a free kindle.

problem is Nebs, you need money to buy material to read on a kindle. You also need an electric supply to charge a kindle.

The thing about a book is you pay for it once, therein after you have no need for a li-ion battery. You can lend a book to a friend once you have read it without handing over a device which is required to read in. also, wandering around with a kindle makes you look like a massive ~#;k. Its basically unnecessary technology..

and the smell of an old book can not be replicated, got over 750 books in my collection the older the better they smell, whilst I do have a kindle (good for holidays) it's not touched when I am at home.

Read thousands of books over the years but never a harry potter! I go for fact over fiction just reading “A Stillness at Appomattox” by Bruce Catton a Pulitzer winning book about the US Civil War, picked it up a few years ago in a collection of first editions that came up for sale.

jayman wrote:

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
Here is a radical thought, why not if you are against this new improved library DON'T use it!

Then again there are those who do not practice what they preach...

that hardly addresses the fact that our indebted Tory council are spending yet another massive sum of money on a project that will take years and years to produce any sort of saving from the amount of 'our' money which is invested.

In austere times we have to 'make do and mend' with what we already have and protect front line services. We should not be spending any more money on vanity projects.

I agree, we are in the biggest recession this side of the war and southend council is still spending millions on vanity projects.

Apparently, the alternative of updating Southend Central Library would cost too much. However, there was another alternative the council did not consider, leave everything as it is and save money for vital services.

labour say spend on big projects to create jobs to create spending to create jobs to create spending...

So if we get the library built, the cliff museum, new things on Seaway car park is that not what labour have been saying we should be doing?

Yet again this wonderful council spends our money on whatever they want to. Not what we want.Just like the blue bins and the black sack episodes.

Southend Town Centre is dominated by the University and its Monstrous buildings.
When I go into the town centre
I feel intimidated by the students as they hang around in groups.Not all of us feel comfortable around groups of loud young persons.
Going to the quiet enviroment of a library should be any peaceful place
to read..Such as Leigh Library a grand old building. A Fight Back is what we need against the desires of this council.