I’ve hesitated to write about Libraries and warm spaces because it is so important and because I feel very conflicted about it.
My first read about it when it was tweeted by Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert and then CILIP produced and circulated information about it A Warm welcome to the Warm Spaces Scheme. A report was produced ‘Setting Up a Warm Space in Your Community”
Since then there has been lots of information and publicity from local authorities, councils, libraries, leisure centres, charities, including the Libraries Connected Cost-of-living crisis: how libraries plan to support the vulnerable this winter
My first thoughts were:
How have we come to this as a country in the 21st century where people can not afford basics such as heating?
How are we in a situation whereby Food Banks are normal and acceptable?
Why should people have to leave their own homes in order to have their basic needs met and gain basic comforts?
We are not a poor nation, so therefore the money for basic needs is either deliberately being with held or is not available through incompetence.
Energy companies and other suppliers or ‘people in power’ have the profits / money that is needed for address the problem.
During the pandemic and lockdown, many of the people now suffering and in need, were relied on for essential services.
This is meant to be about Libraries so:
Libraries are often (always) not valued enough particularly in England and in the UK in general although in my experience the Scottish government has a more positive attitude.
Libraries provide essential services, a wide variety of services to people in need and to communities in general and fulfil a unique remit by being essential and aspirational.
Despite being treated badly by governments and having way to little funding, they are expected to be there on the frontline during any crisis including during the pandemic.
Library staff / workers are multi-skilled and their role encompasses way more than a lot of the general public realise.
So, the despair is that we are in this situation where warm spaces are being debated and have to be found.
The delight – not exactly the right word – is that Libraries and other community bodies and charities step up to provide what is needed and do it in such a practical and caring way with integrity.
There is more to say about it but it is such a mixture of sadness and yet, restores your faith in humanity.
Working in a Library etc... 