20.04.1995

More education cuts

THE LIBRARY in central Luton will have to raise about a third of a million pounds to just maintain the standards it has at the moment. These have fallen since it opened in the early sixties. The county council claims it does not have the funds and the money is supposed to be raised by private sponsors.

Lack of funding and expansions in the local university population has meant the library is increasingly unable to serve local needs. Needless to say the university is equally badly resourced, while its student intake continues to rise.

A large number of the population in Luton is not literate in English and yet the provision for foreign language books is very poor. This is not only true for Asian languages but also a variety of European ones, particularly Italian.

The education facilities in Luton in general are very poor and as the library lies in the poorest part of Luton it is particularly useful for the children in this area, who quite often do not have the space at home either for general study or homework.

The library is in great need of computers and electronic search facilities. What the council is proposing is that the library raises money by allowing private firms to sell in the library space - and this is bound to worsen the facilities.

Any working class policy that puts our needs first must demand an extension of the library service in Bedfordshire and this can only be provided on the basis of more funding not less.

Tom May