Venkat Raman
Auckland, March 28, 2023
The proposal of Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown to cut funding to public libraries in Auckland as a part of the measures to cut operating costs has been described as a blow to vulnerable communities by a prominent community leader.
Linda Vagana, a former Silver Fern and General Manager of Duffy Books in Homes, one of the top literacy charities in the country, said that restricting access to free resources will have a disproportionate impact on communities.
Public consultation on the Auckland Council’s proposals ends at 11 pm today (March 28, 2023). Among them is a suggestion to close public libraries on some days and replace some librarians with volunteers.
Impact of the lockdowns
Ms Vagana said that the proposed Council changes would further marginalise Maori and Pasifika communities who already face a number of barriers to equitable education.
She quoted data released by Public Libraries of New Zealand (PLNZ) saying that the number of books issued annually by Auckland Libraries has fallen from 14.86 million to 13.06 million over the past three years, as a result of library closures during the pandemic.
But Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has claimed that the number of library books being issued annually has declined from 14 million to four million over the past three years.
According to researchers, the reduced number of books being issued corresponds with a reduction in the number of days the region’s libraries were open as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns, which saw the facilities closed for a significant number of days.
When accounting for the over 180 days Auckland libraries were closed during lockdowns, the average number of books borrowed per day has actually increased by over 319 per day, they said.
The research also shows the average number of books issued per visit has almost doubled during the period and resources issued to Aucklanders make up a third of all items borrowed by New Zealanders from public libraries nationwide.
“I am astounded and saddened by the current proposal to reduce access and funding to Auckland libraries,” Ms Vagana said,
She said that Duffy Books in Homes was created by author and MBE recipient Alan Duff to break the cycle of ‘booklessness.’
The organisation and its partners donate more than 700,000 free books annually to vulnerable children in early childhood, primary and intermediate schools, and have provided more than 15 million books to date.
Impact on Maori and Pacifica
“Schools, charitable organisations like ours and libraries all work together to provide a wrap-around service to whanau who would otherwise not be able to access books, reading materials or assistance with digital literacy. We know that for Maori and Pasifika communities, literacy and numeracy skills continue to be a struggle and libraries and their staff provide a highly valued resource. For some students and other members of the community, the library is a quiet, safe place to work, when homes may be cold or overcrowded or there is no access to digital technology,” Ms Vagana said.
She said that as a country, New Zealand should value literacy and hence the Council’s proposed reduction in operating costs does not make sense.
“The Auckland Council should go back to the drawing board and come up with other ways to reduce funding, rather than penalise the most marginalised in our society. We cannot undermine the essential role that the arts play in our community. What is being proposed is just silly,” Ms Vagana said.
The role of libraries
Public Libraries New Zealand Executive Director Hilary Beaton said that libraries play an important role in providing all community members access to education and information irrespective of their socio-economic status.
“Libraries have evolved beyond the simple stamping of books. While they provide a valuable role in encouraging reading, learning and literacy they are also a community hub where customers are able to connect in a trusted and neutral place, receive digital assistance and Tech help from experienced staff and use free public computers and wifi,” she said.
Ms Beaton said that libraries are a point of connection for some of our most vulnerable community members, including the elderly, isolated, homeless or those who lack essential resources such as a computer.
“Librarians can spend up to anywhere between four to six years in tertiary study and are essential, not only from a literary perspective but also as guardians of the local history and cultural heritage of the community in which they operate,” she said.
Paul du Temple, Director of Wheelers, which works with schools, libraries and charities around New Zealand and Australia, said that libraries are a critical part of our education infrastructure and maintaining unrestricted access to these facilities is essential to addressing the barriers to learning for all children and adults.
“We know from industry data that about 500,000 Aucklanders are active users of the region’s libraries and that, on average, they are issuing around 35,000 printed books a day.
“As a society, it is essential that we consider the wider impact of reducing access to these learning facilities and the highly educated librarians and support staff that work tirelessly to maintain their operations,” he said.
