Hampshire's mobile libraries could be axed (From Daily Echo)

with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

southy wrote:
with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

When did you last use a mobile library? Perhaps the government should stop using our tax money to spoon-feed its citizens. If people want a book, travel to a library or if you can't, ask a friend/relative/neig
hbour to get one for you. We should rely more on each other rather than the state.

Elgy wrote:

southy wrote: with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment. and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

When did you last use a mobile library? Perhaps the government should stop using our tax money to spoon-feed its citizens. If people want a book, travel to a library or if you can't, ask a friend/relative/neig hbour to get one for you. We should rely more on each other rather than the state.

Of course Elgy.

Why the hell should this caring society give any consideration for the housebound who cannot get to a library, or those 'out in the sticks' who have no car and a poor bus service?

Yes, it would be nice if there is a friend/relative/neig
hbour that is available to help, but not everyone is in that fortunate situation.

With your attitude, I would guess that the next time you assist a neighbour would be the first.

Of course Elgy.

Why the hell should this caring society give any consideration for the housebound who cannot get to a library, or those 'out in the sticks' who have no car and a poor bus service?

Yes, it would be nice if there is a friend/relative/neig
hbour that is available to help, but not everyone is in that fortunate situation.

With your attitude, I would guess that the next time you assist a neighbour would be the first.

Elgy wrote:

southy wrote:
with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

When did you last use a mobile library? Perhaps the government should stop using our tax money to spoon-feed its citizens. If people want a book, travel to a library or if you can't, ask a friend/relative/neig

hbour to get one for you. We should rely more on each other rather than the state.

i use central civic library, and maybe you should have consideration for others, who can't travel, who don't have the money to spare, library,s are a great source of information, a more reliable source of information than the internet, it also covers for those who can't afford to have a pc and the internet.
people like you would see the local council pay out for spin-doctors, and short term consultants, high wages and short hours whitch is paid by the taxes, state money going to the private sector.

Do you fall into one of these categories Elgy? Young - healthy - fit - have your own vehicle - family, friends or neighbours to support you? Then you have no need of a mobile library. I guess as far as you are concerned all the people who fall outside those categories don't have the right to read a free book?

As for calling on more volunteers to take books to the disabled/elderly. Should we really have a country run by volunteers? Oh hang on, what an excellent idea. Let's stop paying stupid wages to stupid people and we can have a Government formed by volunteers instead. NOW that would save some money!

southy wrote:
with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

You should be grateful that the government has given you something to moan about or you'd have nothing to do.

We have to accept that while the present Government are incumbent, the have little and have nots will have less, because they are the easiest target for the greedy, using false figures to justify their actions, you voted them in, deal with it.

Linesman wrote:

Elgy wrote:

southy wrote: with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment. and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

When did you last use a mobile library? Perhaps the government should stop using our tax money to spoon-feed its citizens. If people want a book, travel to a library or if you can't, ask a friend/relative/neig hbour to get one for you. We should rely more on each other rather than the state.

Of course Elgy.

Why the hell should this caring society give any consideration for the housebound who cannot get to a library, or those 'out in the sticks' who have no car and a poor bus service?

Yes, it would be nice if there is a friend/relative/neig

hbour that is available to help, but not everyone is in that fortunate situation.

With your attitude, I would guess that the next time you assist a neighbour would be the first.

Well said Linesman. People such as Elgy clearly ave no appreciation,or possibly interest in the welfare or needs of the less fortunate. It is the very philosophy of this current Government and the Conservative administrations that run many local authorities across the nation. Politicians,as usual detached from the needs of the whole of society, purely focussing on the perspective of the selfish or privileged. Wake up Britain or we will we will be tugging our forelocks to the Lords of the Manor in the near future!

Children also use mobile libraries and they often visit schools to add to the library that the school has.I remeber using the mobile library as a child as most of the time the popular books such as roald dahl, or whatever were already on loan to another pupil.We also were sent to reasearch the current topic we were studying.I still read to this day, often swapping books with work colleagues or buying from charity shops as I can get out and do so.Reading keeps the mind active so a mobile library is a resource that many would miss if scrapped.

southy wrote:
with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

Admit it, you've never used one of these.

Not sure what the inflation rate has to do with it.

Ah yes, your talking rollocks again on the DE website.

Does it make you feel important because nothing else does?

Shoong wrote:

southy wrote:
with the closing down of libraries and now taking away mobile libraries, and the government about to scrap the EMA (education maintenance allowance), with inflation running at an 8 mth high at 3.7%, governments weather it be local or national is pushing the ordinary people into a corner. hitting the poor, the weak, the old, the young the most, forcing up unemployment.
and all for what just to put more money in the wealthy pockets.

Admit it, you've never used one of these.

Not sure what the inflation rate has to do with it.

Ah yes, your talking rollocks again on the DE website.

Does it make you feel important because nothing else does?

it don't matter weather if i use one or not, what matters is that others less well do use them.

stop with the personal attacks and debate for a change.

I consider myself more in a position than most to comment on mobile library service as I have worked on them for a period of nearly 3 years.
This is the most wasteful misused service you could possibly imagine.
I know I am talking about southampton and not hampshire, but it is only a matter of time before someone reccommends that our city mobile service is cut.
On a good day we would be lucky to see 10 people on the library between the hours of 9.30 and 6pm. We would make an average of 5-6 stops per day, park up and sit and wait, and sit and wait. Sheltered housing, assisted living with sometimes over a hundred flats, sitting waiting for someone to get on. We could go a whole day not seeing one person bring back, exchange or collect books. I was redeployed from social services following a closure, and I used to go home and cry every night to begin with, with sheer frustration at the waste of money, time and resourses taken up with keeping the vehicle on the road. To make matters worse, I knew that there was a waiting list for people wanting the domicillary service for books, I tried to suggest that the two services were combined, that way I could deliver books to people not able to access the bus, I offered to collect older people from their homes and walk with them to the bus and back again. None of this was acceptable to the council. I eventually left.
My 84 year old mum started using the mobile about a year ago, and she used to say in all the time she used it, she was the only one on it. She stopped eventually - the reason being - everytime heavy traffic went by the bus shook and being unsteady on her feet it made her nervous. I now drive her to her local library.
I am sorry to burst everyones bubble, but I strongly feel that if one facility in this city could be saved for vunerable people if the mobile went, then the mobile should go. Or it should be completely re-organised to cater for a book visiting service and to replace the small local libraries around the city if they have to close.
If this was a service that was needed and used I would be the first one to campaign to keep it, but please believe me when I tell you it is not. No council can or should provide a service that is clearly not being used to its full potential.
It really pains me to write this, as I know most people who post here are, like myself, greatly concerned about the cuts and closures that are being talked about, but I just feel that everyone should know all the facts.
I can still recall how many people used to get on at each stop, that was 5 years ago, I see no reason to believe that things have changed.
Schools are serviced by the Book Bus which is different from the mobile library, and I cannot comment on that service as I know nothing about it.
Thank you for reading my post. Rant over.

another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

pod wrote:
I consider myself more in a position than most to comment on mobile library service as I have worked on them for a period of nearly 3 years. This is the most wasteful misused service you could possibly imagine. I know I am talking about southampton and not hampshire, but it is only a matter of time before someone reccommends that our city mobile service is cut. On a good day we would be lucky to see 10 people on the library between the hours of 9.30 and 6pm. We would make an average of 5-6 stops per day, park up and sit and wait, and sit and wait. Sheltered housing, assisted living with sometimes over a hundred flats, sitting waiting for someone to get on. We could go a whole day not seeing one person bring back, exchange or collect books. I was redeployed from social services following a closure, and I used to go home and cry every night to begin with, with sheer frustration at the waste of money, time and resourses taken up with keeping the vehicle on the road. To make matters worse, I knew that there was a waiting list for people wanting the domicillary service for books, I tried to suggest that the two services were combined, that way I could deliver books to people not able to access the bus, I offered to collect older people from their homes and walk with them to the bus and back again. None of this was acceptable to the council. I eventually left. My 84 year old mum started using the mobile about a year ago, and she used to say in all the time she used it, she was the only one on it. She stopped eventually - the reason being - everytime heavy traffic went by the bus shook and being unsteady on her feet it made her nervous. I now drive her to her local library. I am sorry to burst everyones bubble, but I strongly feel that if one facility in this city could be saved for vunerable people if the mobile went, then the mobile should go. Or it should be completely re-organised to cater for a book visiting service and to replace the small local libraries around the city if they have to close. If this was a service that was needed and used I would be the first one to campaign to keep it, but please believe me when I tell you it is not. No council can or should provide a service that is clearly not being used to its full potential. It really pains me to write this, as I know most people who post here are, like myself, greatly concerned about the cuts and closures that are being talked about, but I just feel that everyone should know all the facts. I can still recall how many people used to get on at each stop, that was 5 years ago, I see no reason to believe that things have changed. Schools are serviced by the Book Bus which is different from the mobile library, and I cannot comment on that service as I know nothing about it. Thank you for reading my post. Rant over.

Finally, someone prepared to part with some real truth for a change. Thank you for your candour Pod. It is truly refreshing. Now, we can make informed remarks and comments. If the council is throwing good money after bad then this decision makes perfect sense, except to the few who actually use it, for whom I feel genuinely sorry.

southy wrote:
another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

WOW! I've seen some blissfully ignorant postings from you southy but this one wins gold. I'd like to see you run an expensive vehicle and tax and insure it, pay someone to drive it and still make a profit from one customer a day. You really are a complete imbecile.

southy wrote:
another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

I started to respond to your uncalled and unjustified comments on my character, but deleted my post as quite frankly you are not worth it.
Suffice to say, if one day you have the misfortune to be involved in an accident and require the services of the rehab team in the city, only to be told the team cannot attend to you because it was slashed 5 years ago due to the cost and the person who probably would have attended to you (that would have been me) was now sitting on a mobile library picking her nose (not really, but I did take my sewing to work) you would have something to gripe about.

I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts.
In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

Pod, I am more than happy to accept your expertise in this matter as you have grass roots experience. The current delivery of books to the housebound is sadly woefully inadequate though.

I am with your elderly Mother in that boarding the mobile library used to make me get the spinnies and it would often be an hour or more before my head would settle down. It must have been like having permanent sea sickness yourself.

Perhaps all the buses should be scrapped and the money saved could buy kindles for the elderly and housebound and then they could find some method of downloading the books to the kindles.

Perhaps in the future that is what the library service will consist of. You take your kindle in and download a book to it! It could then be run out of a very small building with a skeleton staff. You would still have reading material available but at very little cost for storage etc.

pod wrote:
I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts.
In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

all the drivers went to the meeting and none came up with what you said, all basically said it would be a great lost to the community should it be scrap.
plus a lost of more jobs.
if that,s how you feel why did you not say so at the meeting.

Perroman wrote:

southy wrote:
another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

WOW! I've seen some blissfully ignorant postings from you southy but this one wins gold. I'd like to see you run an expensive vehicle and tax and insure it, pay someone to drive it and still make a profit from one customer a day. You really are a complete imbecile.

no perroman there was a meeting with the drivers and library staff, and none came up with what he said.

southy wrote:
another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

That is one of the most insensitive, hurtful, tactless and, quite frankly, imbecilic uttering I have ever seen from you.
You should be utterly ashamed of yourself.
.
Well said pod, both for your insight into this service and your restraint in reply to such nasty and distasteful provocation.

southy wrote:

Perroman wrote:

southy wrote: another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

WOW! I've seen some blissfully ignorant postings from you southy but this one wins gold. I'd like to see you run an expensive vehicle and tax and insure it, pay someone to drive it and still make a profit from one customer a day. You really are a complete imbecile.

no perroman there was a meeting with the drivers and library staff, and none came up with what he said.

First off, let me put you right on something. Pod is a lady, not a 'he'. If you took the time to read the post properly you would've picked up on that, ignoramus.
Secondly, PROVE IT!!! Where are the 'word-for-word' transcripts to this, alleged, meeting or is this just another fantastical idea that you've come up with in your quest for a righteous life for all, you dimwit? Maybe you paid to be there so the information you heard could be deemed to be true because you put your hand in your pocket, thus feeding a capatilist pig who has nothing better to do than fleece you of your cash. Ever thought of that one, southski??

southy wrote:

pod wrote: I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts. In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

all the drivers went to the meeting and none came up with what you said, all basically said it would be a great lost to the community should it be scrap. plus a lost of more jobs. if that,s how you feel why did you not say so at the meeting.

I've just read through this article 3 times now, very carefully, and not once does it say anything about a meeting or drivers. Come up with proof of this meeting, and what the drivers said, or your claims are null and void and you have, once again, proved to everyone on here that you are just a fantasist buffoon with nothing better to do than get under people's skin. I'm not usually affected by annoying little gnats like you but your constant whinnying and lack of back up or back bone is properly starting to wind me up. Prove it to me, when, where, who went etc, so that we can take this discussion to the next political level. Until that time, DO NOT quote my posts again.

southy wrote:

pod wrote: I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts. In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

all the drivers went to the meeting and none came up with what you said, all basically said it would be a great lost to the community should it be scrap. plus a lost of more jobs. if that,s how you feel why did you not say so at the meeting.

dearest mr southy,
how can I put this simply for you to understand
1. I did not go to the meeting because as stated I left the job
2. the meeting was for Hampshire not Southampton.
3. Of course none of the drivers would have admitted the truth, they would have put themsleves out of a job
4. before computerisation figures for the mobiles could be massaged, now they cannot, Hampshire are probably getting the correct figures now.
Once again, thanks everyone for the support, this will be my last post on the subject, nothing more to be said, and I do not want to indulge in a certain persons rant and take advantage of someone who obviously has a personality disorder.

Perroman wrote:

southy wrote:

Perroman wrote:

southy wrote: another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

WOW! I've seen some blissfully ignorant postings from you southy but this one wins gold. I'd like to see you run an expensive vehicle and tax and insure it, pay someone to drive it and still make a profit from one customer a day. You really are a complete imbecile.

no perroman there was a meeting with the drivers and library staff, and none came up with what he said.

First off, let me put you right on something. Pod is a lady, not a 'he'. If you took the time to read the post properly you would've picked up on that, ignoramus.
Secondly, PROVE IT!!! Where are the 'word-for-word' transcripts to this, alleged, meeting or is this just another fantastical idea that you've come up with in your quest for a righteous life for all, you dimwit? Maybe you paid to be there so the information you heard could be deemed to be true because you put your hand in your pocket, thus feeding a capatilist pig who has nothing better to do than fleece you of your cash. Ever thought of that one, southski??

e-mail library shop steward steve squibbs and you get the answer you require, that there was a meeting between shop steward and the members it involved, and if you knew any thing about how unions work, there is only transcripts at official meetings, not on ones that are call up on short notice so that the shop steward knows how his members feel about the news that just about to get published that he got told on short notice, an official meet will take place later, to discuss what action should be taken. and even then there may or may not be any transcripts, not all meeting have them but notes are taken and written down.
and you saying that he is a lady, thins it down even more, a female with one of the hgv class driving license working for the council library service.

Perroman wrote:

southy wrote:

pod wrote: I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts. In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

all the drivers went to the meeting and none came up with what you said, all basically said it would be a great lost to the community should it be scrap. plus a lost of more jobs. if that,s how you feel why did you not say so at the meeting.

I've just read through this article 3 times now, very carefully, and not once does it say anything about a meeting or drivers. Come up with proof of this meeting, and what the drivers said, or your claims are null and void and you have, once again, proved to everyone on here that you are just a fantasist buffoon with nothing better to do than get under people's skin. I'm not usually affected by annoying little gnats like you but your constant whinnying and lack of back up or back bone is properly starting to wind me up. Prove it to me, when, where, who went etc, so that we can take this discussion to the next political level. Until that time, DO NOT quote my posts again.

the article will not mention about any meeting taken place, but had taken place or steve would not of spoken to the paper till after he had a chat with his members concerned and se how they feel about it all.
learn how unions operated before they talk to the press. members first press later.

pod wrote:

southy wrote:

pod wrote: I would like to thank other posters for their supportive comments on my post, believe me it was not any easy one to write, but I just felt that people needed to know the facts. In fact, two people had to be on the bus at all times, one full time driver + one full time assistant.

all the drivers went to the meeting and none came up with what you said, all basically said it would be a great lost to the community should it be scrap. plus a lost of more jobs. if that,s how you feel why did you not say so at the meeting.

dearest mr southy,
how can I put this simply for you to understand
1. I did not go to the meeting because as stated I left the job
2. the meeting was for Hampshire not Southampton.
3. Of course none of the drivers would have admitted the truth, they would have put themsleves out of a job
4. before computerisation figures for the mobiles could be massaged, now they cannot, Hampshire are probably getting the correct figures now.
Once again, thanks everyone for the support, this will be my last post on the subject, nothing more to be said, and I do not want to indulge in a certain persons rant and take advantage of someone who obviously has a personality disorder.

1/ under stand your no longer with them, then you don't really know what is happening today, only what has happened in the pass, more mobile library,s are needed with the closing down of a number of library,s all ready.
2/ yes i know.
3/ members will speak there minds at short notices meeting, and off cause first thing in there mind will be there job is on the line.
4/all figures can be massaged government body,s are doing it all the time, even now with computerisation.

you dont want to go deeper because your a multi account holder.

freefinker wrote:

southy wrote:
another aka pod. even if you only get one person on each stop, your making those people life,s a better one. stop thinking of your self and think off others.

That is one of the most insensitive, hurtful, tactless and, quite frankly, imbecilic uttering I have ever seen from you.
You should be utterly ashamed of yourself.
.
Well said pod, both for your insight into this service and your restraint in reply to such nasty and distasteful provocation.

ff there are to many on here that use multi accounts, setting one up on there pc, another on there lap top, and another on the web base ipods tablets ect ect, even the echo knows it going on but cant do much about it.