would you volunteer to keep your library open?

[carriedababi]

?

I would but it would stick in my throat that it's somebodies lively hood I've taken. So no. I'd volunteer if nobody got made unemployed mind.

ThinksBigSocietyIsAWayofCoveringUpJobLossesAndNOTHINGElseTiggaxx

DOes council tax not cover libraries then?

No i wouldn;t volunteer.

Maybe the should be looking at a different model and charging for some of the add-ons such as internet access. A nominal fee for an hour, or a monthly membership that allows members to book so many hours per month.

They must make a fair amount from renting out DVDs/CDs/audio books.

No I wouldn't. I don't have any spare hours. The hours I work have to earn me money so that we can survive. Plus, if there is a job to be done then I think people should be paid to do it.

What dollydimples said at 16:24

No

Someone has to care for the boys and if not me they would want paying therefore volunteering on this sort of basis would be imposisble.

I volunteer, but from home etc around what I can do.

Oh and I am anti volunteers replacing paid jobs for real people anyway so would say no again on that principle.

Besides, I ahve been a volunteer amnager and whilst they were mainly lovely people I wouldn;t have wanted them running any service that people depended on to be open for business regualrly: isn;t that why people often volunteer- their own flexibility? try motivating someone to come in on a rainy day or when their child is a bit off colour when no pay is involved.

too busy working all hours to volunteer for anything - like the majority of the population

also agree with those that say it's taking a skilled job from someone already.

It's complicated - part of his job was shifted to India and he would have had to relocate to do a smaller role on less money and no guarantees that role was 'safe' or take his chances to find another job.

Absolutely not. I assume librarians actually need good training and am not sure it is the sort of job that any tom dick, jane or janet off the street could do properly.... And what happens when the volunteers don't feel like it (eg nice hot sunny day, etc,) You can't exactly force them to come in.....

I pay my taxes for such things as libraries. And I would rather pay more tax to have them run by professionals.

Oh and also becuase last week I had to listen to the fears of a young friend Librarian who ahs a ortagge, a redundancy notice, and a letter asking her to volunteer.

It would be nice, but considering I haven't even made it to the library to collect the card I ordered 6 months ago due to work pressures/other stuff, I don't think I'd be the most reliable volunteer.

How's about they leave the trained, employed librarians to do it, or is keeping people in jobs a bad way to aid economic recovery?

However, I would be quite happy to volunteer to be an MP (though I would expect their salary and benefits, thank you very much).

Should be pretty easy - you don't need any special training or anythink.

id take it oer as a franchise and then charge for book borrowing]

there would howver be a trendy coffee shop with over priced biscotti

No

And as amothersplace says, my fiernd is technically a library assistant (despite being a bgrad) as to call yourself a lIbrarian takes specialised training.

and i woudl re do the decor

christ most libraries are dull

all those childrens finger painting and toilet roll craft wank will go too

I wouldn't want to volunteer to cover a job that a qualified person has lost because of some ridiculous notion of 'big society'.

Besides, I've been watching 'The People's Supermarket' on Channel 4, which is an eye-opener... Members do 4 hours volunteering per month and it's hilarious watching them trying to cope with shelf stacking and failing hopelessly! As for the well-meaning incompetents volunteers who man the tills...

As other posters have said, it's not just a case of rubber stamping a few books, librarians are trained professionals.

if have arty colourful children pictures ont he wall - in frames and then i would contract a sing with baby 'consultant' and a read with toddler 'consultant' and a baby sign 'consultant'

and charge extortionatley for local provision

Yep Wooly

When I was a volunteer manager we couldn't get half the number of people we needed to operate leading to resentment amongst other over burdened vollies, and eventual breech of our service level agreements and withdrawal of funding.

Call me a cynic but rely on vollies (great though most are) and gradually kiss thge service goodbye.

soon, my empire would be so successful, that i will charge healthcare professionals to come and speak to my customer base

i will charge extortionatley for the use of rooms to hold local meetings and give healthcare

the coffee shop will serve hot chocolate sans horrible cream whip on top, instead, a tasteful

'C' for custy will be sprinkled in chocolate.

and children will not get anything free

neither will students - take your nus card to some other mug

No. Because my husband works in a library. So we would be doing the work which used to support us for nothing. And he works hard, it's not like he sits around reading books all bloody day

FRUIT SHOOT

Yes I would.
I work 30 hrs a week but only term time so could do a day a week in the hols

Custy that is actually what my CC wants to do.