<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[A Life in Libraries]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[cbecker53]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/author/cbecker53/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Heed the Wake Up&nbsp;Call!]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve been waiting to write this post until I&#8217;ve had a little more time.  Meanwhile, while I&#8217;ve been waiting you&#8217;ve probably heard or read about the <a title="Deary report" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2013/0215/Bestselling-author-riles-many-calling-libraries-no-longer-relevant" target="_blank">comments</a> from author <a title="Deary.com" href="http://www.terry-deary.com/" target="_blank">Terry Deary</a> that libraries are a thing of the past and no longer relevant.</p>
<p>While I&#8217;ve been waiting, others have already commented on Deary&#8217;s statements:</p>
<ul>
<li><a title="Huff Post Deary is wrong" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/foz-meadows/why-terry-deary-is-wrong-_b_2695825.html" target="_blank">Why Deary is Wrong: The Case for Libraries</a> (Huffington Post)</li>
<li><a title="Guardian Deary letter" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2013/feb/17/making-libraries-history-horrible-idea" target="_blank">Making Libraries History is Horrible Ide</a>a (Guardian UK letter in response to Deary <a title="Guardian Deary " href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary" target="_blank">article</a>)</li>
<li><a title="letter to Deary" href="http://www.marcmorris.org.uk/2013/02/a-letter-to-terry-deary.html" target="_blank">A Letter to Deary </a></li>
</ul>
<p>Mr. Deary is entitled to his opinion, of course.  It should come as no surprise to you that I don&#8217;t share his opinion, and if you read this blog, I would guess you don&#8217;t either.  But here&#8217;s the thing:  Think this kind of thing can&#8217;t happen in your community?  Do you think that your patrons haven&#8217;t read about and heard about Deary&#8217;s stance?  And that they won&#8217;t ask you to respond?  Think again.</p>
<p>Deary and others who share his way thinking have given us a wake up call.  Be prepared to respond when folks tell you Deary&#8217;s right, or ask you why you think he&#8217;s wrong.  Why are libraries relevant? And especially, why is YOUR library relevant?  (and while we&#8217;re at it, worthy of taxpayer support?!)</p>
<p>Maybe you&#8217;ve already been asked.  What did you say?</p>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_2697" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg"><img loading="lazy" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2697" data-attachment-id="2697" data-permalink="https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/2013/03/01/heed-the-wake-up-call/library-600x800/" data-orig-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg" data-orig-size="600,800" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.7&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot S3 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1149016721&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Library" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/fredjk&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=225" data-large-file="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=600" class="size-medium wp-image-2697 " alt="Library" src="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=225&amp;h=300 225w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=450&amp;h=600 450w, https://cherylbecker.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/library-600x800.jpg?w=113&amp;h=150 113w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2697" class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/fredjk" rel="nofollow">http://www.sxc.hu/profile/fredjk</a></p></div>
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