Quicker and easier?

What could be quicker and easier than to hand your book over the counter to be stamped? What could be more pleasant than a real person to pass the time of day, help you find a book, look up something on the internet and direct school pupils to sources of information for homework projects?

The cost of making this change, I read, is £25,000, and that eventually it will “save” 17 salaries. So not a cost saving in the long term, then? In any case, do we really want to lose 17 jobs in a time of high unemployment?

The majority of library users are probably very happy with the present system and wary of new technology. Neighbourhood Watch virtually ceased to exist in some areas when it all went on e-mail and internet. No, we are not Luddites, but if something is not broken why fix it? The installation of computers as an alternative source of information is, of course, necessary and to be applauded, but why get rid of existing good practice?

My family and I have always used the library extensively and frequently visited the museum when it was attached. The large collection of birds’ eggs always fascinated me. It was a pity the two had to be separated. Lovely as the museum is now, I suspect it is under-used.

In a time of cutbacks, could we be told the real reason for spending large sums of money on a system which is perfectly satisfactory?

M. E. Lees

Granville Road

Littlehampton