Sir, – I would like to endorse Felix Larkin’s trenchant critique of the Government’s recent decision to abolish the National Library’s board and take over management of that splendid institution. His cogent and well-informed letter (November 2nd) stresses the utter “folly” of entrusting the library’s affairs to a bureaucracy that knows little or nothing about what transpires daily inside those hallowed precincts on Kildare Street.
I write on the basis of more than 50 years’ experience of reading and writing in the NLI. In fact, I could never have completed any of my books and articles on Irish history without its marvellous resources and all kinds of help from the friendly staff. Over the years I have watched the library’s gradual emergence from the dark ages of the 1950s and 1960s and its transformation into an efficient, benevolent, refurbished, and even computerised institution. To my delight it took a mere five minutes for a book to be delivered to my desk. In recent years – especially under the enlightened leadership of Brendan O’Donoghue – the quality of the library staff as well as the hospitable ambience reached a peak. Since then, ominous budget cuts have eroded those wonderful services while reducing opening hours and greatly increasing the length of book delivery.
To quote that estimable Irishman, Mr Murphy: “If a thing ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. In my opinion the only thing that needs fixing in the NLI is the budget that has shrunk in size over the last few years. Of course, the bottom line is money – hardly a surprise in these hard times. Nevertheless the NLI does not deserve to become a sacrificial lamb simply because it is a centre of cultural production rather than a producer of stout or computers or pharmaceuticals. Continued under-financing of the NLI is bound to result in not only more layoffs, but also a further decline in readers and services.
As Mr Larkin points out, the NLI is now “the worst resourced library in Europe”. That sobering pronouncement should be a cause of huge embarrassment to the Government as well as the nation. Quite rightly he declares that the NLI is “deeply valued by the people of Ireland.” To this truism I must add my conviction that scholars of Irish history, literature, and culture around the world also hold the NLI in high esteem.
Their profound indebtedness to the NLI and their concern for the wellbeing and autonomy of this national treasure should not be ignored when contemplating any scheme of managerial reform. – Yours, etc,