Libraries and Information Services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland 2005‐2006

Citation

Turner, R. (2007), "Libraries and Information Services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland 2005‐2006", New Library World, Vol. 108 No. 1/2, pp. 91-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800710722234

First published as Libraries in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in 1960, this large directory of over 3,000 libraries and other information services has become an indispensable tool for anyone needing information about library and information services. The directory covers services in the UK, the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland. Obviously, with details including staff names it is vital that this directory is updated every year or so.

The information was gathered by a questionnaire survey and the updating of existing entries, which could have been a flaw in the coverage as it is dependent on the respondents' replies. However, the survey had a 100 per cent return rate and so each institution has provided their own entry's details.

The book is organised into types of library service. First are public libraries, with separate sections for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland. These entries are arranged by the name of the local authority and include the main central library or headquarters, plus major branches, although not all branches. A list of which authority each public library service is in is included.

This is followed by Children's, Youth and Schools Library Services in the UK, again subdivided into individual countries (but excluding Northern Ireland).

Academic libraries in the UK include higher education institutions. This section has details of the main library, as well as major department and site libraries.

Government, national and special libraries are included but only “Selected” ones, which could be interpreted as rather vague and subjective. Major government departments are included, along with major specialist libraries such as the Health and Safety Executive. Special libraries are included if they are deemed to be a major library in their subject field, such as the Royal Institute of British Architects library.

A useful section includes the schools and departments of information and library studies in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The final section is for key library agencies and other relevant organisation. The coverage is therefore not totally comprehensive, but this is the most accessible and centralised source of information on library services available in print for the UK and Ireland. Out of the ten examples, nine I searched for were accurate, and the only one that was not was a university department library that was mothballed in 2005 in preparation for its stock being integrated into the main university library.

Each entry to the directory has a full postal address, telephone numbers, e‐mail and web site address, and most have a named contact individual. The directory also has a useful name and place index.

My only minor reservation about this, obviously vital, book is the way in which CILIP use it so forcefully as a marketing tool to sell their mailing lists. Half of the blurb on the back of the book is made up of an advert for this service. I suppose that this is understandable given the amount of information that has been collated and its marketing value for targeted mail shots, but it does rather detract from the research and professional worth of the directory.

In general, this 32nd edition of Libraries and Information Services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland is absolutely essential for anyone working in the library and information profession who regularly needs to contact colleagues in other institutions and sectors, and who wants that information in one centralised source. Its value to companies who wish to target their marketing at the library and information profession is very apparent, and CILIP also understand this. For the library and information professional, this directory continues to be an indispensable reference tool.