End of the librarian? council cuts and new tech push profession to the brink
Jul 07 2024
Staff in England’s public libraries under threat of being replaced by automated checkouts amid budget pressures.
The role of the traditional “librarian behind the counter” is under threat in a drive by councils to cut staff hours using self-service checkouts. Officials in some local authorities are proposing that libraries can be operated at times without any professional librarians, relying on self-service technology, smartcards for entry and CCTV.
