The chief officer/ councillor relationship in British public libraries

Abstract

Explores the relationship between the chief librarians of public libraries and members of their local authori ty councils, as a crucial element in the management of these public libraries. Factors affecting this rela tionship include: political pressures; power balances; personal agendas; the prestige of the officers; status of library services within the authori ties. Reviews and discusses Bob Usherwood's investigation of public library politics and governance ( Public library politics: the role of the elected member: Library Association Publishing, 1993) and complements his work through an examination of the counterbalancing point of view; that of the officers, based on a PhD research project which explored the opinions of UK and Canadian chief library officers on censorship. Results indicate that for UK chief librarians, politics is acknowledged as the key element in their relationship with councillors, and that officers consider acuity of political knowledge and intuition to be crucial management components. Party politics and public image were acknowledged as predominant influ ences for many councillors, and offi cers were very much aware that politicians of different political per suasions might promote different roles and stock selection policies for the public library.