Here are some interesting statistics, courtesy of Camden New Journal. Library stock in Camden Libraries 1978/79 = 981,166, 1998/99 = 566,394, 2006/07 = 388,836. According to Alan Templeton, from Camden Public Library Users Group, Camden will by the end of the year have succeeded in removing two thirds of its book stock in 30 years.
Meantime, this time according to the Evening Standard, the University of London has had a £700,000 cut in its library budget for Senate House, a library that includes two early editions of Shakespeare's First Folio.
And meantime again, the local history library and archives in Stepney are under threat as the Tower Hamlets Council has sold the building to Queen Mary College for £1.2 million. Queen Mary College, by happy symmetry is part of the University of London.
Meanwhile for the third time, as a result of library refurbishments and events, library membership in Nottinghamshire is soaring. In June the monthly new joiners list was up by more than 50%, in the City of Nottingham the new joiners list was up by more than 70%.
Stats can mean anything, but this is the Government initiated National Year of Reading. Clearly, Camden residents need not apply.