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| John Clare archive under threat from library cuts | John Clare archive under threat from library cuts |
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| We write with grave concern at cuts being planned to the library services across Northamptonshire, options for which are currently out for public consultation through the council’s Review of library services in Northamptonshire. While we believe any retraction of library provision will have a debilitating impact upon those who rely on them (including future generations), we write with particular concern about a library not mentioned in the various “options” that Northamptonshire county council sets out: the Northampton central library, on Abington Street, Northampton, home to an important collection of the manuscripts and books of the poet John Clare. | |
| The council’s plans seem to mask the fact that this library will also be hugely affected by reductions in the number, seniority, qualifications and experience of staff that will be retained in that library. Many staff in this library – not mentioned in the plans – are threatened with redundancy or an effective downgrading of their post, no matter what option is chosen. | The council’s plans seem to mask the fact that this library will also be hugely affected by reductions in the number, seniority, qualifications and experience of staff that will be retained in that library. Many staff in this library – not mentioned in the plans – are threatened with redundancy or an effective downgrading of their post, no matter what option is chosen. |
| This library is home to many a unique resource pertaining to Northamptonshire history and culture, but we are specifically concerned about the John Clare collection – arguably the world’s greatest archive of the poet’s manuscripts, of his books, and of a wide collection of unique ephemera and publications by or about Clare. The collection is used by international scholars and artists of all kinds, and has been a hub and stimulus of activity in response to this increasingly significant poet for many decades. | This library is home to many a unique resource pertaining to Northamptonshire history and culture, but we are specifically concerned about the John Clare collection – arguably the world’s greatest archive of the poet’s manuscripts, of his books, and of a wide collection of unique ephemera and publications by or about Clare. The collection is used by international scholars and artists of all kinds, and has been a hub and stimulus of activity in response to this increasingly significant poet for many decades. |
| The collection at Northampton has always been maintained by expert, attentive, scholarly librarians, who do their level best with scant resources to make this publicly owned archive available to readers and researchers of all kinds. Our central concern here is that – given the size of the cuts planned, and the loss of staff and expertise delivered by all of the council’s options – there will be a permanently detrimental effect upon the care and curation of the Clare collection. We worry that this internationally significant collection will no longer be safe in the council’s hands. We would like the council to give public and quantified assurances that this will not be the case.Simon Kövesi Editor, John Clare Society Journal, and Professor of English Literature, Oxford Brookes UniversitySimon Armitage Oxford professor of poetrySir Jonathan Bate Biographer of John ClareDinah Birch President-elect, British Association for Victorian Studies, and professor of English literature, University of LiverpoolAlison Brackenbury Poet and broadcasterJohn Burnside Writer and professor, University of St AndrewsGerard Carruthers Francis Hutcheson Professor of literature, University of GlasgowPaul Chirico Co-director, Centre for John Clare Studies, University of CambridgeJohn Goodridge Emeritus professor of English, Nottingham Trent UniversityNick Groom Writer and professor of English, University of ExeterIan Haywood President, British Association for Romantic Studies, and professor of English, University of RoehamptonSarah Houghton-Walker Co-director, Centre for John Clare Studies, University of CambridgeToby JonesBridget Keegan Professor of English, Creighton University, Omaha, USAAndrew Kötting Artist and film-makerJosie Long ComedianRichard Mabey Author and patron of the John Clare SocietyHilary MantelEmma Mason Professor of English and comparative literature, University of WarwickJames McKusick Professor of English, University of Missouri-Kansas City, USAGeorge MonbiotAlan Moore Writer and performerDavid Morley PoetAndrew Motion PoetPhilip Pullman President, Society of AuthorsMichael RosenIain Sinclair AuthorFiona Stafford Professor of English, University of Oxford | |
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