Artists of the Resistance reports from day of action for libraries

Saturday 5th February was a national day of action in support of libraries, called by Campaign for the Book. Artists of the Resistance supported the day and organised a documentary team to record the various protests and events.
On a day in which the EDL were to be opposed by locals and anti-fascists in Luton, and the massive outpouring of support for ordinary Egyptians was to mobilise outside the US embassy, it was not at all clear how many would find time or energy to muster locally around the country for the Campaign for the Book’s ‘Save our Libraries Day of Action’.
A number of Libraries under threat of closure from local councils, Tory, Lib Dem and Labour, slavishly and unashamedly rubber stamping ideological attacks on the most long established and most needed services for local communities, were already up on internet blogs and pages advertising organised events to mark the day and raise awareness with local people.
However, as the day began for our film crew to record at least some events, the realisation dawned upon us that this was no side issue, nor was it overlooked by pressing international challenges. Our day began in Brixton at 12am, Olga, Lucio, our new found friend Inigo (who had overheard our conversation in a cafe that morning, introduced himself, produced some much needed sound equipment and became our soundman!) and I discovered a huge assembly of people outside the Tate Library on Windrush Square.
Unison, a local campaign for library and public services, concerned locals, political activists from a couple of different parties and library users previously unaware and needing no encouragement to join in.
Stalls were out, petitions offered, placards home made and more familiar were all present, children and their parents were chalking a giant ‘Save Our Libraries’ on the square floor, balloons in the air, a local author, local press, students, young, pensioners, activists, library staff, union members, authors, all ages, all backgrounds assembled and we knew we had alot of work to cover faithfully the atmosphere and the passion of this event.
And passion there was, aside from recording shots of the attendants, the imagery and the beautiful building itself, our interviews were startling. Time after time many intelligent and searching ideas and questions were passionately offered, the needlessness of the choice to cut these services, the merciless condemnation of councillors who on one hand state their opposition to attacks on the community and on the other hand carry those attacks out, the understanding on a powerful level of the larger forces at work behind the government’s ideology and agenda, the wealth of knowledge, the low cost of running services, the rich answers people gave as alternatives to the cuts, the myth of the cuts – the narrative was in stark contrast to that which the government give.
People see what is happening, the attack is on them and their ability to learn, to grow, to stand up for themselves and not to be manipulated into a life of business skills and competition.

We had the opportunity to interview a councillor who looked on at the speeches in some perturbation. The overwhelming sense from the councillor was one of trepidation, a number of residents were clearly angry and very articulately and forcefully made her aware.
She agreed reluctantly to talk, with a symbolic book in hand. It seemed hers was a difficult day to be at the library, contemplating the absurdity of her position, to navigate the traditional role of ‘representative’ and to defy government dictat.

Some of the best moments were unexpected and simple, a boy who was not very articulate on camera yet who expressed so powerfully how lost he would feel without this place to go and learn in a stable, calm atmosphere. A girl who eloquently referred to the culture and mindset of bankers ‘who know the price of everything and the value of nothing’, the local man who wanted to comprehend how people in government can enter politics for the right reasons and yet end up, through pressure of career and boardroom pragmatism, making the ultimate compromise of undermining their very basic principles and compassion in the process, unable to see the wood for the trees.
So much was to be covered and so much footage, and we had only visited ONE library on a day in which some hundreds were expected to attend actions, many thousands were recorded as having done so across the entire country. A library manager I know had called to say people had turned up at her library further afield to protest and petition and she had not even expected it there.
The mood is present, the militant grassroots mindset is undeniable, young and old have an agenda which is not imposed from outside, packaged or corporately advertised.
Down the road New Cross was occupied, directly taken into public possession. This is the big Society, an authentic society, whose roots, when provoked, stretch deep and wide.
Hats off to all involved.

Matt Houlihan

[email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_170562242983965&ref=ts

This entry was posted on February 8, 2011 at 11:20 and is filed under Culture of Resistance, Front page, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.