In Switzerland, a petition to defend librarians against automatic terminals

© LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP Employees of the Greek National Library scan books that have recently arrived in the new premises of the Stavros Niarchosle Foundation cultural center.

Already in place in fast food restaurants, supermarkets and in certain public services, will automatic terminals definitively take over libraries? ? In Switzerland, two women from Geneva have launched a petition to avoid this and “promote links between the public and professionals”.

For about ten years now, libraries have been equipped with automatic terminals. As reported by ActuaLitté, Anouk Dunant Gonzenbach and Isabelle Lamm reacted when they learned in the columns of the municipal institutions newspaper that these machines would soon take complete possession of these cultural sanctuaries to manage all transactions.

The objective is clear: “For the right to borrow and return books in all circumstances to librarians in the municipal libraries of the City of Geneva and to promote links between the public and professionals”. On behalf of a group of Geneva citizens, the authors of the petition ask on the one hand that librarians remain the privileged and essential contacts for the loan and return of documents, and on the other hand that the installation of automatic terminals in libraries be limited to what is strictly necessary (one terminal per library). Anouk and Isabelle insist by emphasizing that choosing a book often requires having informed and human advice. According to them, “replacing people with machines will result in a loss of professional skills”.

Entitled on the site “Encore et toujours: une personne préférer qu'un écran”, the petition is not only aimed at the world of books. After presenting their arguments, the authors conclude by assuring that “every break in human connection deserves our indignation.” And to ask: “What should the world we want to live in be like ?”

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