Australia: University of Sydney Plans to Cut 156 Library Jobs (60% of Staff), Positions Made Redundant

From The City News/Alt Media Group:

Sydney University library staff have been told they will be made redundant by the new system that will focus on a digital platform as well as the extension of opening hours.
The planned cuts will affect 156 staff in total [about 60% of current library employees according to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU)]
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“For a number of years now the University Management has been talking about changing what happens in the library. They are planning a library which will have hardly any staff and hardly any books,” said Sydney Branch President of the NTEU Michael Thompson.
“The University of Sydney seem to think that a library is where students can go and talk to each other at all hours of the day, without any people there to provide information about what the library can support.”
“Overwhelmingly, most University libraries’ information and services are delivered electronically. Over 1.4 million books were issued or renewed at our libraries in 2012, but users downloaded nearly three million e-readings and more than eight million journal articles,” a spokesperson for the University said.
They also rejected claims that the workforce was being downsized.

Read the Complete Article (512 Words)
See Also: This News Release From the NTEU Has a Bit More (1 page; .doc)

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