Professionals walk out in Orange

The battle between librarians and the French National Front has come to a crucial point. In a development which has huge ramifications not only for librarians but for the very notion of the freedom of speech, all professional staff have left the public library in Orange. In both Orange and Marignane, the chief librarians have had their employment terminated and been replaced by non-professionals who are more sympathetic to the Front National's right-wing perspective.

As the Record went to press, it remained a distinct possibility that the library service in Orange would close and there were fears that a similar pattern may emerge in Toulon and Vitrolles - both controlled by the FN.

In a situation which seems inconceivable for any Western democracy in the second half of the twentieth century, the FN-controlled regions have become fortresses of barbarism amidst the refined landscape of French cultural life.

'Those who are still working in the libraries are very afraid,' says Claudine Belayache, President of French library association LBF, 'so they do not talk easily to colleagues and information is difficult to come by. They have become mute.'

An inspection has been made of the Marignane service, and the report is, in the words of Ms Belayache, 'sitting on the desk of the new Minister of Culture'.

Before the recent election, the previous incumbent had promised that the French government would be 'studying the situation very seriously' with a view to introducing legislation to set objective standards of library provision.

Unlike Britain, France has no public library legislation, although freedom of speech for publishers is enshrined in the law and there is even a stipulation that booksellers should maintain a selection of newspapers.

As previously reported (October Record, p. 493), the Ministry of Culture has already produced a condemnatory report of the activities of the FN Mayor of Orange.

As a result of this, the ministry sought to make the point that 'quality, currency and diversity are the criteria for selection of material put at the public's disposal, and not political or religious points of view'. However, the advice was summarily ignored by Mayor Bompard and there is little indication that there will be a different approach in Marignane.

The one hope is that the report will act as a catalyst to galvanise the new government into action.

Meanwhile a group of users have taken the Marignane authority to court, claiming that the regime is depriving them of information. However, given the lack of legislation, the issue is a complex one. The FN's argum-ent is that the 'banned' publications are available in bookshops and so there is no deprivation. The users' argument is that the publications will be denied to posterity since they are no longer being archived.

As this litigation got under way, the Chief Librarian was told that she need not work through to the end of her contract at the end of June. She left at the begining of the month and, as with Orange, was replaced by a non-professional. The new Chief is described by Claudine Belayache as being 'very close to the Mayor politically'.

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