"Summer has finally arrived with you"

 "So thank you for that." So said accountant Tim Wood in greeting us for our morning lecture. 

Our first cultural excursion in this study abroad program was an overview of Britain's political and economic history and current issues. As publicly funded and managed institutions, libraries are dependent upon an economy that can expend resources on them and a political landscape that empowers them. The current state of libraries in Britain is, well, pretty bleak. 

Mr. Wood discussed the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" when it comes to Britain's economic and political landscape:

1. The Brexit referendum, a highly contentious and frequently not-discussed topic that has lost the UK citizens, trade agreements, export and tourism revenue, and favorable relations. 
2. The Covid-19 pandemic
3. The Russian Invasion of Ukraine
4.  Disenchantment. This could be summarized as being a total disillusionment with the UK economic and political system. Citizens are not trusting the government and apathetic about working for change, even choosing how to cast a vote. 

Mr. Wood repeatedly brought up the term "Asset Stripped," meant to summarize the loss of assets in multiple forms from all part of English life, such as money to support public needs or professionals to fill important jobs. 

The lecture was highly engaging and informative. Mr. Wood gave ample time to legitimate information, and their cited sources, as well as anecdotes to bring the points home. I was very grateful for the chance to learn from such a knowledgeable professional and look forward to receiving his slides with all that beautiful, beautiful data.