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| Well said |
All over the country council's are cutting funding to various things, many are choosing the soft option and cutting library services - in Doncaster this week the council decided to cut 14 of 26 libraries in the area!
So today way 'Save our Libraries' day, the Guardian tracked the protests across the country with events at many libraries. Here in Sheffield there was a mass 'Shhh In' at 11am. Hundreds of people at the Central Library gathered to say 'shhhh' together, and then browse the shelves and take out their maximum 15 books each.
John and I got 13 books between us - he went for art books, and I got mainly graphic novels and non-fiction books - the theory being that I'll be able to read them before they need to go back! I did also order two others to be delivered to my local (Newfield Green) library to pick up when they are available.
I tend to use libraries for reference or computers, not often taking books out as I'm terrible at returning them, or I'm scared they'll get lost amongst all the other books in my house!
I remember visits to Cirencester library when I was a child, I love the kids section; but as I got older I would visit the reference sections and take out audio books (one of the books I got today was on CD).
Part of the reason I felt the need to support the protest was not for myself, but for all the people who perhaps don't feel able to protest, or don't yet have the children to take to the library. Once the libraries are gone, they are gone forever and a whole generation of children will miss the opportunity to discover the wonderful world of books.
We have child literacy problems in this country, and I don't understand how the government will ever hope to address this if one of the main places for people to get books is taken away; not everyone can afford to buy books, or perhaps they don't have the storage space, or perhaps they are young and their parents don't read so they aren't introduced to books......there are so many reasons why the libraries must be saved (I agree that if cuts must be made there are probably savings to by made in the library service, but closing libraries can't be the only way). Hopefully the council and government will take note (although I doubt it).
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| My library haul! |
