Save Our Libraries Day

Protests, read-ins and author events have taken place today as part of Save Our Libraries day. Government budget cuts are threatening the existence of over 450 libraries and additional services across the country and it is hoped that the day of protest will highlight the importance of the library system both to the local community and to local councils.

Support for the campaign has flooded in from both the public and high profile authors. Philip Pullman, author of the acclaimed series His Dark Materials, has been lending his support to the campaign in Oxfordshire, where 20 of the county's 43 libraries are under threat. Author of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson will be presenting a petition to the Scottish Parliament on the matter. In Gloucestershire, a team of authors  have been racing against each other to visit as many libraries and events in the county as possible whilst members of the public have been engaging in a number of protest forms: from mass SHH-ins to the simple act of visiting their local library and taking out their maximum book allowance.

The public outcry has been supported by the National Literary Trust who published a report yesterday which they say confirms the link between the use of libraries and good reading skills in children and young people. The findings suggest that young people who use their local library are almost twice as likely to be above average readers than children who do not use the service. Trust Director, Jonathan Douglas, has released a statement in support for the campaign,

“The National Literacy Trust campaigns to improve public understanding of the vital importance of literacy. We are supporting Save Our Libraries Day and encouraging everyone to get involved and show how passionately they feel about the importance of literacy and libraries.”

General opposition towards cuts to public services has been building as more announcements are made and much of the argument against library closures take into account the role that the service plays within local communities. As an informal meeting place for all ages, with free access to the internet, a place for children to do homework and a welcoming place for mother and toddler groups as well as its primary book lending service, the point which Pullman and other supporters of the campaign have tried to put across to local councils and central government in the media today is that the value of library services cannot be measured in terms of cost and profit alone.  

The effectiveness of the day of protest is yet to be decided but it is clear from the participation levels today that there is still a significant amount of support and love for a free, public library service throughout the UK.

Phil Bradley has made some excellent mock ups of WWI and WWII propaganda posters to support the campaign  The full collection can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/sets/72157625923493122/ and a selection on the Guardian's website http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2011/feb/04/save-libraries-protest-posters-cuts#/?picture=371246723&index=0