Speaking up for Libraries at Libraries Rally, March 13th

As a library campaigner I am proud to be a founding member of the Speak Up for Libraries coalition. The idea of this rally and lobby was born from an idea mooted by those attending a Library Campaigners Conference, which was organised by Voices for the Library and The Library Campaign, held in London last October, at which Philip Pullman spoke.

We have heard Ed Vaizey say this morning at the CMS libraries enquiry that he had the utmost respect for those campaigning for libraries.  Well, I have news for Mr Vaizey.  This belief is not always reflected by local authorities, such as my local authority Croydon, and I know we are not alone.

We so value libraries that communities across the country have been pressured to accept a lesser service or to volunteer to run libraries themselves in order to ‘save’ them. BUT we must not lose sight that what makes a library a library is what people value most - the expertise, care, guidance and advice offered by qualified and experienced staff who deal with the public, without agenda or prejudice, and who cater for the needs of the whole community.

If I have one message to give, it is the message from all library campaigners that came from the Library Campaigners' Conference back in October. It is essential that we see campaigning for libraries on a national level rather than the divide and conquer approach currently in place, fed by poorly constructed and leading consultations and short-sighted cuts by local authorities who are not really listening to the communities that they serve. 

An open door, a set of books, does not a library make.

We must press for the Secretary of State to use his power to ensure that statutory obligations are met. 


We must make local authorities sit up and take notice.